Ammonium Consumption Research Articles

Recovery of Tungsten from a Sulfuric–Phosphoric Acid Leaching Solution by Solvent Extraction with 2-Octanol

A new generation tungsten hydrometallurgical technology was successfully applied in China and, in 2018, won China’s national technology invention award. This article focuses on the research concerning this new technology; specifically, this article focuses on a method for reducing ammonia consumption. First, the effect of the concentrations of H2SO4 and H3PO4 on scheelite digestion and tungsten extraction were studied. Under the optimum conditions, over 99.9% of the tungsten was leached out, and over 93.2% of the tungsten in the leached solution was extracted by 30% 2-octanol. Furthermore, in this process, water was explored as a stripping agent. Under the optimum conditions, the water strip liquor contained 352 g/L WO3 and 3.68 g/L P. Finally, the phosphorus impurity in the strip liquor was thoroughly removed by an ammonium–magnesium salt precipitation method. The dose of the ammonia was 1.3–1.5 times the theoretical amount, which is half the dose of the traditional method.

Coal blending optimization model for reducing pollutant emission costs based on Support Vector Machine

Factors such as the pollutant formation, pollution emission punishment and pollutant control devices are considered to optimize the coal blending method for a 300 MW boiler unit. The support vector machine (SVM) is used to establish the pollutant formation prediction model for the coal–fired boiler. Moreover, the model built above is trained and verified based on the actual operation data. Then the genetic algorithm is applied to optimize the coal blending method with the coal price to achieve the lowest operation cost. It can be concluded from the results that the precision of the prediction model is relatively high and the ammonia consumption, NOx emission punishment, CaCO3 consumption and desulfurization water consumption have all decreased after optimization, which means both the desulfurization cost and denitration cost are reduced.

The interactive effect of no-tillage and liming on gross N transformation rates during the summer fallow in an acid Mediterranean soil

In the Mediterranean rainfed agriculture, a summer fallow is necessary because of the severe drought and high temperatures. Due to suppressed plant nitrogen (N) uptake during this period, an accumulation of inorganic N in the soil may occur, which could be lost from the system during the first autumn rains. Both mineralization and nitrification rates can be affected by agricultural practices, such as tillage or liming, influencing the amount of available N present in the soil during the fallow period. In this study, we investigated the effects of two common agricultural practices, no-tillage (instead of traditional tillage) and liming, on soil gross N transformations during the summer fallow. Liming increased gross N mineralization (from 1.21 to 1.78 mg N kg−1 day−1) and gross nitrification (from 0.44 to 0.76 mg N kg−1 day−1) while traditional tillage increased N immobilization. Tillage did not affect gross nitrification but the effect of liming on gross N mineralization was enhanced in no-tillage plots. The total bacteria abundance was enhanced by liming and no-tillage and seemed to be responsible for gross N mineralization and immobilization. The gross mineralization, nitrification and microbial immobilization decreased during the summer fallow with an overall reduction by 40%, 56%, 74% and 54% in gross N mineralization, gross nitrification, ammonium immobilization and nitrate immobilization, respectively. The accumulation of ammonium could be interpreted as a consequence of the decoupling between ammonium production and consumption rates. The increase of gross N mineralization and nitrification caused by liming application could result in augmented risks of N losses via nitrate leaching and gaseous losses in autumn, especially under no-tillage. However further studies are required to elucidate the nitrate fate of the in Mediterranean agricultural soils under those management practices.

Toward enhanced hyperforin production in St. John's wort root cultures.

During the past decades, several trials targeted a stable, sustainable and economic production of St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) extract. The value of this extract stems from its use to treat depression and skin irritation due to its hyperforin content. Previously, hyperforin-forming in vitro root cultures were established. Here, detailed growth and production kinetics have been analyzed over 40 days of cultivation. In the first 10 days, sucrose was completely hydrolyzed to glucose and fructose. The ammonium consumption supported the increase in the biomass and hyperforin production. When sucrose was replaced with glucose/fructose, the linear growth phase started 6 days earlier and resulted in a higher space-time-yield. The maximum hyperforin production was 0.82mgL-1 day-1, which was 67 % higher than in the sucrose-supplemented standard cultivation. Buffering the sucrose-supplemented medium with phosphate caused a 2.7-fold increase in the product to biomass yield coefficient. However, the combination of monosaccharides and buffering conditions did not cause an appreciable improvements in the production performance of the shake flask approaches. A potential scalability from flask to lab-scale stirred bioreactors has been demonstrated. The results obtained offer a basis for a scalable production of hyperforin and a sustainable source for a tissue culture-based phytomedicine.

Different Response of Hydroponically Grown Vegetables to the Addition of Nostoc sp. GIA13a as an alternative nitrogen source

Vegetable growth needs nitrogen (N) supply in the form of nitrate and or ammonium. Alternative environmental-friendly nitrogen can be provided by using N2-fixing cyanobacteria, such as Nostoc. This study investigated the effect of Nostoc sp. GIA13a to spinach (Amaranthus sp.) and water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) grown in modified Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) system provided with Hoagland Solution. The treatments of nitrogen in Hoagland Solution were as follows: nitrate+GIA13a (NGia), nitrate without GIA13a (N), ammonium+nitrate (AN), ammonium+GIA13a (AGia) and ammonium without GIA13a(A). Inoculant of 2 g was added at the 1st and 14th day after planting (dap). Experiment was carried out for 21 days. The result showed that spinach and water spinach had different physiological responses to the occurrence of Nostoc sp. Gia13a in nutrient solution. Total chlorophyll of spinach was increased in treatment with GIA13a inoculation, while it was decreased in water spinach. Ammonium consumption of water spinach was higher than spinach as shown by ammonium concentration on the nutrient solution after 14 days experiment. Inoculation of Nostoc sp. Gia13a also triggered the growth of lateral shoot of water spinach. During experiment, chlorosis symptom was observed in young leaves of both plants. Chlorosis symptom in water spinach occurred in all treatment except NGia, while in spinach the symptom was found only in AGia and A.

Thermodynamic Modeling of CaSO4–(NH4)2SO4–NH3–H2O Quaternary System with Asymmetric E-NRTL Model

Ammonium sulfate [(NH4)2SO4], an undesired byproduct in the caprolactam process, can be converted into recyclable NH3 by the substitution reaction with lime milk to reduce the ammonia consumption and produce high-quality gypsum. However, the thermodynamic mechanism of this process has not been clarified, which results in the unpredictable crystal phase of calcium sulfate products. In this work, a thermodynamic model for the CaSO4–(NH4)2SO4–NH3–H2O quaternary system with the asymmetric E-NRTL activity coefficient model was developed to understand the thermodynamic behavior. The modeling works involved the data fitting of binary solubility, osmotic coefficient, enthalpy of solution, and heat capacity data as well as ternary solubility data. It was shown that the model could predict the solubility of ammonia and calcium sulfate in aqueous ammonium sulfate solution with temperature ranging from 0 to 160 °C and pressure up to 1.0 MPa. Furthermore, the constructed model for the quaternary system was proved to b...

WEB-ORIENTED QUALITY ASSESSMENT SYSTEM FOR SURFACE WATERS OF RIVER BASIN

This article presents the Software as a service system that allows creating scenario modeling of pollution transfer for diffuse sources of pollution using the example of the Ili river basin (Republic of Kazakhstan). The development of technologies that determine hydrological state of the lake and water in it are analyzed. The practicability of modeling the discharges and distribution of pollutants is substantiated. The FORTRAN Hydrological Simulation Program software, a computer model that allows us to model the concentration of nitrate compounds (NO3), total ammonium, and biochemical oxygen consumption with one day time resolution for the period from 1980 to 2016 was described. The model was calibrated using the field observations data from 6 hydrological posts, which made it possible to obtain satisfactory water discharge values. To work with the system, a graphical interface was developed which allows the user who is not familiar with the FORTRAN Hydrological Simulation Program software to make calculations. Implemented was an algorithm for automated starting of scenario calculations with post-processing and presentation of results. The web-based approach facilitates multi-user, one-time and fast access to the system from anywhere in the world. The efficiency of results of programming was investigated and the dynamics of changes after using the FORTRAN Hydrological Simulation Program software was established.

Assessing Alternative Population Size Proxies in a Wastewater Catchment Area Using Mobile Device Data.

Modeling and prediction of a city's (Oslo, Norway) daily dynamic population using mobile device-based population activity data and three low cost markers is presented for the first time. Such data is useful for wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), which is an approach used to estimate the population level use of licit and illicit drugs, new psychoactive substances, human exposure to a wide range of pollutants, such as pesticides or phthalates, as well as the release of endogenous substances such as oxidative stress and allergen biomarkers. Comparing WBE results between cities often requires normalization to population size, and inaccuracy in the measured population can introduce high levels of uncertainty. In this study mobile phone data from 8-weeks in 2016 was used to train three linear models based on drinking water production, electricity consumption and online measurements of ammonium in wastewater. The ammonium model showed the best correlation with R2 = 0.88 while drinking water production and electricity consumption showed more discrepancies. The three models were then re-evaluated against 5-week of mobile phone data from 2017 showing mean absolute errors <10%. The ammonium-based estimated mean annual population for Oslo in 2017 was 645 000 inhabitants, 4% higher than the "de jure" population reported by the wastewater treatment plant. Due to changing conditions and seasonality, drinking water production underestimated the population by 27% and electricity consumption overestimated the population by 59%. Therefore, the results of this work showed that the ammonium mass loads can be used as an anthropogenic proxy to monitor and correct the fluctuations in population for a specific catchment area. Furthermore, this approach uses a simple, yet reliable indicator for population size that can be used also in other areas of research.

Analysis of the NCR Mechanisms in Hanseniaspora vineae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae During Winemaking.

There is increasing interest in the use of non-Saccharomyces yeasts in winemaking due to their positive attributes. The non-Saccharomyces yeast Hanseniaspora vineae is an apiculate yeast that has been associated with the production of wine with good fermentation capacity and an increase in aromatic properties. However, this yeast represents a concern in mixed culture fermentation because of its nutrient consumption, especially nitrogen, as its mechanisms of regulation and consumption are still unknown. In this study, we analyzed the nitrogen consumption, as well as the nitrogen catabolism repression (NCR) mechanism, in two genome-sequenced H. vineae strains, using synthetic must fermentations. The use of synthetic must with an established nitrogen content allowed us to study the NCR mechanism in H. vineae, following the amino acid and ammonia consumption, and the expression of genes known to be regulated by the NCR mechanism in S. cerevisiae, AGP1, GAP1, MEP2, and PUT2. H. vineae exhibited a similar amino acid consumption and gene expression profile to S. cerevisiae. However, the wine strain of S. cerevisiae QA23 consumed ammonia and valine more quickly and, in contrast, tyrosine and tryptophan more slowly, than the H. vineae strains. Our results showed a similar behavior of nitrogen regulation in H. vineae and S. cerevisiae, indicating the presence of the NCR mechanism in this Hanseniaspora yeast differentiated before the whole genome duplication event of the Saccharomyces complex. Future study will elucidate if the NCR mechanism is the only strategy used by H. vineae to optimize nitrogen consumption.

A technical method to improve NOx/NH3 mixing ratio in SCR system and its engineering applications

A technical method for diagnosing the distribution of NOx flux within the cross-section area in front of ammonia injection grid (AIG) was proposed for guiding the valve-tuning of AIG branch-pipes, in order to optimize the NOx/NH3 mixing ratio in the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system of power plant. The weight coefficient of each branch-pipe in AIG system can be quantitatively determined with regard to the distribution of NOx flux in the corresponding sub-zone of the cross-section area. The control strategy of the valves for different AIG branch-pipes can be achieved for guiding the NH3 injection and improving the NOx/NH3 mixing ratio within the whole cross-section area in front of AIG. The technology has been applied on one side of the SCR system flue-gas tunnels (normally two tunnels for the SCR system called as A-side and B-side) of a 660 MW plant for more than one year. The ammonia consumption rate of the SCR system was reduced about 12.62% and the uniformity of outlet NOx distribution was estimated to be greatly improved by about 79.01% with regard to the standard deviation. The rising rate of the flue gas resistance of the air preheater was slown down by 39.18% compared to that of the other flue-gas tunnel of SCR system. This implied that the formation of the sticky ammonium bisulfate (ABS) on air preheater was significantly inhibited through the application of this technology.

An intelligent control of NH3 injection for optimizing the NOx/NH3 ratio in SCR system

The distribution of nitrogen oxides (NOx) flux within the cross-section area in front of ammonia injection grid (AIG) under different operating conditions was obtained by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. Weight of NOx flux in the sub-zone corresponding to each of the ammonia (NH3) injection branch-pipes of AIG system was analyzed and the sensitivity of which against the plant power load was figured out. A number of “critical” ammonia injection branch-pipes were determined with regard to the weight sensitivity analysis. The selected “critical” branch-pipes were changed to be controlled by the automatic valves, and an intelligent tuning strategy was proposed. The NOx/NH3 mixing stoichiometry over the cross-section area in front of AIG system was significantly modified for the high utilization ratio of ammonia. A case work was launched on the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system of a 660 MW plant. As a result, the ammonia consumption rate (ACR) was found to be reduced by 6.44% compared to that under previous control system, and was 9.31% lower than that of the unapplied system. The methodology for determining the “critical” branch-pipes and intelligent tuning strategy of ammonia injection notably saved the ammonia consumption of SCR system, and the formation of ammonium bisulfate (ABS) were greatly confined.

Effects of multiwalled carbon nanotubes and carbofuran on metabolism in Astyanax ribeirae, a native species.

The study of the toxic effect of carbofuran and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on Astyanax ribeirae metabolism is of paramount importance due to the increasing use of this pesticide in agriculture and in the production of nanotubes within the material industry. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of carbofuran, MWCNT, and the combination of these compounds on specific oxygen consumption and excretion of ammonia in A. ribeirae. Therefore, 65 fish were divided into three groups of treatments at varying concentrations: carbofuran (0.01, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.5mg/L), MWCNT (0.1, 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0mg/L), and 0.5mg/L of MWCNT added to carbofuran concentrations (0.01, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.5mg/L). The average specific oxygen consumption in the groups exposed to carbofuran, compared to the control, increased 73.49% at the 0.01mg/L concentration and decreased 63.86% and 91.57% with treatments of 0.1 and 0.5mg/L, respectively. For groups exposed to the MWCNT, there was an 83.91% drop with the 1.0mg/L treatment, and the carbofuran + MWCNT groups recorded a decrease of 71.09%, 92.77%, and 93.98% at concentrations of 0.05, 0.1, and 0.5mg/L, respectively. In relation to specific ammonia excretion, in groups exposed to carbofuran compared to the control, there was an increase of 134.37% and 200% with the 0.1 and 0.5mg/L treatments, respectively. The group exposed to carbofuran + MWCNT experienced a decrease of 60% and 80% with treatments of 0.1mg/L carbofuran + 0.5mg/L MWCNT and 0.5mg/L carbofuran + 0.5mg/L MWCNT, respectively. Therefore, it was concluded that carbofuran + MWCNT interact, increasing the effects in Astyanax sp.

2-Chlorophenol consumption by cometabolism in nitrifying SBR reactors

Cometabolic consumption of 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) by a nitrifying sludge was evaluated in two SBR reactors fed with 60 mg 2-CP-C/L and different initial ammonium concentrations (100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 mg NH4+-N/L). Irrespectively to the increase in ammonium concentration and throughout the operational cycles, the sludge achieved a complete nitrification in 14 days, accounting for ammonium consumption efficiencies close to 99% and nitrate production yields between 0.93 and 0.99. The sludge was able to completely consume 2-CP within 7 days. The increase in ammonium concentration provoked an increment in the specific rates of both ammonium (qNH4+-N) and 2-CP (q2-CP-C) consumption up to 5.2 and 3.1 times, respectively. The cometabolic effect of the increase in ammonium concentration on 2-CP consumption was supported by a direct and significant relationship between the qNH4+-N and q2-CP-C (r = 0.83). Moreover, batch assays conducted with ammonium, 2-CP, allylthiourea as specific inhibitor of the ammonium monooxygenase (AMO) enzyme, and the sludge inoculated into the reactors, resulted in a decrease of 34% in q2-CP-C, evidencing the participation of the AMO in the consumption of 2-CP. When the same assays were carried out with the sludge obtained from the SBR reactors after 13 operating cycles, a higher participation of the AMO in 2-CP consumption was noticed with a decrease of 53% in q2-CP-C. According to these results, the use of nitrifying sludge and high ammonium concentrations in SBR systems can be a suitable alternative for increasing the cometabolic consumption of recalcitrant compounds like 2-CP.

Nutrient transport suggests an evolutionary basis for charged archaeal surface layer proteins.

Surface layers (S-layers) are two-dimensional, proteinaceous, porous lattices that form the outermost cell envelope component of virtually all archaea and many bacteria. Despite exceptional sequence diversity, S-layer proteins (SLPs) share important characteristics such as their ability to form crystalline sheets punctuated with nano-scale pores, and their propensity for charged amino acids, leading to acidic or basic isoelectric points. However, the precise function of S-layers, or the role of charged SLPs and how they relate to cellular metabolism is unknown. Nano-scale lattices affect the diffusion behavior of low-concentration solutes, even if they are significantly smaller than the pore size. Here, we offer a rationale for charged S-layer proteins in the context of the structural evolution of S-layers. Using the ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) as a model for S-layer geometry, and a 2D electrodiffusion reaction computational framework to simulate diffusion and consumption of the charged solute ammonium (NH4+), we find that the characteristic length scales of nanoporous S-layers elevate the concentration of NH4+ in the pseudo-periplasmic space. Our simulations suggest an evolutionary, mechanistic basis for S-layer charge and shed light on the unique ability of some AOA to oxidize ammonia in environments with nanomolar NH4+ availability, with broad implications for comparisons of ecologically distinct populations.

Decrease of inhibitory effect of 2-chlorophenol on nitrification in sequencing batch reactors

ABSTRACTThe metabolic and kinetic behaviour of a nitrification process in the presence of 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) was evaluated in two sequencing batch reactors (SBR1, SBR2) inoculated with nitrifying sludge previously exposed to phenolic compounds. The SBR1 was inoculated with sludge previously exposed to 2-CP, while the SBR2 was inoculated with sludge previously exposed to p-cresol. An inhibitory effect of 20 mg 2-CP-C/L on both nitrification processes was observed, as specific rates decreased according to a control assay in the absence of 2-CP. However, the inhibitory effect decreased throughout the cycles. At the end of cycle 6, a stable nitrifying process was observed with the sludge previously exposed to 2-CP (SBR1), as an ammonium consumption efficiency and a nitrate production yield close to 99.6 ± 0.3% and 0.99 ± 0.02 were respectively achieved. Despite a complete ammonium consumption being achieved with the sludge previously exposed to p-cresol (SBR2), partial nitrification was observed as nitrate production yield accounted for 0.28 ± 0.08 and nitrite was accumulated within the culture. Nevertheless, both nitrifying sludges had the ability to completely consume 2-CP. The use of SBR systems with nitrifying sludge previously exposed to 2-CP resulted in a better nitrification performance, thus it may be a good alternative for achieving a stable nitrifying respiratory process where complete and simultaneous ammonium and 2-CP consumption can be acquired.

Low NOx combustion and SCR flow field optimization in a low volatile coal fired boiler

Low NOx burner redesign and deep air staging have been carried out to optimize the poor ignition and reduce the NOx emissions in a low volatile coal fired 330 MWe boiler. Residual swirling flow in the tangentially-fired furnace caused flue gas velocity deviations at furnace exit, leading to flow field unevenness in the SCR (selective catalytic reduction) system and poor denitrification efficiency. Numerical simulations on the velocity field in the SCR system were carried out to determine the optimal flow deflector arrangement to improve flow field uniformity of SCR system. Full-scale experiment was performed to investigate the effect of low NOx combustion and SCR flow field optimization. Compared with the results before the optimization, the NOx emissions at furnace exit decreased from 550 to 650 mg/Nm³ to 330–430 mg/Nm³. The sample standard deviation of the NOx emissions at the outlet section of SCR decreased from 34.8 mg/Nm³ to 7.8 mg/Nm³. The consumption of liquid ammonia reduced from 150 to 200 kg/h to 100–150 kg/h after optimization.

Ambient nitrate switches the ammonium consumption pathway in the euphotic ocean

Phytoplankton assimilation and microbial oxidation of ammonium are two critical conversion pathways in the marine nitrogen cycle. The underlying regulatory mechanisms of these two competing processes remain unclear. Here we show that ambient nitrate acts as a key variable to bifurcate ammonium flow through assimilation or oxidation, and the depth of the nitracline represents a robust spatial boundary between ammonium assimilators and oxidizers in the stratified ocean. Profiles of ammonium utilization show that phytoplankton assemblages in nitrate-depleted regimes have higher ammonium affinity than nitrifiers. In nitrate replete conditions, by contrast, phytoplankton reduce their ammonium reliance and thus enhance the success of nitrifiers. This finding helps to explain existing discrepancies in the understanding of light inhibition of surface nitrification in the global ocean, and provides further insights into the spatial linkages between oceanic nitrification and new production.

Time-resolved copper speciation during selective catalytic reduction of NO on Cu-SSZ-13

Practical catalysts often operate under dynamic conditions of temperature variations and sudden changes of feed composition that call for understanding of operation and catalyst structure under analogous experimental conditions. For instance, the copper-exchanged small-pore SSZ-13 catalyst used currently in the selective catalytic reduction of harmful nitrogen oxides from the exhaust gas of diesel-fuelled vehicles operates under recurrent ammonia dosage. Here, we report the design of unsteady state experiments that mimic such a dynamic environment to obtain key mechanistic information on this reaction. Through the combination of time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy and transient experimentation, we were able to capture an ammonia inhibition effect on the rate-limiting copper re-oxidation at low temperature. The practical relevance of this observation was demonstrated by optimization of the ammonia dosage on a catalyst washcoat on cordierite honeycomb, resulting in lower ammonia consumption and an increase in nitrogen oxide conversion at low temperature. Selective catalytic reduction is employed at the exhaust of diesel vehicles to abate nitrogen oxide emissions. Now, guided by time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy and transient experiments using Cu-SSZ-13 as the catalyst, the authors unravel important features of the reaction mechanism that allow the performance of the catalyst to be improved.

Treatment of nitrate-contaminated groundwater by heterotrophic denitrification coupled with electro-autotrophic denitrifying packed bed reactor

A mixotrophic system consisting of heterotrophic and autotrophic denitrification (HAD) is a reliable system to enhance the denitrification performance of individual systems. In this study, a novel heterotrophic denitrification coupled with an electro-autotrophic denitrifying packed bed reactor (HEAD-PBR) was developed for the treatment of nitrate-contaminated groundwater. Because of the combination of electrochemical and biological denitrification processes in series, electrochemical inhibition of microorganisms was eliminated, and sufficient hydrogen was supplied safely. The efficiency of HEAD-PBR was evaluated using synthetic groundwater (containing 50 and 25 mg N/L of NO3−) at different hydraulic retention times. A high nitrate removal efficiency (∼99%) was achieved, the electrolysis, heterotrophic denitrification, and autotrophic denitrification were responsible for 15.6%–23.4%, 44.6%–68.4% and 15.7%–31.7% of nitrate removal, respectively. This effective material conversion can be attributed to microbial ecological interactions such as sufficient utilization of sawdust and proper consumption of hydrogen, oxygen, and ammonia. The HEAD-PBR was found to be an efficient reactor system with high treatment capacity, but without accumulation of byproduct in effluent. Thus, HEAD-PBR is a promising reactor configuration for nitrate removal and implementation of HAD technology.

Cryo Electron Tomography and Reaction-Diffusion Simulations Reveal a Molecular and Evolutionary Basis for Charged Archaeal Surface Layer Proteins

Surface layers (S-layers) are 2D, proteinaceous lattices that form the outermost cell envelope component of many microbes. S-layers, which exhibit exceptional sequence diversity, are found in nearly all archaea and numerous bacteria. Despite their variation, S-layer proteins display several unifying characteristics such as their ability to form crystalline sheets punctuated with nano-scale pores, and their propensity for charged amino acids. However, the precise role of these charged functional groups and how they relate to cellular function is unknown. Here, we offer a rationale for charged S-layer proteins in the context of the structural evolution of S-layers. We have chosen ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) as a model system for S-layer and used the cryo electron tomographic reconstruction of the AOA to develop a 2D electro-diffusion reaction computational framework to simulate diffusion and consumption of the charged solute ammonium. The AOA create energy directly from electrons evolved during ammonia oxidation by ammonia monooxygenase (AMO). While the specific location of the archaeal AMO active site is unknown, a bacterial homologue indicates a location underneath the S-layer in pseudo periplasmic space (PPS). Our simulations suggest that charged S-layers and nanopores expedite diffusion of charged solutes into the PPS when the electro-diffusion-reaction system is driven away from equilibrium, replenishing reacted NH_4^+ in PPS. By contrast, a neutral S-layer would inhibit diffusion of charged molecules, while removing the S-layer altogether dramatically reduced ammonium concentration throughout the PPS. Strikingly, analysis of annotated S-layer amino acid sequences from all known archaeal clades indicated a clear dearth of sequences in the neutral regime. Our simulations suggest that charged S-layers and nanopores impart a potential fitness advantage. Thus, S-layer charge may have emerged by convergent evolution to enhance metabolic function in diverse ecosystems.