Method for recovering a disposal trench with a biomat slime, and method for operating a waste treatment vessel

Abstract

A soil-based disposal trench that has failed from a biomat slime is recovered by adding a facultative anaerobic bacteria to an effluent that flows into the disposal trench. The facultative anaerobic bacteria consumes the biomat slime and, in one embodiment, supplants a strictly aerobic bacteria in the soil that converts nitrites to nitrates. As a result, the facultative anaerobic bacteria interrupt the conventional process of nitrification, changing the nitrites to nitrogen gas.

1 . A method of operating a waste treatment vessel, the waste treatment vessel holding waste material, the method comprising the steps of: 
 aerating and circulating the waste material in the treatment vessel until a predetermined number of a first type of strict aerobe and a second type of strict aerobe have colonized the treatment vessel, the first type of strict aerobe converting ammonia to nitrites, the second type of strict aerobe converting nitrites to nitrates; and    adding facultative anaerobic bacteria to the treatment vessel, the facultative anaerobic bacteria added to the effluent substantially replacing the second strict aerobic bacteria in the treatment vessel that converts nitrites to nitrates.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  and further comprising the step of adding a bacterial host material to the treatment vessel, the first strict aerobic bacteria and the facultative anaerobic bacteria colonizing the bacterial host material.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  and further comprising the step of forming a nitrifying bacteria on the bacterial host material prior to placing the facultative anaerobic culture in the bacteria container/applicator.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the nitrifying bacteria is formed by placing a nitrifying bacterial culture in the bacteria container/applicator for a predetermined period of time before placing the facultative anaerobic culture in the bacteria container/applicator.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the nitrifying bacteria is formed by forcing air into the diffuser so that air bubbles rise up through the column for a period of time when the bacteria container/applicator includes no bacterial culture prior to placing the facultative anaerobic culture in the bacteria container/applicator.