Assessment of Luffa cylindrica as Support in Biofilms Reactors for the Biological Treatment of Domestic Wastewater

A simultaneous treatment of BOD, phosphorous and ammonia in artificial wastewater was carried out in biofilm reactors with Luffa cylíndrica as organic support and compared with PVC's support under variations of dissolved oxygen of 1.5 a 3.0 mg l−1 in the same reactor. During semicontinous treatment, the removal of BOD (92.5%) with Luffa cilíndrica was higher than PVC support (80%). Nitrification only existed at levels of oxygen of 3 mg l−1, showed in the effluent a final concentration of ammonium of 17 and 19 mg l−1 for Luffa cilíndrica and PVC support, respectively. In reactors with Luffa cilíndrica a higher percentage of P removal (40%) was reached, while no elimination in reactors with PVC was observed. The formation of anaerobic-aerobic zones inside the natural support probably allowed the increase in the efficiency of removal of phosphorous. Oxidation of organic matter, P removal and nitrification can be achieved with the variation of oxygen inside of the same biofilm reactor using L. cylindrical as support material.