Nutrient Removal, Algae Biosolids, & Bioplastic Athletic

Shoes: A Circular Wastewater Economy

F. B. Greena,b,c, R. E. Dawyotc, R. W. Huntd, K. J. Myerse, A. J. Wardf
aEEHSL and LBNL, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
bOswald Green, LLC and Oswald Engineering Associates, Inc., Kensington, CA, USA
cAllied Engineers, Inc., San Ramon, CA, USA (Email: bgreen@alliedengineersinc.com)
dALGIX, LLC and BLOOM Sustainable Materials, MS, USA
eResident and Past President of the Delhi County Water District Board of Directors, Delhi, CA, USA
fIAustralian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, AUSTRALIA

INTRODUCTION
When municipal wastewater treatment facilities (WWTFs), and their process improvements, are designed, constructed, and operated to reclaim, recover, and reuse (R3) clean recycled water, low-carbon renewable energy, and fixed nutrients, such WWTFs will exceed
regulatory requirements and demonstrate leading edge wastewater reclamation technologies. Improving effluent quality and the quality of other co-products will expand water, energy, and nutrient reuse opportunities and revenues. Sustainable R3 technologies,
improvements, and operations expand the circular economy of wastewater. Designed by Oswald Green, LLC, a fifth-generation Advanced Integrated Wastewater Pond System or AIWPS® WWTF commissioned in 1998 serves the Merced County community of Delhi,
California, USA. Oswald Engineering Associates, Inc. designed three phases of WWTF improvements in 2008, 2009, and 2011/2012 that increased the removal, algal colonial speciation, and solar drying efficiency of the harvested algae biosolids. Since 2012 Delhi County
Water District WWTF Operators have been able to harvest, solar dry, transport, and sell more than 100 metric tons (dry weight) per year to ALGIX, LLC and now BLOOM Sustainable Materials, LLC in Meridian, MS for their production of algae-based bioplastic resins and
pellets that are used in the manufacture of athletic shoes soles.

METHODS DISCUSSION RESULTS CONCLUSIONS

2005 Coagulation Study of multiple cationic coagulants to achieve a
effluent turbidity of <20 NTU in the effluent of Algae Settling Ponds; The 3% solids settled algal slurry is pumped from
2006 Coaguation Study Report submitted to the State of California the bottom of the decanted Algae Settling Pond on
Regional Water Quality Control Board; to the under-drained Algae Drying Beds. There they
2007/2008 Design and construction of Phase I Improvements adding dry and are stockpiled on a concrete slap prior to A novel enhanced sedimentation algae
coagulation, flocculation and enhanced sedimentation of algal being loaded into super sacks and transported to harvesting process achieved final
suspended solids (TSS) using Upflow Tube Settlers beneath the surface ALGIX, LLC and BLOOM Sustainable Materials in effluent turbidities of less than 10 NTU
launders of the two Algae Settling Ponds (ASPs) (2007/2008); Meridian, MS, USA where they are thermally and final effluent BOD5 and TSS
processed into bioplastic resins and extruded into concentrations of less than 10 mg/L.
pellets. These are then sold to a number of athletic Average dry weather sewage flows of
shoe manufacturers and used to make athletic shoe 2.3 MLD produces at least 100 metric
Algae Settling Pond influent TSS of 200
soles shown in the next three pictures under tons of solar-dried algae biosolids
mg/L was reduced to <10 NTU in the
Results. suitable for the production of bioplastic
ASP effluent. This 95% removal
efficiency is equivalent to that of DAF. pellets used to manufacture athletic
shoe soles.
45
Improving effluent quality by the
40
PERMIT FOR EFFLUENT BOD & TSS CONCENTRATIONS Alga removal of fixed nutrients in the form of
35
algal biosolids avoids biosolids
disposal costs, associated GHG
Turbidity (NTU), BOD (mg/l), TSS (mg/l)

30

Turbidity
emissions, and provides carbon
An array of vertically baffled 25
BOD5

TSS*
capture, sequestration, and storage in
Upflow Tube Settlers beneath
20 * TSS values <20 mg/l are not reported by the

recyclable bioplastic end products.

laboratory that does the analyeses (J&L
Analytical). For plotting purposes, values below
20 mg/l are shown as the BOD concentration +1.

the ASP surface launders

15

Improving wastewater treatment

enhance the gravity
10

efficiency and effluent quality drive

sedimentation of microalgae,
5

resource recovery and reuse

especially colonial species
0

opportunities and revenues and

such as Scenedesmus sp. Time (Days)

demonstrate the circular wastewater

shown in the micrograph
economy.
Figure 1. Delhi AIWPS® Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluent Turbidity, BOD, and TSS from August 26 through October 21

above.
Data collected and reported to RWQCB
during the 90-day performance period.

The relevant study reports, engineering designs, and written specifications prepared by Oswald Engineering Associates, Inc. and the first author are available upon request at bgreen@alliedengineersinc.com.

The co-authors wish to acknowledge the collaborative partnership of the Delhi County Water District in its WWTF improvements in recycled water quality, nutrient removal, and its algae biosolids resource recovery and reuse for bioplastics.