This study was performed to assess the removal efficiency on nitrogen, phosphorus and organic carbon in wastewater by spatial separation and internal recycling in a modified oxidation ditch process (modified OD). The performances of the modified OD were evaluated via laboratory-scale experiments. The process was operated at hydraulic retention times of 6-48 hours and solid retention times of 17-38 days. We found that organic carbon removal efficiency increased after the modified OD operation

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... iod. T-N removal efficiency remained stable; average T-N concentration of effluent was 8.02 mg/l after modified OD operation. In contrast, T-P concentration of effluent was over 1 mg/l. Nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiency of modified OD at HRT 12 hr were 83.1% and 74.1%, respectively. Also, maximum efficiency was found at SRTs from 20 to 30 days. T-N removal efficiency was 83.1% at a C/N ratio from 3.0 to 3.5. However, T-N removal efficiency decreased at C/N ratios over 3.5. Also, T-P removal efficiency increased with HRT at C/P ratios in the same condition. Maximum efficiency was 74.1% at a C/P ratio from 25 to 28. T-N removal efficiency was 79.2% and T-P removal efficiency was 65.3% after M4 mode operation (added to the internal recycle line connected to the anoxic reactor). The modified OD with spatial separation and internal recycling developed in this study is, therefore, believed to be an improvement for solving problems in the nutrient removal technologies.