8. Conclusion: what are the trends for the future?

8.1 New standards

Until now, the parameters considered to judge the efficiency of these plants were often only global indicators of their effectiveness (TSS concentrations, BOD ₅ , COD) mainly focused on the reduction of oxygen demand caused by organic components.

More recent standards also consider phosphorus compounds, total nitrogen and ammoniacal nitrogen: the latter also exert a very high oxygen demand through oxidation, and produce nitrates which, along with phosphorus, contribute to the phenomenon of eutrophication.

The experience acquired since the early 80s on nitrification – biological denitrification plants for effluents from the food industry, but also from the chemical, pharmaceutical...