Patent ID: 8192626

Claim:
A treatment method for wastewater streams containing suspended solids and liquids with pathogens, ammonia, nitrates, phosphates and BOD compounds, comprising: a. injecting sulfur dioxide into the wastewater streams, b. holding the sulfur dioxide-treated wastewater streams for the dwell time required to agglomerate wastewater solids, acid leach any heavy metals from the solids into the wastewater stream liquids, and disinfect the wastewater stream liquids, c. separating solids for disposal or reuse from the sulfur dioxide-treated wastewater stream liquids, d. pH adjusting the sulfur dioxide-treated wastewater liquids with alkaline reagents, which reduce the biocidal properties of any free SO 2 , bi-sulfite, and sulfite, and precipitate heavy metals as metal hydroxides, and provide a pH required for Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter ammonia and BOD removal treatment, e. removing the heavy metal hydroxides by filtration, and r. passing the pH adjusted filtered sulfur dioxide-treated wastewater liquids through dark aerated Nitrosomonas/Nitrobacter biorcactor containing Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter bacteria for the time required to break down and remove the ammonia and nitrate/nitrite and BOD compounds to produce a recovered treated wastewater suitable for open water discharge.