Closed water recirculating system for fish rearing equipped with bioreactor capable of simultaneous nitrification and denitrification.

Five crucian carp, Carassius auratus langsdorfiicarps had been reared in a closed water recirculating system. The system was equipped with the compact bioreactor using the plate gels capable of both nitrification and denitrification in a single unit. Ammonia and nitrite concentrations in the rearing water had been maintained below 0.05 mg-N/L, and nitrate concentration also controlled between 2 and 8 mg-N/L with the bioreactor. As concerns nitrogen budget in the closed system, 95.0% of nitrogen income from feed was lost as nitrogen gas from the closed system. All fish was alive for 91 days without any unusual behavior. Thus, the bioreactor performed both nitrification and denitrification abilities enough to rear the five fish for 91 days. The bioreactor using the plate gels would be effective to simplify the closed system both physically and operationally, since it can remove the ammonia excreted from fish as nitrogen gas by a single step.     

Autotrophic denitrification via a novel membrane-attached biofilm reactor

AIMS: A laboratory-scale autotrophic membrane-attached biofilm reactor was developed to remove nitrate from drinking water. METHODS AND RESULTS: Hydrogen and carbon dioxide flowed together into the lumem side of a gas-permeable silicone tube. The gases diffused through the membrane wall to feed Alcaligenes eutrophus that formed a biofilm on the surface of the silicone tube for autotrophic denitrification. Hydrogen provided the energy source, and carbon dioxide, besides serving as the carbon source, was employed to neutralize the alkalinity from denitrification. The optimal carbon dioxide concentration in the silicone tube was between 20% and 50%. CONCLUSION: This study has demonstrated that a gas-permeable silicone tube is a convenient and efficient method to feed A. eutrophus for autotrophic denitrification. Supplying a suitable amount of carbon dioxide together with hydrogen into the silicone tube solved the problem that alkalinity formation caused during denitrification. The pH of the bioreactor was maintained at about 7 to avoid nitrite accumulation, and then the nitrogen removal rate was increased. A high specific nitrogen removal rate (1.6-5.4 g Nm(2)d(-1-1) of surface area of silicone tube) was achieved. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: In addition to combining the advantages of the hydrogenotrophic denitrification process and a membrane feeding substrate bioreactor (MFSB), this bioreactor achieved a high nitrogen removal rate and is simple to operate. It therefore is highly promising in drinking-water treatment.     

湖泊氮素氧化及脱氮过程研究进展

自然界中氮的生物地球化学循环主要由微生物驱动,由固氮作用、硝化作用、反硝化作用和氨化作用来完成。过去数十年间,随着异养硝化、厌氧氨氧化和古菌氨氧化作用的发现,人们对环境中氮素循环认识逐步深入,提出了多种脱氮途径新假说。对湖泊生态系统中氮素的输入、输出及其在水体、沉积物和水土界面的迁移转化过程进行了概括,对湖泊生态系统中反硝化和厌氧氨氧化脱氮机理及脱氮效率的最新研究进展进行了探讨,并对以后的氮素循环研究进行了展望。     

Simultaneous nitrification and denitrification using an autotrophic membrane-immobilized biofilm reactor

AIMS: To develop a laboratory-scale autotrophic membrane-immobilized biofilm reactor to remove nitrogen from drinking water. METHODS AND RESULTS: A polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) immobilized biofilm, attached to the surface of a silicone tube, was used as the basis of a bioreactor for simultaneous nitrification and denitrification of water. The bioreactor was aerated with air to supply oxygen for nitrification. Pure hydrogen was supplied to the silicone tube and diffused through the membrane wall to feed the biofilm for autotrophic denitrification. The bioreactor was effective for the simultaneous nitrification and denitrification of water after a short period of acclimation, while the biofilm exhibited good resistance to the inhibition of denitrification by dissolved oxygen; the denitrification rate decreased by only 8% as the dissolved oxygen increased from 2 mg l(-1) to saturation. CONCLUSIONS: By using PVA crosslinked with sodium nitrate to entrap nitrifying and denitrifying sludge on the surface of a silicone tube, a novel bioreactor for simultaneous nitrification and denitrification was developed. In addition to performing as an immobilizing agent to strengthen the biofilm, PVA protected the denitrifying microorganisms to reduce the inhibition by dissolved oxygen under aerobic condition. Therefore, nitrification and denitrification occurred simultaneously within the biofilm. Furthermore, the immobilization technique shortened the acclimation period of the bioreactor. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The described space saving and simple to operate bioreactor for nitrogen removal performed autotrophic denitrification to solve the problem of residual carbon in heterotrophic denitrification, and thus is suitable for removing nitrogen from drinking water.     

R&D of long-term life support system by using electrochemically activated biofilm reactor of aquatic animals for space examinations.

We have developed the long-term life support system that enables the experiment of aquatic animals breeding for 90 days or more for the future experiments in orbit. In order to enable long-term breeding of wide aquatic animals, it is necessary to remove nitrate produced by biological nitrification. Then, we examined a denitrification method to use an electrochemical reaction of biofilm-electrode reactor. In this research, we have not kept the aquatic animals actually but imitated breeding of five goldfish. The ammonia of about 250 ppm was added in breeding water through 90 days. As a result, neither ammonia nor nitrite accumulated 0.1 ppm and nitrate could be suppressed to about 10 ppm.     

人工湿地的氮去除机理

湖泊等水环境的富营养化给人类带来诸多损害,如环境、生态和经济等方面的损害。富营养化的原因和控制途径引起了包括中国在内的很多国家的关注。我国针对水环境的富营养化问题开展了大量的工作。氮是引发水环境富营养化的主要营养物之一。外源氮负荷（分点源和非点源两部分）是水环境污染负荷的重要组成部分。传统污水处理技术应用于收集系统欠缺的非点源污染的治理时成本过高。人工湿地是有效削减水环境中外源氮负荷的重要技术手段,在处理非点源污染源带来的氮负荷时更是如此。人工湿地具有氮去除效果好、耐冲击负荷能力强、投资低和生态环境友好等优点。因此人工湿地非常适合于水环境富营养化的防治。阐明人工湿地中氮的去除机理对水环境的富营养化等具有重要的意义。防渗人工湿地的氮去除机理主要包括挥发、氨化、硝化／反硝化、植物摄取和基质吸附。未防渗的人工湿地中,周围水体与人工湿地的氮交换影响着人工湿地中氮的去除。一般情况下,人工湿地中硝化／反硝化是最主要的氮去除机理。pH值小于7．5时,氨挥发可忽略。pH值在9．3以上时,氨挥发很显著。处理生活污水的人工湿地中氮的去除主要是依靠微生物的硝化／反硝化作用。在进水负荷低、气候适宜、植物物种适宜和收割频率与时机适宜的条件下,植物收割可能成为主要的去氮途径。人工合理导向的湿地的氮去除效果通常优于天然湿地。合理的设计（填料的搭配、植物物种的配置以及布水和集水的优化）对人工湿地系统中氮去除的改善有重要影响。合理的运行,如有效的水位控制,正确的植物培育、合理的植物收割等,能有效地改善湿地中的氮去除。     

CO2浓度升高对水体硝化、反硝化作用的影响研究进展

大气CO₂浓度升高潜移默化地影响着水体生态系统的碳循环过程.然而,该过程如何影响与其耦合的氮循环过程仍不明确.水体硝化、反硝化过程作为水体氮循环的重要环节,必然会对大气CO₂浓度升高产生一系列的响应.本文总结了国内外关于大气CO₂浓度升高对水体理化性质、硝化作用、反硝化作用及N形态转化影响方面的研究工作,发现大气CO₂浓度升高会降低水体的pH,增加水中CO₂和HCO₃^-含量,但对富营养化与寡营养化水体中硝化、反硝化作用的影响具有明显差异.大气CO₂浓度升高抑制寡营养化水体的硝化作用和反硝化作用,降低N₂O的释放通量,抑制富营养化水体的硝化作用,但当水体pH在7~9时,可能促进反硝化作用,增加N₂O的释放通量,最终可能导致水体中NH₄⁺的积累及NO₃^-浓度的降低,影响水体中微生物的多样性.在此基础上提出目前相关研究存在的瓶颈问题及值得深入探讨的科学问题,为进一步深入理解温室效应背景下全球CO₂浓度升高对水体生态系统N循环的影响提供参考.     

CO_2浓度升高对水体硝化、反硝化作用的影响研究进展

大气CO_2浓度升高潜移默化地影响着水体生态系统的碳循环过程.然而,该过程如何影响与其耦合的氮循环过程仍不明确.水体硝化、反硝化过程作为水体氮循环的重要环节,必然会对大气CO_2浓度升高产生一系列的响应.本文总结了国内外关于大气CO_2浓度升高对水体理化性质、硝化作用、反硝化作用及N形态转化影响方面的研究工作,发现大气CO_2浓度升高会降低水体的p H,增加水中CO_2和HCO_3^-含量,但对富营养化与寡营养化水体中硝化、反硝化作用的影响具有明显差异.大气CO_2浓度升高抑制寡营养化水体的硝化作用和反硝化作用,降低N2_O的释放通量,抑制富营养化水体的硝化作用,但当水体pH在7～9时,可能促进反硝化作用,增加N2_O的释放通量,最终可能导致水体中NH_4^+的积累及NO_3^-浓度的降低,影响水体中微生物的多样性.在此基础上提出目前相关研究存在的瓶颈问题及值得深入探讨的科学问题,为进一步深入理解温室效应背景下全球CO_2浓度升高对水体生态系统N循环的影响提供参考.     

Organics and nitrogen removal and sludge stability in aerobic granular sludge membrane bioreactor

Novel aerobic granular sludge membrane bioreactor (GMBR) was established by combining aerobic granular sludge technology with membrane bioreactor (MBR). GMBR showed good organics removal and simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) performances for synthesized wastewater. When influent total organic carbon (TOC) was 56.8-132.6 mg/L, the TOC removal of GMBR was 84.7-91.9%. When influent ammonia nitrogen was 28.1-38.4 mg/L, the ammonia nitrogen removal was 85.4-99.7%, and the total nitrogen removal was 41.7-78.4%. Moreover, batch experiments of sludge with different particle size demonstrated that: (1) flocculent sludge under aerobic condition almost have no denitrification capacity, (2) SND capacity was caused by the granular sludge, and (3) the denitrification rate and total nitrogen removal efficiency were enhanced with the increased particle size. In addition, study on the sludge morphology stability in GMBR showed that, although some granular sludge larger than 0.9 mm disaggregated at the beginning of operation, the granular sludge was able to maintain the stability of its granular morphology, and at the end of operation, the amount of granular sludge (larger than 0.18 mm) stabilized in GMBR was more than 56-62% of the total sludge concentration. The partial disaggregation of large granules is closely associated with the change of operating mode from sequencing batch reactor (SBR) system to MBR system.     

An additional simple denitrification bioreactor using packed gel envelopes applicable to industrial wastewater treatment

A simple denitrification bioreactor for nitrate-containing wastewater without organic compounds was developed. This bioreactor consisted of packed gel envelopes in a single tank. Each envelope comprised two plates of gels containing Paracoccus denitrificans cells with an internal space between the plates. As an electron donor for denitrification, ethanol was injected into the internal space and not directly into the wastewater. P. denitrificans cells in the gel reduced nitrate to nitrogen gas by using the injected ethanol. Nitrate-containing desulfurization wastewater derived from a coal-fired thermal power plant was continuously treated with 20 packed gel envelopes (size, 1,000 x 900 x 12 mm; surface area, 1.44 m(2)) in a reactor tank (volume 1.5 m(3)). When the total nitrogen concentration in the inflow was around 150 mg-N x L(-1), the envelopes removed approximately 60-80% of the total nitrogen, and the maximum nitrogen removal rate was 5.0 g-N x day(-1) per square meter of the gel surface. This value corresponded to the volumetric nitrogen removal performance of 0.109 kg-N x m(-3) x day(-1). In each envelope, a high utilization efficiency of the electron donor was attained, although more than the double amount of the electron donor was empirically injected in the present activated sludge system to achieve denitrification when compared with the theoretical value. The bioreactor using the envelopes would be extremely effective as an additional denitrification system because these envelopes can be easily installed in the vacant spaces of preinstalled water treatment systems, without requiring additional facilities for removing surplus ethanol and sludge.     

Experimental measurement of sediment nitrification and denitrification in Hamilton Harbour,Canada

This research examines the role of sediment nitrification and denitrification in the nitrogen cycle of Hamilton Harbour. The Harbour is subject to large ammonia and carbon loadings from a waste-water treatment plant and from steel industries. Spring ammonia concentrations rapidly decrease from 4.5 to 0.5 mg 1⁻¹, while spring nitrate concentrations increase from 1 to 2 mg l⁻¹, by mid-summer. A three-layer sediment model was developed. The first layer is aerobic; in it, oxidation of organics and nitrification occurs. The second layer is for denitrification, and the third layer is for anaerobic processes. Ammonia sources for nitrification include diffusion from the water column, sources associated with the oxidation of organics, sources from denitrification and from anaerobic processes. Diffusion of oxygen, ammonia and nitrate across the sediment-water interface occurs. Temperature effects are modelled using the Arrhenius concept. A combination of zero-order kinetics for nitrate or ammonia consumption with diffusion results in a half-order reaction, with respect to the water column loss rate to sediments. From experimental measurement, the rate of nitrification is 200 mg N 1⁻¹ sediment per day, while that of denitrification is 85 mg N 1–1 sediment per day at 20 °C. The Arrhenius activation energy is estimated as 15 000 cal/ mole-K and 17 000 cal/ mole-K for nitrification and denitrification, respectively, between 10 °C and 20 °C. Calculations of the flux of ammonia with the sediments, using the biofilm model, compare favourably with experimental observations. The ammonia flux from the water column is estimated to account for 20% of the observed decrease in water column stocks of ammonia, while the nitrate flux from the water column is estimated to account for 25% of the total nitrogen produced by the sediments.     

曝气充氧条件下污染河道氨挥发特性模拟

以污染河道为研究对象,模拟研究污染河道在曝气充氧(底泥曝气,ES组;水曝气,EW组)条件下氨挥发的特性,探讨主要影响因素及其作用过程.研究表明,污染河道水体具有一定氨挥发潜力,在实验室模拟条件下,氨挥发速率平均为2.51mg·m-2·h-1,相当于0.50 kgN· hm-2·d-1;曝气污染河道水体的氨挥发有一定的促进作用,与对照相比(EC组)氨挥发速率和累积氨挥发量存在显著差异(P＜ 0.05);不同曝气方式对氨挥发过程影响不同,氨挥发速率存在显著差异(P＜0.05);至实验结束,EW组的累积挥发量为2809.76 mg/m2,分别是ES组和EC组的1.17和2.25倍;各实验组的氨挥发累积量用一级动力学方程能很好地拟合,根据模型可以预测氨挥发量;同一温度条件下,pH值、铵氮浓度和通气频率是影响氨挥发的主要因素;曝气可以通过增加通气频率和提高水体pH值来促进氨挥发进行;在曝气作用下随着硝化过程的进行对氨挥发有一定的限制作用;曝气条件下,氨挥发作用在硝化过程启动阶段最为明显.     

Nitrogen-removal bioreactor capable of simultaneous nitrification and denitrification for application to industrial wastewater treatment

A bioreactor system with 30 packed gel envelopes was installed in a thermal power plant for the removal of nitrogen from ammonia-containing desulfurization wastewater. Each envelope consisted of double-sided plate gels containing Nitrosomonas europaea and Paracoccus denitrificans cells with an internal space in between for injecting an electron donor. The envelope can remove ammonia from wastewater in a single step. When the wastewater was continuously treated with the bioreactor system, it removed 95.0% of the total nitrogen in the inlet, and the total nitrogen concentration in the outlet was below 9.0 mg L⁻¹. The maximum nitrogen removal rate was 6.0 g day⁻¹ per square meter of the gel area. The maximum utilization efficiency of the injected ethanol for denitrification was 98.4%, and the total organic carbon concentration in the outflow was maintained at a low level. Since the bioreactor system could use the electron donor effectively, it was not necessary to use an additional aerobic tank to remove the electron donor and a settling tank to segregate the surplus sludge containing bacteria from wastewater. Our concept of using packed gel envelopes would be highly effective for constructing a simple and efficient nitrogen removal system capable of simultaneous nitrification and denitrification.     

固氮红细菌(Rhodobacter azotoformans) YLK20去除无机氮的影响因素

【背景】不产氧光合细菌(Anoxygenicphototrophicbacteria,APB)作为一类重要的微生物资源,在水产养殖水体氮污染的修复方面已有广泛研究与应用。养殖水体环境复杂,含多种有机物,尤其是有机氮显著影响菌体除氮功效。【目的】在高浓度无机三态氮(氨氮、硝氮和亚硝氮)共存体系中,阐明小分子有机碳、有机氮和盐度对固氮红细菌(Rhodobacter azotoformans) YLK20去除无机三态氮的影响规律及机制,挖掘针对性强和适应性广的高效除氮菌株。【方法】采用RAST和KEGG方法分析YLK20基因组碳氮代谢途径及耐盐机制;采用次溴酸钠氧化法、紫外和N-(1-萘基)-乙二胺分光光度法分别测定氨氮、硝氮和亚硝氮含量。【结果】基因组显示,YLK20拥有EMP、HMP、TCA、固氮、氨化、氨同化和反硝化碳氮代谢途径,含有soh B、nha C、bet B和gbs A等多种耐盐基因。丙酮酸钠、乙酸钠、柠檬酸钠、乙醇和甘露醇是YLK20生长和去除无机三态氮的良好有机碳,葡萄糖和果糖的存在降低了无机三态氮去除能力,蔗糖体系中硝氮和亚硝氮能被良好去除,但氨氮去除能力较低。在高浓度蛋白胨(3.21 g/L)和尿素(1.43 g/L)体系中,YLK20仍能高效去除无机三态氮。YLK20能在3%盐度内生长良好,低盐度时该菌株能良好去除无机三态氮,高盐度时亚硝氮去除能力受到严重抑制。YLK20对海水和淡水实际养殖水体中的无机三态氮有良好去除效果。【结论】YLK20主要通过氨同化和反硝化途径去除无机三态氮,尤其在高浓度有机氮环境中也能高效去除;该菌株适应盐度范围广,兼可适用于淡水和海水养殖水体;该菌株生长和无机三态氮去除影响因素、规律及除氮机制的阐明,可为APB微生物制剂的合理应用提供指导。     

Effect of sludge age on simultaneous nitrification and denitrification in membrane bioreactor

This study evaluated the effect of sludge age on simultaneous nitrification and denitrification in a membrane bioreactor treating black water. A membrane bioreactor with no separate anoxic volume was operated at a sludge age of 20 days under low dissolved oxygen concentration of 0.1-0.2 mg/L. Its performance was compared with the period when the sludge age was adjusted to 60 days. Floc size distribution, apparent viscosity, and nitrogen removal differed significantly, together with different biomass concentrations: nitrification was reduced to 40% while denitrification was almost complete. Modelling indicated that both nitrification and denitrification kinetics varied as a function of the sludge age. Calibrated values of half saturation coefficients were reduced when the sludge age was lowered to 20 days. Model simulation confirmed the validity of variable process kinetics for nitrogen removal, specifically set by the selected sludge age.     

一株异养硝化-好氧反硝化皱褶念珠菌(Diutina rugosa)的分离及脱氮特性

为了获得异养硝化-好氧反硝化菌株,从养殖池塘污泥中分离筛选到一株具有异养硝化-好氧反硝化能力的酵母菌,命名为DW-1。经形态学观察和26S rDNA序列分析后鉴定为皱褶念珠菌DW-1(Diutina rugosa DW-1)。以氨氮为唯一氮源,初步探讨了碳源、C/N、初始pH值、培养温度、摇床转速对菌株DW-1除氮性能的影响。结果表明,在以乙酸钠为唯一碳源,C/N为25,pH为6.0、适宜培养温度为32℃、转速为170 r/min的条件下,菌株DW-1氨氮降解率和总氮去除率分别为94.94%、48.69%,而整个过程中亚硝氮积累量仅为0.067 mg/L。皱褶念珠菌DW-1的异养硝化-好氧反硝化特性表明其在降解含氮废水方面具有良好的应用前景。     

In situ nitrogen removal in phase-separate bioreactor landfill

The feasibility of in situ nitrogen removal in phase-separate bioreactor landfill was investigated. In the experiment, two sets of bioreactor landfill systems, namely conventional two-phase and in situ nitrogen removal bioreactor landfills, were operated. The in situ nitrogen removal bioreactor landfill (NBL) was comprised of a fresh-refuse filled reactor (NBLF), a methanogenic reactor (NBLM) and a nitrifying reactor (NBLN), while the two-phase bioreactor landfill (BL) used as control was comprised of a fresh-refuse filled reactor (BLF) and a methanogenic reactor (BLM). Furthermore, the methanogenic and nitrifying reactors used aged refuse as bulk agents. The results showed that in situ nitrogen removal was viable by phase-separation in the bioreactor landfill. In total 75.8 and 47.5 g of nitrogen were, respectively, removed from the NBL and the BL throughout the experiment. The methanogenic reactor used the aged refuse as medium was highly effective in removing organic matter from the fresh leachate. Furthermore, the aged refuse was also suitable to use as in situ nitrification medium. The degradation of fresh refuse was accelerated by denitrification in the initial stage (namely the initial hydrolyzing stage) despite being delayed by denitrification in a long-term operation.     

耐高浓度氨氮的异养硝化好氧反硝化菌株U1的鉴定及其脱氮特性

【背景】城市垃圾渗滤液是一种成分复杂的有机废水,含氮量高,如果未经处理直接排放到环境中会造成严重的环境污染。【目的】筛选可以耐受垃圾渗滤液中高浓度氨氮并高效去除污水中氮素的异养硝化好氧反硝化菌株,为解决垃圾渗滤液的氮素污染提供功能菌株。【方法】从垃圾渗滤液中筛选分离能耐受高氨氮浓度的菌株,通过测定各菌株的脱氮能力,筛选到一株脱氮能力最强的菌株,命名为U1,通过测定16S rRNA基因序列和生理生化特性确定该菌株为铜绿假单胞菌。进一步研究了菌株U1在不同初始氨氮浓度、碳源、转速、初始pH、碳氮比等单因素变量下的脱氮能力,并结合L₉（3⁴）正交试验研究了菌株U1的最佳脱氮条件。【结果】分离出一株铜绿假单胞菌并命名为U1。该菌株的最优脱氮条件为:初始氨氮浓度为1 000 mg/L,红糖和柠檬酸三钠的混合碳源,pH 6.0,C/N为10,转速为130 r/min,菌株U1的最大总氮去除率为64.37%,最大氨氮去除率为76.73%。对于总氮和氨氮含量分别是2 345 mg/L和1 473.8 mg/L的垃圾渗滤液,菌株U1最大总氮去除率为27.86%...     

Challenges for simultaneous nitrification, denitrification, and phosphorus removal in microbial aggregates: mass transfer limitation and nitrous oxide production

The microbial community composition and activity was investigated in aggregates from a lab-scale bioreactor, in which nitrification, denitrification and phosphorus removal occurred simultaneously. The biomass was highly enriched for polyphosphate accumulating organisms facilitating complete removal of phosphorus from the bulk liquid; however, some inorganic nitrogen still remained at the end of the reactor cycle. This was ascribed to incomplete coupling of nitrification and denitrification causing NO(3)(-) accumulation. After 2 h of aeration, denitrification was dependent on the activity of nitrifying bacteria facilitating the formation of anoxic zones in the aggregates; hence, denitrification could not occur without simultaneous nitrification towards the end of the reactor cycle. Nitrous oxide was identified as a product of denitrification, when based on stored PHA as carbon source. This observation is of critical importance to the outlook of applying PHA-driven denitrification in activated sludge processes.     

Removal of ammonium via simultaneous nitrification-denitrification nitrite-shortcut in a single packed-bed batch reactor

A polyurethane packed-bed-biofilm sequential batch reactor was fed with synthetic substrate simulating the composition of UASB reactor effluents. Two distinct ammonia nitrogen concentrations (125 and 250 mg l(-1)) were supplied during two sequential long-term experiments of 160 days each (320 total). Cycles of 24h under intermittent aeration for periods of 1h were applied, and ethanol was added as a carbon source at the beginning of each anoxic period. Nitrite was the main oxidized nitrogen compound which accumulated only during the aerated phases of the batch cycle. A consistent decrease of nitrite concentration started always immediately after the interruption of oxygen supply and addition of the electron donor. Removal to below detection limits of all nitrogen soluble forms was always observed at the end of the 24h cycles for both initial concentrations. Polyurethane packed-bed matrices and ethanol amendments conferred high process stability. Microbial investigation by cloning suggested that nitrification was carried out by Nitrosomonas-like species whereas denitrification was mediated by unclassified species commonly observed in denitrifying environments. The packed-bed batch bioreactor favored the simultaneous colonization of distinct microbial groups within the immobilized microbial biomass. The biofilm was capable of actively oxidizing ammonium and denitrification at high ratios in intermittent intervals within 24h cycles.