Assessment of the positive effect of salinity on the nitrogen removal performance and microbial composition during the start-up of CANON process

In this study, a non-woven rotating biological contactor reactor was operated for the start-up of completely autotrophic nitrogen removal over nitrite (CANON) process. In this perfectly attached growth system, nitrite oxidizing was identified, which interfered with the nitrogen removal performance. Batch tests indicated that 10 g NaCl per liter salinity was a preferable definite level to stand out ammonium-oxidizing activity and anammox activity, and selectively suppress nitrite-oxidizing activity under oxygen-limited conditions. Reactor operation showed that the maximum TN removal rate was increased from 425 mg N l(-1) day(-1) to 637 mg N l(-1) day(-1) after the addition of 10 g NaCl per liter salinity on analogous technological parameters. Microbiological community analysis revealed that bacteria strains similar to the genus Nitrospira sp. were specialized nitrite oxidizers existing in CANON reactor, which were then eliminated under salinity exposure for their no salinity-tolerant relative. However, anammox bacteria belonging to Planctomycetes and some aerobic ammonium oxidizers belonging to Nitrosomonas could be highly enriched under this oxygen-limited salinity conditions. Salinity-contained high ammonium wastewater will be so considered as suitable influent for CANON process in further industrial application.     

Novel microbial nitrogen removal processes

The present-day wastewater treatment practices can be significantly improved through the introduction of new microbial treatment technologies. Recently, several new processes for nitrogen removal have been developed. These new nitrogen removal technologies provide practicable options for treating nitrogen-laden wastewaters. The new processes are based on partial nitrification of ammonium to nitrite combined with anaerobic ammonium oxidation. These processes include the single reactor system for high ammonia removal over nitrite (SHARON) process, which involves part conversion of ammonium to nitrite; the anaerobic ammonium oxidation (ANAMMOX) process, which involves anaerobic ammonium oxidation; and the completely autographic nitrogen removal over nitrite (CANON) process, which involves nitrogen removal within one reactor under oxygen-limited conditions. These new processes target the removal of nitrogen from wastewaters containing significant quantities of ammonium.     

Enrichment of Anammox from Activated Sludge and Its Application in the CANON Process

A microbial culture capable of actively oxidizing ammonium to dinitrogen gas in the absence of oxygen, using nitrite as the electron acceptor, was enriched from local activated sludge (Western Australia) in <14 weeks. The maximum anaerobic ammonium oxidation (i.e., anammox) activity achieved by the anaerobic culture was 0.26 mmol NH ₄ ⁺ (g biomass)⁻¹ h⁻¹ (0.58 kg total-N m⁻³ day⁻¹). Qualitative FISH analysis (fluorescence in situ hybridization) confirmed the phylogenetic position of the enriched microorganism as belonging to the order Planctomycetales, in which all currently identified anammox strains fall. Preliminary FISH analysis suggests the anammox strain belongs to the same phylogenetic group as the Candidatus ‘Brocadia anammoxidans’ strain discovered in the Netherlands. However, there are quite a few differences in the target sites for the more specific probes of these organisms and it is therefore likely to represent a new species of anammox bacteria. A small amount of aerobic ammonium-oxidizing biomass was inoculated into the anammox reactor (10% v/v) to initiate completely autotrophic nitrogen removal over nitrite (the CANON process) in chemostat culture. The culture was always under oxygen limitation and no organic carbon was added. The CANON reactor was operated as an intermittently aerated system with 20 min aerobiosis and 30 min anaerobiosis, during which aerobic and anaerobic ammonium oxidation were performed in sequential fashion, respectively. Anammox was not inhibited by repeated intermittent exposure to oxygen, allowing sustained, completely autotrophic ammonium removal (0.08 kg N m⁻³ day⁻¹) for an extended period of time.     

CANON and Anammox in a gas-lift reactor

Anoxic ammonium oxidation (Anammox) and Completely Autotrophic Nitrogen removal Over Nitrite (CANON) are new and promising microbial processes to remove ammonia from wastewaters characterized by a low content of organic materials. These two processes were investigated on their feasibility and performance in a gas-lift reactor. The Anammox as well as the CANON process could be maintained easily in a gas-lift reactor, and very high N-conversion rates were achieved. An N-removal rate of 8.9 kg N (m(3) reactor)(-1) day(-1) was achieved for the Anammox process in a gas-lift reactor. N-removal rates of up to 1.5 kg N (m(3) reactor)(-1) day(-1) were achieved when the CANON process was operated. This removal rate was 20 times higher compared to the removal rates achieved in the laboratory previously. Fluorescence in situ hybridization showed that the biomass consisted of bacteria reacting to NEU, a 16S rRNA targeted probe specific for halotolerant and halophilic Nitrosomonads, and of bacteria reacting to Amx820, specific for planctomycetes capable of Anammox.     

季节性温度变化对CANON型潮汐流人工湿地脱氮的影响

探究了温度的季节性变化对基于亚硝化的全程自养脱氮(CANON)型潮汐流人工湿地(TFCW)脱氮性能及其微生物特性的影响。CANON型TFCW中的脱氮微生物群落在温度的季节性变化下会发生不同程度的改变,其脱氮途径及性能随之会出现周期性的波动。填料层温度在20.0 ℃以上时对TFCW脱氮性能及其中的优势脱氮菌群无显著影响,CANON作用是系统脱氮的主要途径。当填料层温度低于20.0 ℃时,厌氧氨氧化菌丰度与活性显著降低,在9.3~20.0 ℃时,亚硝酸盐氧化菌(NOB)的增殖及其活性的提高使TFCW中脱氮的主要途径由CANON作用演替为硝化/反硝化作用,系统对总氮(TN)的去除率仅为(34.8±13.0)%;在2.2~9.0 ℃时,TFCW中的厌氧氨氧化菌在受到抑制的同时仍保持着对NOB和反硝化菌群的相对竞争优势,系统脱氮重新依赖于CANON作用,其对TN的去除率为(54.8±4.8)%。该研究可为CANON型TFCW工艺的优化及工程化应用提供参考。     

Potential coupling effects of ammonia-oxidizing and anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria on completely autotrophic nitrogen removal over nitrite biofilm formation induced by the second messenger cyclic diguanylate

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) on the coupling effects between ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (anammox) bacteria for the completely autotrophic nitrogen removal over nitrite (CANON) biofilm formation in a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR). Analysis of the quantity of EPS and cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP) confirmed that the contents of polysaccharides and c-di-GMP were correlated in the AOB sludge, anammox sludge, and CANON biofilm. The anammox sludge secreted more EPS (especially polysaccharides) than AOB with a markedly higher c-di-GMP content, which could be used by the bacteria to regulate the synthesis of exopolysaccharides that are ultimately used as a fixation matrix, for the adhesion of biomass. Indeed, increased intracellular c-di-GMP concentrations in the anammox sludge enhanced the regulation of polysaccharides to promote the adhesion of AOB and formation of the CANON biofilm. Overall, the results of this study provide new comprehensive information regarding the coupling effects of AOB and anammox bacteria for the nitrogen removal process.

     

Simultaneous nitrification and denitrification by controlling vertical and horizontal microenvironment in a membrane-aerated biofilm reactor

Nitrogen and carbon components in domestic modified wastewater were completely removed by simultaneous nitrification and denitrification using a membrane-aerated biofilm reactor where biofilm was fixed on a hollow-fiber membrane. To measure the spatial distribution of pH, ammonium and nitrate ions and to observe microbes inside the biofilm fixed on the membrane, microelectrodes and the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method were applied. Due to plug flow in the vertical direction (from the bottom to the top of the reactor), ammonium nitrogen was gradually removed and negligible nitrate nitrogen was detected throughout the reactor. FISH revealed that ammonia-oxidizing bacteria were mainly distributed inside the biofilm and other bacteria, which included denitrifying bacteria, were mainly distributed outside the biofilm and over the suspended sludge. In order to characterize bacterial activity in the vertical direction of the reactor, nitrification rates at lower, central and upper points were calculated using microelectrode data. The nitrification rate at the lower point was 7 and 125 times higher than those at the central and upper points, respectively. These results show that the removal of carbon and nitrogen compounds was accomplished efficiently by using various kinds of bacteria distributed vertically and horizontally in a single reactor.     

Sensitivity analysis of a biofilm model describing a one-stage completely autotrophic nitrogen removal (CANON) process.

A mathematical model for nitrification and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (ANAMMOX) processes in a single biofilm reactor (CANON) was developed. This model describes completely autotrophic conversion of ammonium to dinitrogen gas. Aerobic ammonium and nitrite oxidation were modeled together with ANAMMOX. The sensitivity of kinetic constants and biofilm and process parameters to the process performance was evaluated, and the total effluent concentrations were, in general, found to be insensitive to affinity constants. Increasing the amount of biomass by either increasing biofilm thickness and density or decreasing porosity had no significant influence on the total effluent concentrations, provided that a minimum total biomass was present in the reactor. The ANAMMOX process always occurred in the depth of the biofilm provided that the oxygen concentration was limiting. The optimal dissolved oxygen concentration level at which the maximum nitrogen removal occurred is related to a certain ammonium surface load on the biofilm. An ammonium surface load of 2 g N/m2. d, associated with a dissolved oxygen concentration level of 1.3 g O2/m3 in the bulk liquid and with a minimum biofilm depth of 1 mm seems a proper design condition for the one-stage ammonium removal process. Under this condition, the ammonium removal efficiency is 94% (82% for the total nitrogen removal efficiency) (30 degrees C). Better ammonium removal could be achieved with an increase in the dissolved oxygen concentration level, but this would strongly limit the ANAMMOX process and decrease total nitrogen removal. It can be concluded that a one-stage process is probably not optimal if a good nitrogen effluent is required. A two-stage process like the combined SHARON and ANAMMOX process would be advised for complete nitrogen removal.     

Combined process of urea nitrogen removal in anaerobic Anammox co-culture reactor

In this study, the feasibility of biological urea nitrogen removal in anaerobic Anammox co-culture was investigated. After 100 days of operation, complete urea nitrogen removal of 0.35 g (NH(2))(2)CO-N L(-1) d(-1) was achieved. The pure Anammox bacteria were obtained by percoll density-gradient centrifugation and found to be of incapable to hydrolyze urea. The ureolytic bacteria were isolated from the Anammox co-culture by the spread plate and streak. Comparative analysis of partial 16S rDNA sequence presented it belongs to Bacillus sp., and so named as Bacillus sp. LST-1. Fluorescence in situ hybridization was applied to identify the ratio of Bacillus sp. and Anammox in the reactor and the value was approximately 1:4. Urea nitrogen removal was realized in this autotrophic, anoxic reactor via the combined process of urea hydrolysis by Bacillus sp. LST-1 and ammonium oxidizing by Anammox. The investigation of this combined process might have an actual significance in engineering application for its low operational cost.     

Pseudomonas alcaliphila AD-28的脱氮性能及其关键酶活性

【背景】异养硝化-好氧反硝化菌由于能够同时实现硝化反硝化作用而备受关注,但由于菌的种类不同,其脱氮途径不尽相同,研究菌株脱氮关键酶的种类及其活性可以推测菌株的脱氮途径,从而为菌株在生产上的应用提供技术支撑。【目的】研究Pseudomonas alcaliphila AD-28的脱氮性能及其关键酶的活性,为菌株脱氮分子机理研究奠定基础。【方法】以柠檬酸钠为碳源,以硫酸铵、亚硝酸钠、硝酸钾为氮源,研究菌株AD-28的脱氮性能并检测其关键酶氨单加氧酶(AMO)、羟胺氧化还原酶(HAO)、亚硝酸盐还原酶(NIR)、硝酸盐还原酶(NAR)的酶活性。【结果】菌株AD-28培养24h的菌密度(OD600)可达1.971,对初始浓度为18.85mg/L的氨氮、26.13mg/L的硝酸盐氮、19.47mg/L的亚硝酸盐氮、66.11 mg/L的总氮去除率均达到96%以上;关键酶AMO、HAO、NIR和NAR的比活力分别为0.028、0.003、0.011、0.027 U/mg。【结论】Pseudomonas alcaliphila AD-28能同时进行异养硝化-好养反硝化作用,该菌在AMO作用下将NH4+-N氧化为羟胺,然后由HAO氧化为NO2--N,NO2--N和NO3--N在NIR、NAR等酶的催化作用下脱氮。     

Aerobic granulation with brewery wastewater in a sequencing batch reactor

Aerobic granular sludge was cultivated in a sequencing batch reactor fed with brewery wastewater. After nine-week operation, stable granules with sizes of 2-7 mm were obtained. With the granulation, the SVI value decreased from 87.5 to 32 mL/g. The granular sludge had an excellent settling ability with the settling velocity over 91 m/h. Aerobic granular sludge exhibited good performance in the organics and nitrogen removal from brewery wastewater. After granulation, high and stable removal efficiencies of 88.7% COD(t), 88.9% NH(4)(+)-N were achieved at the volumetric exchange ratio of 50% and cycle duration of 6h. The average COD(t) and COD(s) of the effluent were 212 and 134 mg/L, respectively, and the average effluent ammonium concentration was less than 14.4 mg/L. Nitrogen was removed due to nitrification and simultaneous denitrification in the inner core of granules.     

Kinetics, diffusional limitation and microscale distribution of chemistry and organisms in a CANON reactor

In the Completely Autotrophic Nitrogen removal Over Nitrite (CANON) process, aerobic and anaerobic ammonia oxidizing bacteria cooperate to remove ammonia in one oxygen-limited reactor. Kinetic studies, microsensor analysis, and fluorescence in situ hybridization on CANON biomass showed a partial differentiation of processes and organisms within and among aggregates. Under normal oxygen-limited conditions ( approximately 5 microM O2), aerobic ammonia oxidation (nitrification) was restricted to an outer shell (<100 microm) while anaerobic ammonia oxidation (anammox) was found in the central anoxic parts. Larger type aggregates (>500 microm) accounted for 68% of the anammox potential whereas 65% of the nitrification potential was found in the smaller aggregates (<500 microm). Analysis with O2 and NO2- microsensors showed that the thickness of the activity zones varied as a function of bulk O2 and NO2- concentrations and flow rate.     

Anammox-zeolite system acting as buffer to achieve stable effluent nitrogen values

For a successful nitrogen removal, Anammox process needs to be established in line with a stable partial nitritation pretreatment unit since wastewater influent is mostly unsuitable for direct treatment by Anammox. Partial nitritation is, however, a critical bottleneck for the nitrogen removal since it is often difficult to maintain the right proportions of NO₂-N and NH₄-N during long periods of time for Anammox process. This study investigated the potential of Anammox-zeolite biofilter to buffer inequalities in nitrite and ammonium nitrogen in the influent feed. Anammox-zeolite biofilter combines the ion-exchange property of zeolite with the biological removal by Anammox process. Continuous-flow biofilter was operated for 570 days to test the response of Anammox-zeolite system for irregular ammonium and nitrite nitrogen entries. The reactor demonstrated stable and high nitrogen removal efficiencies (approximately 95 %) even when the influent NO₂-N to NH₄-N ratios were far from the stoichiometric ratio for Anammox reaction (i.e. NO₂-N to NH₄-N ranging from 0 to infinity). This is achieved by the sorption of surplus NH₄-N by zeolite particles in case ammonium rich influent came in excess with respect to Anammox stoichiometry. Similarly, when ammonium-poor influent is fed to the reactor, ammonium desorption took place due to shifts in ion-exchange equilibrium and deficient amount were supplied by previously sorbed NH₄-N. Here, zeolite acted as a preserving reservoir of ammonium where both sorption and desorption took place when needed and this caused the Anammox-zeolite system to act as a buffer system to generate a stable effluent.     

Biological treatment of ammonium-rich wastewater by partial nitritation and subsequent anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) in a pilot plant

In wastewater treatment plants with anaerobic sludge digestion, 15-20% of the nitrogen load is recirculated to the main stream with the return liquors from dewatering. Separate treatment of this ammonium-rich digester supernatant would significantly reduce the nitrogen load of the activated sludge system. Some years ago, a novel biological process was discovered in which ammonium is converted to nitrogen gas under anoxic conditions with nitrite as the electron acceptor (anaerobic ammonium oxidation, anammox). Compared to conventional nitrification and denitrification, the aeration and carbon-source demand is reduced by over 50 and 100%, respectively. The combination of partial nitritation to produce nitrite in a first step and subsequent anaerobic ammonium oxidation in a second reactor was successfully tested on a pilot scale (3.6 m(3)) for over half a year. This report focuses on the feasibility of nitrogen removal from digester effluents from two different wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with the combined partial nitritation/anammox process. Nitritation was performed in a continuously stirred tank reactor (V=2.0 m(3)) without sludge retention. Some 58% of the ammonium in the supernatant was converted to nitrite. At 30 degrees C the maximum dilution rate D(x) was 0.85 d(-1), resulting in nitrite production of 0.35 kg NO(2)-N m(-3)(reactor) d(-1). The nitrate production was marginal. The anaerobic ammonium oxidation was carried out in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR, V=1.6 m(3)) with a nitrogen elimination rate of 2.4 kg N m(-3)(reactor) d(-1) during the nitrite-containing periods of the SBR cycle. Over 90% of the inlet nitrogen load to the anammox reactor was removed and the sludge production was negligible. The nitritation efficiency of the first reactor limited the overall maximum rate of nitrogen elimination.     

Achieving nitrite accumulation in a continuous system treating low-strength domestic wastewater: switchover from batch start-up to continuous operation with process control

Although biological nitrogen removal via nitrite is recognized as one of the cost-effective and sustainable biological nitrogen removal processes, nitrite accumulation has proven difficult to achieve in continuous processes treating low-strength nitrogenous wastewater. Partial nitrification to nitrite was achieved and maintained in a lab-scale completely stirred tank reactor (CSTR) treating real domestic wastewater. During the start-up period, sludge with ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) but no nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) was obtained by batch operation with aeration time control. The nitrifying sludge with the dominance of AOB was then directly switched into continuous operation. It was demonstrated that partial nitrification to nitrite in the continuous system could be repeatedly and reliably achieved using this start-up strategy. The ratio of dissolved oxygen to ammonium loading rate (DO/ALR) was critical to maintain high ammonium removal efficiency and nitrite accumulation ratio. Over 85% of nitrite accumulation ratio and more than 95% of ammonium removal efficiency were achieved at DO/ALR ratios in an optimal range of 4.0–6.0 mg O₂/g N d, even under the disturbances of ammonium loading rate. Microbial population shift was investigated, and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis indicated that AOB were the dominant nitrifying bacteria over NOB when stable partial nitrification was established.     

New Aspects of Microbial Nitrogen Transformations in the Context of Wastewater Treatment – A Review

Over the past few years, new technologies for nitrogen removal have been developed mainly because of the increasing financial costs of the traditional wastewater treatment technologies. Newly discovered pathways, like the anaerobic oxidation of ammonium (ANAMMOX), and uses for nitrogen removal technologies are under discussion. Processes and technologies such as: Partial nitrification; Single reactor systems for High Ammonium Removal Over Nitrite (SHARON); Anammox; Aerobic/anoxic deammonification; Oxygen Limited Autotrophic Nitrification‐Denitrification (OLAND); Completely Autotrophic Nitrogen Removal Over Nitrite (CANON); wetland based systems, all have a high potential for nitrogen removal. However, the pathways of nitrogen transformation processes are very complex. An understanding of how various environmental factors affect these processes and a sound knowledge of existing, worldwide experience pertaining to these novel technologies are the key if the nitrogen removal rates are to be improved and success is to be realized in full‐scale applications. This review describes the present knowledge of the new treatment technologies for wastewater with high nitrogen loads. Special emphasis is given to the influence of environmental factors and the reactor configuration on the nitrogen transformation process and microbial activity.     

全程自养脱氮反应系统的微生物区系分析

在建立全程自养脱氮反应器的基础上,以活性污泥为对照,分析了脱氮反应器内真菌、细菌和放线菌的数量、种类（类群）、种（株系）数和优势种（株系或类群）,及硝化菌和业硝化菌的数量变化。研究结果表明,与活性污泥相比,全程自养脱氮反应器内微生物数量、种类和区系组成发生很大变化。自养脱氮反应器内亚硝化菌数量显著增加,说明亚硝化菌的积累是全程自养脱氮系统的一个显著特点。     

Development of a simultaneous partial nitrification and anaerobic ammonia oxidation process in a single reactor

Up-flow oxygen-controlled biofilm reactors equipped with a non-woven fabric support were used as a single reactor system for autotrophic nitrogen removal based on a combined partial nitrification and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) reaction. The up-flow biofilm reactors were initiated as either a partial nitrifying reactor or an anammox reactor, respectively, and simultaneous partial nitrification and anammox was established by careful control of the aeration rate. The combined partial nitrification and anammox reaction was successfully developed in both biofilm reactors without additional biomass inoculation. The reactor initiated as the anammox reactor gave a slightly higher and more stable mean nitrogen removal rate of 0.35 (± 0.19) kg-N m⁻³ d⁻¹ than the reactor initiated as the partial nitrifying reactor (0.23 (± 0.16) kg-N m⁻³ d⁻¹). FISH analysis revealed that the biofilm in the reactor started as the anammox reactor were composed of anammox bacteria located in inner anoxic layers that were surrounded by surface aerobic AOB layers, whereas AOB and anammox bacteria were mixed without a distinguishable niche in the biofilm in the reactor started as the partial nitrifying reactor. However, it was difficult to efficiently maintain the stable partial nitrification owing to inefficient aeration in the reactor, which is a key to development of the combined partial nitrification and anammox reaction in a single biofilm reactor.     

Simultaneous nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane and ammonium oxidation processes

Nitrite-dependent anaerobic oxidation of methane (n-damo) and ammonium (anammox) are two recently discovered processes in the nitrogen cycle that are catalyzed by n-damo bacteria, including "Candidatus Methylomirabilis oxyfera," and anammox bacteria, respectively. The feasibility of coculturing anammox and n-damo bacteria is important for implementation in wastewater treatment systems that contain substantial amounts of both methane and ammonium. Here we tested this possible coexistence experimentally. To obtain such a coculture, ammonium was fed to a stable enrichment culture of n-damo bacteria that still contained some residual anammox bacteria. The ammonium supplied to the reactor was consumed rapidly and could be gradually increased from 1 to 20 mM/day. The enriched coculture was monitored by fluorescence in situ hybridization and 16S rRNA and pmoA gene clone libraries and activity measurements. After 161 days, a coculture with about equal amounts of n-damo and anammox bacteria was established that converted nitrite at a rate of 0.1 kg-N/m(3)/day (17.2 mmol day(-1)). This indicated that the application of such a coculture for nitrogen removal may be feasible in the near future.     

有机碳源下废水厌氧氨氧化同步脱氮除碳

为明确有机碳源胁迫下,厌氧氨氧化反应器的同步脱氮除碳规律及功能微生物群落结构的动态变化,采用成功启动的厌氧氨氧化UASB反应器,通过逐步提升进水有机负荷,探究有机碳源下废水厌氧氨氧化同步脱氮除碳。研究表明,当进水化学需氧量(Chemical oxygen demand,COD)浓度从172 mg/L升至620 mg/L,反应器维持较高的脱氮效率,氨氮和总氮去除率均在85%以上,并对COD具有平均56.6%的去除率,高浓度COD未对Anammox菌活性构成显著抑制作用。聚合酶链式反应和变性梯度凝胶电泳(PCR-DGGE)图谱和割胶测序结果表明,变形菌门Proteobacteria、浮霉菌门Planctomycetes、绿曲挠菌门Chloroflexi以及绿菌门Chlorobi等微生物共存于同一反应体系中,推测反应器内存在复杂的脱氮除碳途径。而且,代表厌氧氨氧化的部分浮霉菌门微生物能耐受高浓度有机碳源,在高有机负荷下依旧发挥着高效的脱氮作用,为反应器高效脱氮提供了保障。