Impact of free ammonia on anammox rates (anoxic ammonium oxidation) in a moving bed biofilm reactor

Abstract

Using a bench scale moving bed bioreactor (MBBR), the effect of free ammonia (FA, NH3, the un-ionized form of ammonium NH4+) concentration on anoxic ammonium oxidation (anammox) was evaluated based on the volumetric nitrogen removal rate (NRR). Although, a detailed microbial analysis was not conducted, the major NRR observed was assumed to be by anammox, based on the nitrogen conversion ratios of nitrite to ammonium and nitrate to ammonium. Since the concentration of free ammonia as a proportion of the total ammonia concentration is pH-dependent, the impact of changing the operating pH from 6.9 to 8.2, was investigated under constant nitrogen loading conditions during continuous reactor operation. Furthermore, the effect of sudden nitrogen load changes was investigated under constant pH conditions. Batch tests were conducted to determine the immediate response of the anammox consortium to shifts in pH and FA concentrations. It was found that FA was inhibiting NRR at concentrations exceeding 2mgNL−1. In the pH range 7–8, the decrease in anammox activity was independent of pH and related only to the concentration of FA. Nitrite concentrations of up to 120mgNL−1 did not negatively affect NRR for up to 3.5h. It was concluded that a stable NRR in a moving bed biofilm reactor depended on maintaining FA concentrations below 2mgNL−1 when the pH was maintained between 7 and 8.