Dr Anthony MA 馬耀華 (HKPC)

Abstract
Mobile carriers have been proven to be effective media in biofilm processes. They have been used in Integrated Fixed-film Activated Sludge (IFAS) or Moving Bed Bioreactor (MBBR) processes in sewage treatment. With the attached biomass on the carriers, high volumetric loading rate and good nitrification can be achieved.

Under the Harbour Area Treatment Scheme (HATS) Stage 2B, it was planned that the CEPT effluent from Stonecutters Island STW (SCISTW) will need further treatment in order to meet the future Water Quality Objectives (WQO). Due to the space limitation in SCISTW, compact biological treatment methods will be required. Therefore, IFAS and MBBR processes were investigated in a recent prototype study conducted in SCISTW.

In the study, the two biofilm processes were studied and compared. Both processes were found to have good organic and total nitrogen removal performance on raw sewage and CEPT effluent even at rather short hydraulic retention time. The relative biomass abundance, the q-PCR analysis, and the nitrification rate test show that most of the nitrifiers are on the carriers. The study findings have also shed the light on how the process can be further optimized.

About the Speaker
Dr. Anthony Ma is the Principal Consultant of the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) in charge of the water and wastewater projects. He has over 24 years of experience in water purification and pollution control, water reclamation and water efficiency consultancy. He received his PhD degree in chemical engineering from the Queen's University of Belfast in UK. Specialized in applied researches of different treatment technologies, like selective ion exchange, membrane filtration, chemical oxidation, anaerobic process, compact biological processes and membrane bioreactor to develop innovative solutions and systems. Dr Ma is the Chairman of the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management Hong Kong in 2010-2012, voluntary advisor of Oxfam HK and member of the expert panel for HATS 2B Review.