Abstract:An up-flow activated zeolite media biological aerated filter (AZBAF) was developed and employed for the treatment of micro-polluted water in Hangzhou. The AZBAF could start up quickly by an efficient adsorption of the media during the natural precoating period. Under the conditions of hydraulic loading 1.2m/h and gas/water ratio 3~1:1, around 40%~60% and 10%~27% of organics could be romoved in terms of TOC and CODMn, respectively, in which most of the low molecular weight organics (MW<1kDa) was efficiently biodegraded. Meanwhile, the removal efficiency of NH3-N was stably kept over 90% during the AZBAF operation. Additionally, most pollutants were removed in the lower part of the filter column (0~30cm), and this removal characteristics was somehow consistent with the distribution profiles of biomass (phospholipid-P) and their activities (oxygen uptake rate). In the case of shutdown of the AZBAF in both short-term (5~10d) and long-term (35d), the biofilter could be recovered to its original performance in 6~8h and 24h, respectively.