Nitrogen Wastewater Treatment Research Articles

Immobilized consortium of heterotrophic nitrifying-aerobic denitrifying bacteria on various matrices for nitrogen removal from synthetic wastewater

Environmental contamination by nitrogen compounds such as ammonium and nitrate has increased extensively in the recent past, which necessitates the development of eco-friendly remediation technologies. In this study, three matrix types including pumice, aquarium ceramic filter, and calcium alginate beads were used to facilitate nitrogen removal with an immobilized heterotrophic nitrifying-aerobic denitrifying (HNAD) bacterial consortium. The HNAD bacterial consortium was made of Pseudomonas monteilii Nht, Pseudomonas mendocina AquaN, Rhodococcus erythropolis R1, and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus SCC2. The quality parameters for immobilization, such as the number of immobilized cells and their viability, were assessed. The highest number of bacterial cells (3.4 × 10 9) was immobilized on the aquarium ceramic filter, with 53% cell viability at 30°Ⅽ for two months. Pumice, aquarium ceramic filter, and calcium alginate achieved NH4+-N removal efficiencies of 85.3 ± 1.7%, 87.3 ± 2.2%, and 77.5 ± 3.99% within 24 h, respectively, and removed NO3−-N by 88.23 ± 0.36%, 93.95 ± 0.00%, and 71.29 ± 6.49% over 60 h. Additionally, immobilized cells on pumice and ceramic filter retained up to 84% of NH4+-N removal efficiency after 14 reuse cycles. These findings indicate that the immobilized HNAD bacterial consortium on the aquarium ceramic filter can be used as a suitable biofilter for treatment of high nitrogen wastewater.

Combined alkali-photocatalytic stimulation enables click microbial domestication for boosted ammonia nitrogen removal

Microbe-driven ammonia nitrogen removal plays a crucial role in the nitrogen cycle and wastewater treatment. However, the rational methods and mechanisms for boosting nitrogen conversion through microbial domestication are still limited. Herein, a combined alkali-photocatalytic stimulation strategy was developed to activate the Halomonas shizuishanensis DWK9 for efficient ammonia nitrogen removal. The strain DWK9 selected from saline-alkaline soil in Northwestern China possessed strong resistance to stress of saline-alkaline environment and free radicals, and was abundant in nitrogen conversion genes, thus is an ideal model for advanced microbial domestication. Bacterial in the combined alkali-photocatalytic stimulation group achieved a high ammonia nitrogen conversion rate of 67.5 %, 10 times outperforming the non-stimulated and single alkali/photocatalytic stimulation control groups. Morphology analysis revealed that the bacteria in the alkali-photocatalytic stimulated group formed a favorable structure for bioelectric transfer. Remarkably, the domesticated bacteria demonstrated improved electrochemical properties, including increased current capacity and lower overpotentials and impedance. Prokaryotic transcription genetic analysis together with qPCR analysis showed upregulation of denitrification-related metabolic pathway genes. A novel FAD dependent and NAD(P)H independent energy mode has been proposed. The universality and effectiveness of the as-developed combined alkali-photocatalytic microbial domestication strategy were further validated through indicator fish survival experiments. This work provides unprecedented degrees of freedom for the exploration of rational microbial engineering for optimized and controllable biogeochemical conversion.

Preparation of a novel lactose-lignin hydrogel catalyst with self-reduction capacity for nitrogenous wastewater treatment

Preparation of a novel lactose-lignin hydrogel catalyst with self-reduction capacity for nitrogenous wastewater treatment

Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes as the dominant microorganisms for ammonium nitrogen wastewater treatment with a low C/N ratio in BCOR

Improving nitrogen removal is a significant concern in the biological treatment of ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) wastewater with low chemical oxygen demand (COD)/NH4+-N (C/N) ratio, and microorganisms are the critical factor affecting nitrogen removal. In this study, a laboratory-scale biological contact oxidation reactor (BCOR) system was successfully started up (day 1 to day 47) and stabilized (day 48 to day 320). A 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis showed that the phyla Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were first observed as the dominant microorganisms in the BCOR for the ammonium nitrogen wastewater treatment with a low C/N ratio. The genera Bacteroides (phylum Bacteroidetes), Porphyromonas (phylum Bacteroidetes), Dialister (phylum Firmicutes), and Anaerococcus (phylum Firmicutes) also became the main microorganisms in this system for the first time. These microbial communities enabled the system to achieve an average ammonium nitrogen removal efficiency and total nitrogen removal efficiency of 95.8 % and 88.1 %, respectively, during the operational period. It indicated that these dominant microorganisms in the BCOR system played an essential role in improving the performance of biological nitrogen removal. This conclusion will play a critical role in promoting the microbial mechanism research and technology engineering application of the BCOR system for treating ammonium nitrogen wastewater with a low C/N ratio.

Characteristics of Novel Heterotrophic Nitrification–Aerobic Denitrification Bacteria Bacillus subtilis F4 and Alcaligenes faecalis P4 Isolated from Landfill Leachate Biochemical Treatment System

Heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification (HN-AD) bacteria are the key functional microorganisms needed to achieve simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND). In this study, 25 strains of HN-AD bacteria were successfully isolated from a stable landfill leachate biochemical treatment system, of which 10 strains belonged to Firmicutes and 15 strains belonged to Proteobacteria. Bacillus subtilis F4 and Alcaligenes faecalis P4 displayed good tolerance at a wide range of ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N) concentrations. When the C/N ratio was 20, the removal rates of ammonia nitrogen were 90.1% and 89.5%, and the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rates were 92.4% and 93.9%, respectively. The napA gene encoding periplasmic nitrate reductase (Nap) and the nirS gene encoding nitrite reductase (Nir) were detected, and nitrogen balance showed assimilation and HN-AD was the main nitrogen metabolism mode in both strains. The use of immobilization materials could increase removal rate of ammonia nitrogen by 21.1% and 29.6%, respectively. The research results of this work can provide theoretical basis and technical support for the practical application of HN-AD bacteria to enhance the treatment of high ammonia nitrogen wastewater with high efficiency and low consumption.

Treatment of nitrogenous wastewater by constructed wetland coupled microbial fuel cell system: a review

ABSTRACT As global industrialization accelerates, the treatment of nitrogenous wastewater has become a pressing environmental challenge. In response to this challenge, this study explores the potential of constructed wetland coupled microbial fuel cell (CW-MFC) technology for the treatment of nitrogenous wastewater. It systematically presents the fundamental principles and characteristics of the CW-MFC, analyzing the metabolic processes and denitrification mechanisms of nitrogen pollutants within the system. This research not only summarizes the key factors that influence the denitrification performance of the CW-MFC system but also discusses its future development trends and potential applications. The objective is to refine the field of nitrogenous wastewater treatment using CW-MFC, enhancing the denitrification efficiency, and to provide a foundation for further advancing the practical application and scientific research of this technology.

Influence of aeration modes and DO on simultaneous nitrification and denitrification in treatment of hypersaline high-strength nitrogen wastewater using sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR)

Sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR) has the potential to treat hypersaline high-strength nitrogen wastewater by simultaneous nitrification-denitrification (SND). Dissolved oxygen (DO) and aeration modes are major factors affecting pollutant removal. Low DO (0.35–3.5 mg/L) and alternative anoxic/aerobic (A/O) mode are commonly used for municipal wastewater treatment, however, the appropriate DO concentration and operation mode are still unknown under hypersaline environment because of the restricted oxygen transfer in denser extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) barrier and the decreased carbon source consumption during the anoxic phase. Herein, two SBBRs (R1, fully aerobic mode; R2, A/O mode) were used for the treatment of hypersaline high-strength nitrogen wastewater (200 mg/L NH4+-N, COD/N of 3 and 3% salinity). The results showed that the relatively low DO (2 mg/L) could not realize effective nitrification, while high DO (4.5 mg/L) evidently increased nitrification efficiency by enhancing oxygen transfer in denser biofilm that was stimulated by high salinity. A stable SND was reached 16 days faster with a ∼10% increase of TN removal under A/O mode. Mechanism analysis found that denser biofilm with coccus and bacillus were present in A/O mode instead of filamentous microorganisms, with the secretion of more EPS. Corynebacterium and Halomonas were the dominant genera in both SBBRs, and HN-AD process might assist partial nitrification-denitrification (PND) for highly efficient TN removal in biofilm systems. By using the appropriate operation mode and parameters, the average NH4+-N and TN removal efficiency could respectively reach 100% and 70.8% under the NLR of 0.2 kg N·m−3·d−1 (COD/N of 3), which was the highest among the published works using SND-based SBBRs in treatment of saline high-strength ammonia nitrogen (low COD/N) wastewater. This study provided new insights in biofilm under hypersaline stress and provided a solution for the treatment of hypersaline high-strength nitrogen (low COD/N) water.

Efficient removal of ammonia nitrogen via a coupled system of Ni1Cu0.2-Se-T/CP anode and copper foam cathode

Direct electrochemical oxidation is a green, clean and promising process for the treatment of ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N) wastewater. Nevertheless, drawbacks of slow reaction kinetics and large overpotential greatly limit the ammonia oxidation reaction. To address the issue, Ni1Cu0.2-Se-T/CP was synthesized by the combination of heteroatom doping and in situ electrochemical oxidation (ISEO). Physical characterization shows that there are homogeneous and dense microscopic nanosphere particles on the electrode surface, which provide good attachment sites for the adsorption of reactants. Electrochemical tests further show that this catalytic electrode exhibits not only a high current density (37.17 mA·cm−2) at 0.65 V vs.Hg/HgO but also has the low Tafel slope (92.25 mV·dec−1) to ammonia oxidation reaction. Then, Ni1Cu0.2-Se-T/CP was applied as anode with copper as cathode to construct a coupled system. The area ratio of cathode/anode was optimized to improve the removal effect of ammonia nitrogen. The NH4+-N conversion efficiency of 100% was obtained at a constant anode potential of 0.65 V vs.Hg/HgO for 15 h when the cathode/anode area was 1:4. The system N2 selectivity up to 77.55%. This work provides a promising process for the green and efficient degradation of ammonia nitrogen wastewater.

Nitrogen Removal Mechanism and Microbial Community Changes of the MBR Bioaugmented with Two Novel Fungi Pichia kudriavzevii N7 and Candida tropicalis N9

Ammonia nitrogen wastewater causes dissolved oxygen concentrations to decrease and the content of harmful substances to increase. To characterize the application properties of two novel strains of highly efficient ammonium transforming fungi—Pichia kudriavzevii N7 and Candida tropicalis N9—this study used both as compound microbial agents to treat nitrogenous wastewater. Here, we investigated the bioaugmentation effect of compound fungi N7 and N9 in the MBR bioreactor and the effect of N7 and N9 on the fungal and bacterial microbial communities in the system. The results revealed that in the first week after inoculation of N7 and N9, the average removal rate of ammonium in the experimental and control groups were 89.43% and 82.86%, respectively, and the NO3−-N accumulation concentrations were 12.56 mg·L−1 and 17.73 mg·L−1, respectively. The average transformation rate of total nitrogen in the experimental and control groups were 46.32% and 30.6%, respectively. ITS sequencing results indicated that N9 could be a dominant fungus in the complex MBR system. The results of 16S rRNA sequencing showed that the dominant bacterial communities in the system were changed by the inoculation of compound fungi. Therefore, the compound fungi can be applied to strengthen the treatment of nitrogenous wastewater due to its compatibility.

Preparation of NaA zeolite molecular sieve based on solid waste fly ash by high-speed dispersion homogenization-assisted alkali fusion-hydrothermal method and its performance of ammonia-nitrogen adsorption

A high-speed dispersion homogenization-assisted alkali fusion-hydrothermal method was successfully developed for the preparation of NaA zeolite molecular sieve with excellent adsorption performance for ammonia nitrogen using solid waste fly ash. The zeolite molecular sieve, prepared at a calcination temperature of 700 °C and a crystallization temperature of 80 °C, was identified as NaA zeolite molecular sieve through XRD and SEM tests, exhibiting a uniform and ordered cubic crystal structure. The result of BET analysis indicates that the NaA zeolite molecular sieve has a specific surface area of 288.219 m2/g and a plentiful pore structure. The effect of pH, adsorption time, and initial concentration of ammonia nitrogen on the adsorption capacity of NaA zeolite molecular sieve was also investigated. The fitting analysis of experimental adsorption data using adsorption kinetics and isotherm models indicates that the kinetic adsorption of ammonia nitrogen solution by zeolite molecular sieve follows the second-order kinetic model more closely. The Langmuir model shows a better correlation than the Freundlich model, suggesting that the adsorption of ammonia nitrogen solution by the zeolite molecular sieve is mainly based on the surface-uniform monolayer physical adsorption process. Under the conditions of pH = 7 and an initial ammonia nitrogen concentration of 100 mg/L, the adsorption capacity of the zeolite molecular sieve for ammonia nitrogen within 60 min can reach 27.5 mg/g, showing excellent adsorption performance. This study establishes a vital research foundation for the utilization of fly ash and the treatment of ammonia nitrogen wastewater, with great ecological and social benefits.

Enhanced nitrogen removal through aerobic denitrifying bacteria in horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands: Influencing factors and microbial community structure

Variation in the demand for dissolved oxygen during nitrification and denitrification processes is one of the main constraints for nitrogen removal performance in conventional constructed wetlands. This study aimed to enhance the performance of horizontal submerged flow constructed wetland (HSCW) systems through aerobic denitrification (AD). The effects of different operating conditions on the performance and microbial community structure of the system were investigated using three experimental systems including a non-aerated HSCW without bacterial inoculation (CWC), a non-aerated HSCW with bacterial inoculation (CWM) and an intermittently aerated HSCW with bacterial inoculation (CWMA). Results showed that C/N ratio of 10 and aeration rate of 0.2 L/(min·L) were the optimum conditions for CWMA, which showed 29.01 % and 12.17 % higher COD and TN removals than CWC, even at an average temperature of 8.80℃. Microbial community analysis revealed that the addition of Pseudomonas stutzeri significantly increased the microbial diversity and abundance within the HSCWs. This study provides a new idea for the treatment of nitrogenous wastewater and the AD-CW system has a promising application in low-temperature areas.

AnCMBR-AFB-integrated process for the treatment of high nitrogen and phosphorus wastewater.

Improving the nitrogen and phosphorus removal rates and efficiently controlling membrane fouling are the keys to fully exploiting the applicability of anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) process in high-concentration wastewater treatment. To that purpose, an integrated reactor composed of an anaerobic ceramic membrane bioreactor and N anaerobic fluidized bed (AnCMBR-AFB) was built and pollutant removal efficiency, nitrogen and phosphorus recovery characteristics, and membrane pollution features of this integrated reactor were investigated. The results revealed that the integrated reactor had good pollutant removal efficiency, with turbidity, chromaticity, and UV254 average values of the effluent being 0.470 NTU, 0.011 A, and 0.057 cm-1, respectively, and the average CODCr removal rate was 80%. The nitrogen and phosphorus recoveries were significantly higher than the nitrogen and phosphorus removal rates of conventional AnMBR at 23.20 ± 1.17% and 43.34 ± 1.54%, respectively. Microscopic analysis revealed the formation of magnesium ammonium phosphate (MAP) crystals on the carrier's surface, and friction between the carrier and the membrane surface could delay membrane fouling while allowing the contaminated membrane surface to retain significant roughness. Membrane fouling was mostly brought on by amides and saturated hydrocarbons, and inorganic metal ions also played a role to some extent.

Treatment of ammonium nitrogen wastewater using MC-FeCo catalyzed ozonation combined with biological denitrification

The conventional biological methods for removing ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) involve nitrification to convert NH4+-N into nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N), followed by denitrification to transform NO3−-N into gaseous nitrogen. However, the process has low efficiency and a long reaction cycle. In this study, a microbial carbon-loaded iron (Fe)/cobalt (Co) catalyst (MC-FeCo) was first prepared. The MC-FeCo efficiently catalyzed ozone (O3) to convert NH4+-N into partially gaseous nitrogen and primarily NO3−-N, with the remaining NO3−-N further reduced to gaseous nitrogen through denitrification. The results showed that the removal efficiency and gaseous nitrogen yield of NH4+-N (50 mg/L) by MC-FeCo catalytic O3 oxidation were 72.54 % and 16.28 %, respectively. In addition, the NO3−-N (270 mg/L) removal efficiency reached 100 %, with a lack of NO2−-N accumulation in the denitrification system, at C/N ratio and solution pH values of 10.0 and 8.0, respectively. The actual rare earth-derived wastewater containing NH4+-N (100.85 mg/L) was treated by the catalytic ozonation-combined biological denitrification system, resulting in a final NH4+-N concentration of 7.06 mg/L, meeting the discharge criterion (NH4+-N < 8 mg/L) of the emission standard of pollutants for rare earth industry in China (GB 26451–2011).

Unveiling novel pathways and key contributors in the nitrogen cycle: Validation of enrichment and taxonomic characterization of oxygenic denitrifying microorganisms in environmental samples

Microorganisms play a crucial role in both the nitrogen cycle and greenhouse gas emissions. A recent discovery has unveiled a new denitrification pathway called oxygenic denitrification, entailing the enzymatic reduction of nitrite to nitric oxide (NO) by a putative nitric oxide dismutase (nod) enzyme. In this study, the presence of the nod gene was detected and subsequently enriched in anaerobic-activated sludge, farmland soil, and paddy soil samples. After 150 days, the enriched samples exhibited significant denitrification, and concomitant oxygen production. The removal efficiency of nitrite ranged from 64.6 % to 79.0 %, while the oxygen production rate was between 15.4 μL/min and 18.6 μL/min when exposed to a sole nitrogen source of 80 mg/L sodium nitrite. Additionally, batch experiments and kinetic analyses revealed the intricate pathways and underlying mechanisms governing the oxygenic denitrification reaction by using CARBOXY-PTIO, 18O-labelled water, and acetylene to unravel the intricacies of the reaction. The quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) results indicated a significant surge in the abundance of nod genes, escalating from 7.59 to 10.12-fold. Moreover, analysis of 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) amplicons revealed Proteobacteria as the dominant phylum and Thauera as the main genus, with the presumed affiliation. In this study, a new nitrogen conversion pathway, oxygenic denitrification, was discovered in environmental samples. This process provides the possibility for the control of nitrous oxide in the treatment of nitrogenous wastewater.

Ammonia Nitrogen Removal by Gas–Liquid Discharge Plasma: Investigating the Voltage Effect and Plasma Action Mechanisms

Atmospheric pressure gas–liquid discharge plasma has garnered considerable attention for its efficacy in wastewater contaminant removal. This study utilized atmospheric oxygen gas–liquid discharge plasma for the treatment of ammonia nitrogen wastewater. The effect of applied voltage on the treatment of ammonia nitrogen wastewater by gas–liquid discharge plasma was discussed, and the potential reaction mechanism was elucidated. As the applied voltage increased from 9 kV to 17 kV, the ammonia nitrogen removal efficiency rose from 49.45% to 99.04%, with an N2 selectivity of 87.72%. The mechanism of ammonia nitrogen degradation by gas–liquid discharge plasma under different applied voltages was deduced through electrical characteristic analysis, emission spectrum diagnosis, and further measurement of the concentration of active species in the gas–liquid two-phase system. The degradation of ammonia nitrogen by gas–liquid discharge plasma primarily relies on the generation of active species in the liquid phase after plasma–gas interactions, rather than direct plasma effects. Increasing the applied voltage leads to changes in discharge morphology, higher energy input, elevated electron excitation temperatures, enhanced collisions, a decrease in plasma electron density, and an increase in rotational temperatures. The change in the plasma state enhances the gas–liquid transfer process and increases the concentration of H2O2, O3, and, ⋅OH in the liquid phase. Ultimately, the efficient removal of ammonia nitrogen from wastewater is achieved.

Optimization pilot scale study on ammonia nitrogen removal by bio filter

In order to obtain the optimal conditions for ammonia nitrogen (AN) wastewater treatment by bio filter (BF), the effects of ratio of carbon to nitrogen (C/N), pH, and hydraulic load (HL) on the AN degradation were studied by Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Central Composite Design (CCD) experiments were conducted, and the response of the AN removal rates were fitted to a second-order polynomial model. The analysis of variance showed that the model was accurate and reliable. Through model fitting, the optimal condition for AN removal was: C/N of 18.95, pH of 7.78, and HL of 1.04 d−1. The maximum AN removal rate predicted by the model was 91.90%, accorded with the experimental verification value of 91.37% under the optimal condition. The research provided valuable demonstration for optimizing process parameters on AN removal in BF.

Nitrogen Removal Characteristics and Metabolism Mechanism of High-Efficiency Cold-Tolerant Heterotrophic Nitrification-Aerobic Denitrification Bacterium Glutamicibacter sp. WS1 for Various Nitrogen Sources at Low Temperature

For resolving the problems of poor nitrogen removal efficiency and substandard effluent quality in wastewater treatment plants during winter, a cold-tolerant strain Glutamicibacter sp. WS1, with heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification ability, was isolated from activated sludge. The functional genes for nitrogen conversion of strain WS1 were amplified by PCR, and the nitrogen removal characteristics of the strain were verified under different nitrogen sources at 15℃. In addition, the effects of environmental factors on the aerobic denitrification performance of the strain were explored at low temperature. Finally, a reasonable nitrogen metabolism pathway of strain WS1 was resolved based on functional genes and nitrogen balance analysis. The results showed that strain WS1 contained functional genes related to nitrogen conversion, including amoA, napA, nirS, and nirK genes. Notably, nirS and nirK genes coexisted in the strain. At the low temperature of 15℃, with NH4+-N, NO3--N, NO2--N+NO3--N, and NH4+-N+NO3--N as nitrogen sources, the corresponding removal efficiencies of strain WS1 were 100%, 98.10%, 99.87%+100%, and 100%+94.92%, respectively. The optimal denitrification performance of the strain was achieved with sodium citrate as the carbon source, C/N of 16, pH of 8, DO of 4.5-6.8 mg·L-1, and temperature of 30℃. In addition, the NO3--N removal efficiency of strain WS1 reached 92.50% under low temperature (15℃) and low C/N (10) conditions. Based on the results of PCR amplification and nitrogen balance analysis, heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification/aerobic denitrification and assimilation were the main pathways for nitrogen substrate removal by strain WS1, in which most of the inorganic nitrogen (47%-56%) was converted to gaseous nitrogen through heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification/aerobic denitrification. Strain WS1 has broad application prospects in the treatment of low-temperature nitrogenous wastewater.

Achievement of partial denitrification in SBR treating acidic wastewater: Performance and mechanism of nitrite accumulation

Partial denitrification (PD) can provide stable electron acceptors for anaerobic ammonium oxidation; however, PD operates mostly under alkaline conditions (pH >7), limiting its application in acidic wastewater treatment. In this study, PD with nitrate-to-nitrite transformation ratio (NTR) of 69.7 % was achieved using a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) by decreasing the pH (7.5 to 5.5) and the ratio of chemical oxygen demand to nitrate nitrogen (COD/NO3−-N) (4.5 to 3.5). Paracoccus (22.68 %) and Thauera (11.53 %) were the dominant microbes in this study. The ratio of COD/N consumed in the SBR was as high as 5.2 ± 0.6, and the content of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) increased from 36.5 to 128.4 mg g−1 VSS. In a single cycle, a maximum NTR of 86.7 % was obtained at 90 min, and the NTR was maintained at 70 % even when the reaction time was prolonged to 300 min. Further studies confirmed that acidic pH decreased the rate of nitrate reduction, which increased the duration of nitrate presence and inhibited the reduction of nitrite. More importantly, during nitrate reduction, COD was transformed into glycogen and poly-β-hydroxybutyrate, and further converted to EPS, resulting in nitrite reduction limitation due to carbon source scarcity. This study provides a newfound basis for low consumption treatment of acidic nitrogenous wastewater, such as mining and nuclear industry production.

Preparation of magnetic ZnFe2O4 nanosphere photocatalyst for high concentration ammonia nitrogen wastewater treatment

High concentration ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N) wastewater caused a great threat on the safety of water resources. Consider that photocatalysis is an environmentally friendly technology, which can effectively removel pollutants. Herein, magnetic ZnFe2O4 nanosphere photocatalyst was prepared by sol-gel method at a calcination temperature of 300 °C, 400 °C and 500 °C and applied in eliminating high concentration NH4+-N wastewater pollutants under economical 400 °C temperature in this study. The effect of pH on magnetic ZnFe2O4 nanosphere photocatalyst treating high concentration NH4+-N wastewater was investigated. Optimally, 100 % of the initial NH4+-N (1000 mg/L) was removed, photocatalytic rate and stripping rate were 84.9% and 15.1% respectively, and NO3--N and NO2--N were barely detected at pH of 9.0 in 120 min. The quenching experiments showed that h+ and •O2- were the key reactive species to photodegrade NH4+-N. The mechanism of high concentration NH4+-N removal were proposed. Moreover, NH4+-N removal rate of recovered magnetic ZnFe2O4 nanosphere photocatalyst by magnetic force after five cycles still remained over 90%. This study demonstrated that magnetic ZnFe2O4 nanosphere photocatalyst could be a promising catalyst for the treatment of the high concentration NH4+-N wastewater.

COMPARISON OF CONTAMINANTS REMOVAL EFFICIENCIES IN WASTEWATER USING CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS OF SINGLE AND TWO STAGES

Constructed wetlands are green technologies, nature-based solutions, that use phytoremediation for the treatment of wastewater studied in domestic, industrial, and agricultural uses and products such as hydrocarbons and some emerging pollutants. The objective is to analyze the efficiency of the constructed wetlands for the removal of heavy metals, nutrients such as phosphorus, and nitrogen in wastewater treatment. This study presents the results of contaminant removal from two types of constructed wetlands; single-stage and two-stage, which determine their efficiency. The removal of COD, BOD, phosphorus, fats, nitrogen, solids and others, showed similar efficiencies for each plant, with removal ranges between 16% and 95% relative to each pollutant analyzed. As a complement, the concentration of heavy chromium VI, cadmium, and total iron were reduced and analized thlrough the UV-VIS spectrophotometric method, which from three absorbance measurements for each metal, with wavelengths of 540 nm, 228 nm, 8 nm, and 510 nm, respectively, efficiencies of 62% and 85% were found for chromium VI removal; 43% and 53% removal for cadmium; 37% and 53% removal for total iron, results according to single-stage and two-stage plants.