Enhanced denitrification process by monitoring and controlling carbonaceous nutrient addition

A method of monitoring denitrification of wastewater in a wastewater treatment process comprising:

• isolating a wastewater sample from said wastewater in said wastewater treatment process;
• detecting changes in fluorescence emitted by NADH from microorganisms contained within said sample;
• detecting changes in pH of said sample;
• analyzing said changes in NADH and pH and establishing that said sample is denitrified at a point where NADH shifts from a steady state or a decreasing state to an increasing state and, substantially simultaneously, said pH shifts from a steady state or an increasing state to a decreasing state;
• calculating elapsed time between when said sample was taken and when said sample was denitrified to determine the denitrification time for said portion of said wastewater treatment process;
• calculating a hydraulic retention time for said wastewater;
• and
• comparing said hydraulic retention time to said denitrification time.

A method of controlling denitrification of wastewater in a wastewater treatment process comprising:

• isolating a wastewater sample from said wastewater in said wastewater treatment process;
• detecting changes in fluorescence emitted by NADH from microorganisms contained within said sample;
• detecting changes in pH of said sample;
• calculating a hydraulic retention time for said wastewater;
• analyzing said changes in NADH and pH and establishing that said sample is denitrified at a point where 1) NADH fluorescence proceeds through a valley and pH passes through a substantially flat plateau, 2) NADH fluorescence proceeds through a single stepwise increase and pH passes a peak or 3) NADH fluorescence proceeds through a reverse peak and pH passes through a substantially flat plateau;
• calculating elapsed time between when said sample was taken and when said sample was denitrified according to any of 1), 2) and 3) to determine a denitrification time;
• comparing said denitrification time to said hydraulic retention time;
• and
• adjusting the rate of carbonaceous nutrient feeding of said wastewater in response to said comparing as follows:
• i) increasing said feeding if the denitrification time calculated according to 1) is longer than said hydraulic retention time;
• ii) decreasing said feeding if the denitrification time calculated according to 2) is shorter than said hydraulic retention time;
• and
• iii) maintaining said feeding substantially constant if the denitrification time calculated according to 3) is about the same as the hydraulic retention time.