Table Of ContentPHOTO-ACTIVATED SLUDGE: A NOVEL ALGAL-
BACTERIAL BIOTREATMENT FOR NITROGEN
REMOVAL FROM WASTEWATER
ANGÉLICA RADA ARIZA
Thesis committee
Promotor
Prof. Dr Piet N.L. Lens
Professor of Environmental Biotechnology
IHE-Delft Institute for Water Education, the Netherlands
Co-promotors
Dr Peter van der Steen
Associate Professor of Environmental Technology
IHE-Delft Institute for Water Education, the Netherlands
Dr Carlos M. Lopez Vazquez
Associate Professor of Sanitary Engineering
IHE-Delft Institute for Water Education, the Netherlands
Other members
Prof. Dr Oene Oenema, Wageningen University & Research
Prof. Dr Jean-Philippe Steyer, l’Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique-INRA,
France
Prof. Dr Diederik P.L. Rousseau, Ghent University, Belgium
Dr Anthony Verschoor, KWR Water Cycle Research Institute, Nieuwegein,
The Netherlands
This research was conducted under the auspices of the SENSE Research School for
Socio-Economic and Natural Sciences of the Environment
Photo-Activated Sludge: A novel algal-bacterial biotreatment
for nitrogen removal from wastewater
Thesis
submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of
the Academic Board of Wageningen University and
the Academic Board of the IHE Delft, Institute for Water Education
for the degree of doctor
to be defended in public
on Friday, 16 November 2018 at 1:30 p.m.
in Delft, the Netherlands
by
Angélica Rada Ariza
Born in Santa Marta, Colombia
CRC Press/Balkema is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2018, Angélica Rada Ariza
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ISBN 978-0-367-17886-4 (T&F)
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.18174/459979
To my loving family,
A
CKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This thesis has been one of the most rewarding achievements in my professional
life. During this process, I have met amazing, intelligent, caring and helpful people
that helped me and supported me to produce this thesis. I would like to express my
gratitude to my professor Dr. Piet Lens for his support and encouragement, for his
time and all the scientific conversations that guided me and always directed me in
the right path.
Equally important, I want to express my sincere gratitude to my mentors Dr. Peter
van der Steen and Dr. Carlos Lopez Vazquez. You both taught me to not just to
understand more my topic, but to understand and learn how to do research. I want
to thank you also for your critical assessment, for always questioning me, sometimes
it was not easy, but I can say with certainty that it helped me greatly to build up
my confidence in the subject. Your incredible and infinite inputs made this thesis
stronger in every way. Furthermore, you were also very supportive in not just the
scientific aspects of this thesis, but also in other personal aspects. Thank you very
much!.
I want to acknowledge my financial sponsor: Colciencias. Thanks for awarding me
with a scholarship to pursue my PhD research, and thanks for investing in the
education of the country. Hopefully, this will be reflected in many positive ways,
and not just to grow as a country, but to grow as society. I will be honour to be
part of this change.
I want also to thank to all the staff in the laboratory: Fred, Frank, Lyzzette, Ferdi,
Berend and Peter, it was not always easy to do the experiments, but it was certainly
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easier with you. Thank you for your help and for distracting me in the long hours
with your conversations and cheerings!. Also I want to thank Jolanda Boots, always
very diligent and very helpful when it comes to PhD administration .
Also, I was very lucky to have such good MSc. students to mentor, and from all
them I learnt something, and I hope I gave something back: Afrin, Nadya, Andres,
Larissa, Puji, and Erin, thank you and I wish nothing but the best in your carers.
I want to thank all the people who have made my life in Delft more enjoyable and
also help me either way with a supportive word, or even with scientific inputs:
Assiyeh, Saul, Diego, Andreita, Gonzalo, Angela, Rohan, Leah, Arlex, Natasha,
Leonardo, Marianne, Anika, Adriana and Thijmen, Migue and Pin. Furthemore,
special thanks to an amazing designer Marvin Stiefelhagen, without you the picture
of my cover would have been like a kid’s drawing or even worse.
To my friends in the distance: Ana Elena, Pochy, Lina, Lore, Anita, Leonardo O.,
Armando, Adri, Paloma, Benly, Carola and Joanina no matter how far, I always
felt you were here. No matter how often we talked, or how often we updated each
other, you were always there, and will be always there. Every time we meet feels
like we have never been apart. Thank youuu!!!. Lots of love for you guys!.
Special thanks to Erika, Pato, Alida, Juliette, Vero, Neiler, Aki, Yared, Juanca,
Pablo, and Juan Pa and also the new generation Sophie and Emi . Jessy, Mauri
and Larita , thanks for coming all the way down to the Netherlands to share this
special moment with me, to Mau thanks for the thesis template, it made my life
easier. You are all great friends, always there, and always cheerful, thank you all
for your friendship, I hope that the distance or time never let us forget the memories
we treasure, and that life give us opportunities to make new ones in the future.
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Also to a great group of friends Peter, Berend (yes Berend you are double),
Mohaned, and Jeffrey thank you for being there, for always asking, for always
remind me that I can, for your advices, your laughs, and even more thanks for all
the moments we have shared, and we will continue sharing.
To Nata and Fer you are such a extraordinary women, and I am lucky and proud
to call you my friends, you both are one of a kind. I have learnt from each of you
so much, you have never let me down, and you have became a rock while here in
Delft. You are like sisters to me. Let’s cheer for more adventures, anecdotes, talks,
learning experiences and stories!. Las quiero muchoo!!.
A mi Familia no hay palabras para expresar el amor, el agradecimiento y
admiración que siento por ellos. Ellos son las personas más valiosas e importantes
de mi vida: Mi papá, mamá, Alicia, Alexandra, Anita, Toto, Maria Laura e Isabella.
Nobles, honestos, responsables, amorosos, caritativos y mucho más, gracias a
ustedes hoy soy lo que soy, y todo lo que llegaré a ser. Son las mejores personas que
conozco!. Esta tesis es para ustedes, los amo con todo mi corazón. No podía dejar
de mencionar a mi tio Luis y Edilma, mi tio Dario y Meche, y a mis primos (que si
los escribo todos, no alcanzo), los quiero mucho y siempre me siento en casa cuando
estoy con ustedes. Also, to my second family Nurdan, Osman, Nilay, Erik, Tim and
Lisa, you are so lovable and kind, thanks for your care and love. Love you.
Last but not the least to Can, thank you for your support, you are a source of
inspiration, kindness and love. You are the most patient, loving, caring, selfless,
intelligent and amazing man I have ever met. I am grateful to have your love, and
even more thankful you came into my life, this is also your thesis in a way. Te amo.
Thank you all from the bottom of my heart,
Angélica Rada
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