ABSTRACT
The anaerobic biodegradation of organics in Eco-engineered bioreactors (EEBs) will be carried out by facultative bacteria and by obligate anaerobic heterotrophic bacteria in the biofilms. The most common partial anaerobic biodegradation product in EEB anaerobic bioreactors (ABRs) is acetic acid. EEB Systems for airports will always involve secondary treatment in BREW bioreactors and normally do not need to include other secondary treatment components such as ABRs or Aerated Lagoons. Another major use for EEB Systems is in the treatment of mining influenced waters. EEB Systems can be designed to treat acidic, neutral and alkaline mining impacted waters and have already been demonstrated to be effective in treating many of them. Plants will take up nutrients such as phosphorus into their tissues but in natural systems such as Constructed Treatment Wetlands and vegetated EEBs, these nutrients will be returned to the water column as Org-P when the plants die and decay.
