High-strength Ammonium Research Articles

A novel heterotrophic nitrifying and aerobic denitrifying bacterium, Zobellella taiwanensis DN-7, can remove high-strength ammonium.

A novel heterotrophic bacterium capable of heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification was isolated from ammonium contaminated landfill leachate and physiochemical and phylogenetically identified as Zobellella taiwanensis DN-7. DN-7 converted nitrate, nitrate, and ammonium to N2 as the primary end product. Single factor experiments suggested that the optimal conditions for ammonium removal were trisodium citrate as carbon source, C/N ratio 8, pH 8.0-10.0, salinity less than 3%, temperature 30°C, and rotation speed more than 150rpm. Specifically, DN-7 could remove 1000.0 and 2000.0mg/L NH4 (+)-N completely within 96 and 216h, with maximum removal rates of 19.6 and 17.3mgL(-1)h(-1), respectively. These results demonstrated that DN-7 is a promising candidate for application of high-strength ammonium wastewater treatments.

高濃度アンモニアを含む天然ガス・ヨウ素工場排水が流入する夷隅川における硝化に関する調査

高濃度アンモニアを含む天然ガス・ヨウ素工場排水が流入する夷隅川における硝化に関する調査

Determination of organophosphate diesters in urine samples by a high-sensitivity method based on ultra high pressure liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole-mass spectrometry

Organophosphate (OP) diesters in urine samples have potential use as biomarkers of organism exposure to environmentally relevant OP triester precursors and in particular OP triester flame retardants. This present study developed a quantitatively sensitive ultra high pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC–MS) based method for urine and the determination of OP diesters (i.e. diphenyl phosphate (DPHP), bis(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (BCEP), bis(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (BDCIPP), di-n-butyl phosphate (DNBP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (DEHP), bis(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BCIPP), and bis(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (BBOEP)). Fortified with the 7 OP diesters, 1mL of human urine sample was cleaned up using weak anion exchange solid phase extraction and eluted with high ionic strength ammonium acetate buffer. Subsequently, 4 non-chlorinated OP diesters were directly determined using UHPLC–electrospray(−)-triple quadrupole–MS (UHPLC–ESI(−)–QqQ–MS), and UHPLC–ESI(+)–QqQ–MS was used for determination of 3 chlorinated OP diesters after methylation using diazomethane. Recovery efficiencies of OP diesters ranged from 88 to 160% at three spiking levels (0.4, 2 and 10ng/mL urine). Matrix effects (MEs) and method limits of quantification (MLOQs) were 15-134% and 0.10–0.32ng/mL urine, respectively. Concentrations of OP diesters in n=12 urine samples (from 4 Canadian residents, 2014) varied as follows, nd-<0.28 (DNBP), nd-1.29 (DPHP), nd-<0.28 (DEHP), <0.16–12.33 (BCEP), nd-1.17 (BCDIPP) and nd-0.68ng/mL (BCIPP).

Treatment of high-strength ammonia containing wastewater using partial nitritation system with biological selector

&lt;div&gt; &lt;p&gt;In this paper, one partial nitritation system with biological selector (PNBS) was first evaluated in treating high-strength ammonia containing wastewater. Nitrite production rate (NPR) of 8.25 kg N m&lt;sup&gt;-3&lt;/sup&gt; d&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt; was achieved with influent NH4-N concentration 2000 mg l&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt; and HRT 3.2 h, which is, to our knowledge, the highest NPR to be treated successfully by an nitritation reactor. A genetic analysis of the organisms in the PNBS revealed an abundance of Nitrosomonas sp. ENI-11, Uncultured bacterium clone: AnDHS-3, Nitrosomonas sp. ENI-11 and Nitrosomonas eutropha enriched in the PNBS reactor.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;/div&gt; &lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

Comparison methane production potential between granular and suspended sludge at varying ammonia concentration

Anaerobic digestion of Thermally Hydrolyzed Wasted Sludge (THWS) with high strength ammonia was evaluated through batch and two-phase Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactors with two kinds of anaerobic microbial types (suspended and granular). In the batch test, biogas yield and gas production rate increased as microbial concentration increased for the wastewaters with a high ammonia concentration of 0.8 g FA/L. Also, the lag time and finishing time of gas production could be shortened by applying higher microbial concentrations. The granular sludge presented a higher biogas yield, shorter lag time and shorter finishing time of gas production when compared with suspended sludge. The comparative reactor operation using suspended sludge and granular sludge demonstrated that the granular sludge had more competitive advantages for the biogas production from THWS at a high ammonia concentration of 9.2 g NH4+/L. Therefore, the application of granular sludge could be more appropriate for the anaerobic treatment of wastewater containing high strength ammonia since the granular sludge can have a higher resistance to toxicity and maintain a higher microbial concentration.

Biodegradation of pharmaceuticals in membrane aerated biofilm reactor for autotrophic nitrogen removal: A model-based evaluation

Wastewater treatment systems are a primary pathway for pharmaceuticals (PhACs) entering the aquatic environment, which require reliable prediction through integrating the specific biodegradation processes into modeling framework. As ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) are known to be able to catalyze the oxidation of a wide array of organic compounds, membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) that remove nitrogen autotrophically through aerobic ammonia oxidation by AOB followed by Anammox may be capable of removing PhACs. In this work, a mathematical model was constructed to assess the PhAC biodegradation and removal potential in MABR under various operational conditions. The cometabolic biodegradation kinetics was used to model PhAC biodegradation by both AOB and heterotrophs. Simulations show that AOB play a major role in PhAC biodegradation with minor contribution from heterotrophs under the influent condition with high-strength ammonium. Both oxygen surface loading and influent surface loading (or hydraulic retention time (HRT)) are found to significantly impact the simultaneous removal of PhACs and total nitrogen (TN) at the optimal biofilm thickness of 750μm. Approximately 80% of PhACs can be removed in the MABR under operational conditions (oxygen surface loading and HRT) optimal for TN removal with above 75% TN removal achieved. When treating low-strength nitrogenous wastewater, PhAC removal efficiency decreases substantially due to the lower abundance of AOB. The presence of organic matters would substantially increase PhAC removal efficiency mainly via heterotrophs biodegradation pathway, but would suppress the Anammox activity.

Nitrifying biomass characterization and monitoring during bioaugmentation in a membrane bioreactor

A membrane bioreactor (MBR), fed with domestic wastewater, was bioaugmented with nitrifying biomass selected in a side-stream MBR fed with a synthetic high nitrogen-loaded influent. Microbial communities evolution was monitored and comparatively analysed through an extensive bio-molecular investigation (16S rRNA gene library construction and terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism techniques) followed by statistical analyses. As expected, a highly specialized nitrifying biomass was selected in the side-stream reactor fed with high-strength ammonia synthetic wastewater. The bioaugmentation process caused an increase of nitrifying bacteria of the genera Nitrosomonas (up to more than 30%) and Nitrobacter in the inoculated MBR reactor. The overall structure of the microbial community changed in the mainstream MBR as a result of bioaugmentation. The effect of bioaugmentation in the shift of the microbial community was also verified through statistical analysis.

Comparative study on SBNR, GSBR and Anammox for combined treatment of anaerobic digester effluent

In this study Shortcut Biological Nitrogen Removal (SBNR), Granular Sequencing Batch Reactor (GSBR), and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox) were comparatively discussed for combined treatment of anaerobic digester effluent. The experiments were carried out through operating pilot and lab scale reactors. These processes have common ground that biologically removes high strength ammonium and they are cost effective and energy efficient. The SBNR process could remove significant nitrogen from anaerobic digestion effluent without supplementation with additional carbon and alkalinity at a low C/N ratio. The aerobic granular sludge which was generated by the GSBR process demonstrated an effective simultaneous organic and ammonium removal. The Anammox process was successfully started using UASB and SBR. After 100 days, the ammonium removal exponentially increased and finally approached to around 75% in both reactors. However, the high active biomass and the long period, which are needed to start up Anammox process, limited the application of this process.

Partial nitrification in an air-lift reactor with long-term feeding of increasing ammonium concentrations

The partial nitrification (PN) performance under high ammonium concentrations was evaluated in an airlift reactor (ALR). The ALR was operated for 253days with stepwise elevation of ammonium concentration to 1400mg/L corresponding nitrogen loading rate of 2.1kg/m3/d. The ammonium removal rate was finally developed to 2.0kg/m3/d with average removal efficiency above 91% and nitrite accumulation percentage of 80%. Results showed that the combined effect of limited DO, high bicarbonate, pH and free ammonia (FA) contributed to the stable nitrite accumulation substantially. The biomass in the ALR was improved with the inception of granulation. Precipitates on biomass surface was unexpectedly experienced which might improve the settleability of PN biomass. Organic functional groups attached to the PN biomass suggested the possible absorbability to different types of pollutant. The results provided important evidence for the possibility of applying an ALR to treat high strength ammonium wastewater.

Acceleration of aged-landfill stabilization by combining partial nitrification and leachate recirculation: A field-scale study

Leachate recirculation for rapid landfill stabilization can result in the accumulation of high-strength ammonium. An on-site sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was therefore, applied to oxidize the ammonium to nitrite, which was then recirculated to the landfill for denitrification to nitrogen gas. At relatively higher ammonium levels, nitrite accumulated well in the SBR; the nitrite was denitrified stably in the landfill, despite an insufficient biodegradable carbon source in the leachate. As the leachate was recirculated, the methane and carbon dioxide contents produced from the landfill fluctuated, implying that the organic acids and hydrogen produced in the acid production phase acted as the carbon source for denitrification in the landfill. Leachate recirculation combined with ex-situ partial nitrification of the leachate may enhance the biodegradation process by: (a) removing the nitrogen that is contained with the leachate, and (b) accelerating landfill stabilization, because the biodegradation efficiency of landfill waste is increased by supplying sufficient moisture and its byproducts are used as the carbon source for denitrification. In addition, partial nitrification using an SBR has advantages for complete denitrification in the landfill, since the available carbon source is in short supply in aged landfills.

Liquid chromatography-electrospray–tandem mass spectrometry method for determination of organophosphate diesters in biotic samples including Great Lakes herring gull plasma

Environmentally relevant organophosphate (OP) triester flame retardants are known to degrade to OP diester phosphoric acids. In this study, a quantitatively sensitive method was developed for OP diesters in biological samples of varying complexity, bovine serum, chicken egg homogenate and pork liver. Fortified with 1ng or 10ng each of the six OP diester and six OP triester standards, samples were extracted by accelerated solvent extraction that completely separated OP diesters and triesters. OP diester fractions were cleaned up using weak anion exchange solid phase extraction and eluted with high ionic strength ammonium acetate buffer. Optimal analysis of chlorinated OP diesters was via decamethonium hydroxide dicationic reagent derivatization and by LC-ESI(+)–MS/MS, and for all non-chlorinated OP diesters by non-derivatized LC-ESI(−)–MS/MS. Except for derivatization LC-ESI(+)–MS/MS analysis of liver, at the 10ng spiking level for the three matrices, recovery efficiencies, matrix effects and method limits of quantification (MLOQs) of OP diesters ranged from 55–116%, 92–119%, and 0.02–0.31ng/g wet weight (ww) respectively. Plasma samples of n=6 herring gulls (2010, Chantry Is., Laurentian Great Lakes) contained triphenyl phosphate and tris(1-3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate ranging from 1.3 to 4.0ng/g ww and <MLOQ to 0.41ng/g ww respectively. The OP diesters bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate, bis-(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate and di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate ranged from 0.7 to 3.5ng/g ww, 0.08 to 29.4ng/g ww and <MLOQ to 0.18ng/g ww respectively, and thus OP triester to diester metabolism occurs in exposed wild herring gulls.

Effective partial nitrification and denitrification via nitrite with inhibitor removal basin for high strength ammonium wastewater treatment

A system consisting of an air stripping unit, an inhibitor removal basin, an aerobic basin, and an anoxic basin was investigated for nitrogen removal from coal gasification plant stripped gas liquor containing high-strength organic, nitrogenous compounds. Nitrite oxidation, followed by the reduction of nitrite to nitrogen gas, was adopted for nitrogen removal. The free ammonia concentration in the coal gasification plant stripped gas liquor was obtained by modified empirical method. The optimum reaction temperature, pH, and ammonia-N concentration in the feeding solutions for the ammonia oxidation to nitrite were 30 C, pH 8.0, and less than 200mg/L, respectively. Over 98% of the organic compounds in the wastewater, including phenol, O-cresol, m-cresol, quinoline, and benzene, were removed using the nitrogen removal system by incorporating an inhibitor removal basin. An inhibitor removal basin accelerates ammonia oxidation rate and enhances settleability. This system provides a much faster nitrogen removal rate and less consumption of external carbon sources when compared to conventional nitrogen removal system combined with nitrification and denitrification.

Aerobic granules formation and simultaneous nitrogen and phosphorus removal treating high strength ammonia wastewater in sequencing batch reactor

The objective of this study was to evaluate aerobic granules formation and simultaneous nitrogen and phosphorus removal treating high strength ammonia wastewater in sequencing batch reactor (SBR). After successful aerobic granulation, mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) concentrations of the SBR increased from 3.11 to 14.52g/L, while sludge volume index (SVI) values decreased from 144.61 to 30.32mL/g. Protein (PN) and polysaccharide (PS) concentrations increased from 60.2 and 12.5mg/L to 101.1 and 15.8mg/L, respectively. Simultaneous nitrogen and phosphorus removal was enhanced by altering the influent chemical oxygen demand/nitrogen (COD/N) ratio. At COD/N ratio of 9, total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) removal efficiencies were up to 89.8% and 77.5%, respectively. Three-dimensional excitation–emission matrix (3D-EEM) spectroscopy showed that the chemical compositions of sludge EPS were changed during granulation process. The results could provide useful information to promote nitrogen and phosphorus removal using aerobic granular sludge technology.

Start-up and bacterial communities of single-stage nitrogen removal using anammox and partial nitritation (SNAP) for treatment of high strength ammonia wastewater

In this study, a lab-scale sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR) was used to start up the single-stage nitrogen removal system using anammox and partial nitritation (SNAP) process seeding from surplus activated sludge. The volumetric nitrogen loading rate (vNLR) was firstly 0.075kgNm−3d−1 and then gradually increased to 0.60kgNm−3d−1. A maximal total nitrogen (TN) removal rate of 0.54kgNm−3d−1 was achieved by the SNAP process after 132days operation with NH4+-N and TN removal efficiency of 99.4% and 90.5%, respectively. This reactor may have applications for the SNAP process treating high strength ammonia wastewater. And dewatered surplus activated sludge was recommended as the seed sludge for engineering applications. The dominant bacterial strains were Xanthomonas campestris, Nitrosomonas europaea and Ignavibacterium album, corresponding to the percentage of 24%, 22% and 20%, respectively, based on the 16S rDNA amplicon pyrosequencing of the SNAP sludge.

Plants Growth Rate in Evapotranspiration continuous system reactors as the 2nd Treatment at Anaerobic-evapotranspiration system with High Strength Ammonium in Leachate Influent

Ammonium is one of parameter which responsible to leachate toxicity. Preliminary research was shown that the Fimbristylis globulosa (water plant) , Alocasia macrorrhiza (terrestrial plant) and Eleusine indic a ( terrestrial grass) were potential plants for used as object in evaporation reactor system with high strength ammonium concentration in leachate treatment. This research was integrated of anaerobic system with evapotranspiration system with continuous influent using ammonium concentration in leachate was 2000 mg/l NH 4 -N. Plants growth rate was analyzed for 25 days operated. The result shown that average of thallus growth rate of Fimbristylis globulosa was 17,5 cm d -1 . The average of leaf and thallus growth rate of Alocasia macrorrhiza was 18,1 cm d -1 and 3,2 cm d -1 respectively. The average of blade and thallus of Eleusine indica were same that was 4,7 cm d -1 . This research conclude that integration system of anaerobic and evpotranspiration was be potential used for high strength ammonium in leachate treatment.

Use of aerobic granules for treating synthetic high-strength ammonium wastewaters

In this work, two identical sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) with mature aerobic granules were utilized to treat synthetic high-strength ammonium wastewaters with chemical oxygen demand (COD)/total nitrogen (TN) ratios of 3.9–6.9. The contributions of various mechanisms to the removal of ammonium were determined. Ammonium levels of 600–2000 mg-N l−1 had little adverse effect on the COD removal rate (91.6%–95.3%) with an influent COD of 4490–9860 mg l−1. The TN removal rate was slightly reduced from 71.3% to 59.6% as the influent ammonium concentration was increased from 600 to 2000 mg-N l−1. Experimental results indicated that aerobic granules removed 94.5% of COD and 59.6% of TN in the treatment of synthetic high-strength wastewater (9860 mg-COD l−1 and 2000 mg -N l−1) during a 12 h cycle. Granular adsorption, air stripping and conversion by nitrification/denitrification were responsible for removing 9%, 15% and 76%, respectively, of the total removed -N. Dissolved oxygen (DO) was a useful process indicator of the biological reactions in the treatment of high-level ammonium wastewaters.

Full-scale partial nitritation/anammox experiences – An application survey

Partial nitritation/anammox (PN/A) has been one of the most innovative developments in biological wastewater treatment in recent years. With its discovery in the 1990s a completely new way of ammonium removal from wastewater became available. Over the past decade many technologies have been developed and studied for their applicability to the PN/A concept and several have made it into full-scale. With the perspective of reaching 100 full-scale installations in operation worldwide by 2014 this work presents a summary of PN/A technologies that have been successfully developed, implemented and optimized for high-strength ammonium wastewaters with low C:N ratios and elevated temperatures. The data revealed that more than 50% of all PN/A installations are sequencing batch reactors, 88% of all plants being operated as single-stage systems, and 75% for sidestream treatment of municipal wastewater. Additionally an in-depth survey of 14 full-scale installations was conducted to evaluate practical experiences and report on operational control and troubleshooting. Incoming solids, aeration control and nitrate built up were revealed as the main operational difficulties. The information provided gives a unique/new perspective throughout all the major technologies and discusses the remaining obstacles.

Inhibition of the activities of activated sludge in a sequencing batch reactor by high-strength ammonium nitrogen

Two sequencing batch reactors were applied to investigate the activated sludge activities by high-concentration ammonia. The results indicated that the activity of nitrifying bacteria was much more susceptible than that of organics-utilizing bacteria and more severely inhibited by high-concentration ammonia. DHA in one SBR time cycle was increased to a maximum at first and then gradually decreased to a minimum value, which indicated that the activities of organics-utilizing bacteria could be maintained stably when fed with plenty of organic nutrients under high-concentration ammonia, but both the removed load of COD and NH4-N in activated sludge acclimated under high-concentration ammonia were higher than that under normal conditions, and the DHA declining rate of sludge acclimated under high-concentration ammonia was slower. This means that the activated sludge acclimated under high-concentration ammonia was also able to obtain strong resistance to inhibition by high-concentration ammonia, and the ratio of nitrifying bacteria to heterotrophic bacteria was increased gradually.

Heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification of high-strength ammonium in anaerobically digested sludge by Alcaligenes faecalis strain No. 4

Alcaligenes faecalis strain No. 4 which is capable of heterogeneous nitrification and aerobic denitrification, was used to remove high-strength ammonium (approximately 1g NH4(+)-N/l) from digested sludge, the product of an anaerobic digestion reactor, in which methane was produced from excess municipal sewage sludge. Repeated batch operations were conducted at 20°C and 30°C for 550h, using a jar fermentor. The removal ratios of high-strength ammonium reached 90-100% within 24h, and the average ammonium removal rate was 2.9kg-N/m(3)/day, more than 200 times higher than that in conventional nitrification-denitrification processes. During these operations, the cell density was maintained at 10(8)-10(9) cells of A. faecalis strain No. 4/ml. At 3% NaCl in the digested sludge, strain No. 4 exhibited an ammonium removal rate of 3kg-N/m(3)/day.

High-throughput nitritation of reject water with a novel ammonium control loop: Stable effluent generation for anammox or heterotrophic denitritation

This work presents a new control system for the nitritation of high-strength ammonium wastewater as reject water from sludge dewatering. It is based on three independent feedback control loops: (i) DO control by manipulating the aeration flow-rate, (ii) pH control with the addition of solid Na2CO3 and (iii) control of NH4+–N concentration in the reactor using the influent flow-rate as the manipulated variable. Its application in an activated sludge configuration with one reactor and a settler, demonstrated: (i) capability to achieve stable effluent composition with proper NO2-–N/NH4+–N ratio for anammox treatment and ii) possibility to obtain an effluent with full nitritation suitable for heterotrophic denitrification only modifying the ammonium setpoint. A nitrogen loading rate (NLR) up to 5.0±1.0gNL−1d−1 was stably treated using real reject water (T=30°C, pH=7.5) with a NO2-–N/(NO2-–N+NO3-–N) ratio of 99%. NLR reached up to 9.3±0.5gNL−1d−1 with synthetic wastewater.