What is Bio Media and the Advantages of Using It
Bio media, or biological media, is a biofiltration material made from recycled polypropylene. Bacterial colonies that remove dissolved solids from wastewater grow and live on this surface. The filtration media is shaped in tubes and spheres to maximize surface area and allow adequate water flow. The bacteria use the dissolved oxygen and nitrate in the water to remove pollution and clarify the effluent.
The high surface area prevents clogging of the filtration media and loss of bacterial colonies in effluent discharge. Unless clogging occurs, the bio media should not be cleaned or removed. This low-maintenance biological treatment system is effective and can be used in trickling filter beds and industrial and municipal wastewater plants.
Advantages of Filtration Using Bio Media Compared to Other Filtration Methods
The advantages of biofiltration, if you choose the right biofiltration system for your industrial facility, include six tangible benefits that will be provided once the system is fully operational. These advantages include:
- Improved pollutant removal – Biofiltration systems can more effectively remove inorganic, organic, and microbial pollutants compared to traditional filtration systems.
- Enhanced taste – Some compounds, like Methylisoborneol and Geosmin, are usually very difficult to treat. However, these compounds can be removed through biofiltration, reducing the likelihood of water having musty or earthy odors and tastes.
- Better flexibility – This type of system is also flexible when considering changes in water. If the water changes over time to the extent of restructuring organisms, biofiltration systems should be able to remove any emerging pollutants that reach the water.
- Reduced DBP formation – Biofiltration systems can effectively remove organic carbon from wastewater, reducing the likelihood of the appearance of secondary disinfection products like haloacetic acids and trihalomethanes.
- Lower production of residual solids – Using a biofiltration system means that the production of residual solids should remain minimal. Consequently, handling costs will remain low.
- Improved water stability – Biofiltration is capable of removing biodegradable dissolved organic carbon, helping to improve water stability in the system you choose.
Challenges of Filtration by Bio Media
- Although using a biofiltration system is beneficial for many reasons, there are also several challenges that you should be aware of. While the filtered water should look and taste better, these systems are limited in some ways compared to traditional filtration systems. The main challenge you will need to overcome includes addressing low filter run times. While warm water will enhance bacterial growth, the filter can be negatively affected by hydraulic limitations. More bacteria in the system can reduce water flow.
- This specific challenge can be overcome by balancing the system’s nutrients or by adding a simple disinfectant to increase run times. You can use a disinfectant like hydrogen peroxide for this task. However, it may be necessary to use additional filters or design an optimized filter when you want to use biofiltration during warm weather. Solving this challenge is essential if you want your biofiltration system to operate efficiently.
- While hydraulic limitations caused by increased bacterial growth are the primary issues you need to face with your biofiltration system. You may also need to deal with disposing of excess biological material. This problem mainly occurs when the biological material becomes too thick. When the material densifies, your system will not be able to operate correctly. You must regularly remove excess biological material from the filter. Keep in mind that these systems might also be ineffective in removing manganese. These two problems can be avoided by purchasing the right system.
If you want to use a great filtration system for the environment that can operate without wasting a lot of energy. Then using bio media is exactly what you are looking for. When compared to traditional systems, biofiltration produces water with better specifications and contains fewer organic compounds
