SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TREATING WASTEWATER VIA PHOTOTACTIC HETEROTROPHIC MICROORGANISM GROWTH

摘要

A wastewater treatment method (200) includes the steps of supplying a wastewater influent (206) having nutrients for a population of phototactic heterotrophic microorganisms (204) to an aerated bioreactor (202). At least a portion of the nutrients is converted into the phototactic heterotrophic microorganism population (204). The wastewater influent (206) and the phototactic heterotrophic microorganism population (204) together form a bioreactor effluent (210) that is transferred to a light clarifier (212). The bioreactor effluent (210) is concentrated in the light clarifier (212) to form a low- solids effluent (216) and a high-solids effluent (214). The concentration is performed by inducing the population of phototactic heterotrophic microorganisms (204) to phototactically self concentrate through exposure to a light having at least one of an intensity and a wavelength sufficient to cause the phototactic heterotrophic microorganism population (204) to migrate away from a source of the light.