Thesis Defence: Adedoyin Adekunle (Master of Applied Science in Engineering)
You are encouraged to attend the defence. The details of the defence and attendance information is included below:
Date: April 11, 2025
Time: 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM (PT)
Defence mode: Hybrid
In-Person Attendance: Senate Chambers, UNBC Prince George Campus
Virtual Attendance: via Zoom
LINK TO JOIN: Please contact the Office of Graduate Administration for information regarding remote attendance for online defences.
To ensure the defence proceeds with no interruptions, please mute your audio and video on entry and do not inadvertently share your screen. The meeting will be locked to entry 5 minutes after it begins: please ensure you are on time.
Thesis entitled: OPTIMIZATION OF CURDLAN BIOSYNTHESIS IN THE GRANULE MATRIX DURING WASTEWATER TREATMENT IN AEROBIC GRANULAR SLUDGE SYSTEMS
Abstract: Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) biotechnology has been extensively studied for wastewater treatment over the past two decades, gaining increased interest due to its enhanced treatment performance and potential for resource recovery. This research focused on the recovery of curdlan, a value-added biopolymer recently identified in the AGS matrix, as a promising approach to sustainable wastewater treatment and the attainment of a circular economy in the wastewater management industry. Nine experiments were conducted, examining three experimental factors: Carbon-to-Nitrogen (C/N) ratio (carbon measured in form of chemical oxygen demand – COD), feeding strategy, and organic loading rate (OLR). The experiments included three levels for each factor: C/N ratios of 10, 20, and 30; OLRs of 0.8, 1.5, and 2.1 kg COD/m³∙d; and feeding strategies of 60 min feeding, 30 min feeding with 30 min resting phase, and 10 min pulse feeding with 50 min resting phase. The COD removal efficiency was promising, exceeding 91% in all reactors. Phosphorus and ammonia-N removal efficiencies were high, reaching up to 96% and 100%, respectively, except in reactor R9 (C/N-30; 30 min feeding/30 min resting, OLR-0.8 kg COD/m³∙d). Among the nine experimental runs, reactors R3 (C/N - 10, 30 min feeding/30 min resting, OLR-2.1 kg COD/m³∙d) and R4 (C/N - 30, 10 min pulse feeding/50 min resting, OLR-2.1 kg COD/m³∙d) showed the most promising results, with curdlan yields of 74 and 69 mg curdlan/g biomass after 30 days, respectively. The high OLR (2.1 kg COD/m³∙d) favored higher curdlan yields in these reactors. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between OLR and curdlan recovery, while no correlation was observed between C/N ratio, feeding strategy, and curdlan production from AGS. Mean effect analysis revealed that OLR 2.1 kg COD/m³∙d, C/N ratio of 10 and feeding strategy of 30 min feeding/30 min resting phase were the optimal levels for curdlan production in this study. This study provides valuable insights into the impact of selected factors on curdlan biosynthesis and recovery from AGS. These findings may enhance the sustainability of AGS treatment technology in the wastewater industry and create opportunities for curdlan recovery from wastewater treatment systems.
Defence Committee:
Chair: Dr. Mauricio Dziedzic
Supervisor: Dr. Oliver Iorhemen
Committee Member: Dr. Ron Thring
Committee Member: Dr. Kalindi Morgan
External Examiner: Dr. Sumi Siddiqua
Contact Information
Graduate Administration in the Office of the Registrar, University of Northern British Columbia