Experimental study of nitrite accumulation in pre-denitrification biological nitrogen removal process

Abstract

The effect of dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration on nitrite accumulation was investigated in a pilot-scale pre-denitrification process at room temperature for 100 days. In the first 10 days, due to the instability of the system, the DO concentration fluctuated between 1.0 and 2.0 mg/L. In the next 14 days, the DO concentration was kept at 0.5 mg/L and nitrite accumulation occurred, with the average nitrite accumulation rate at 91%. From the 25th day, the DO concentration was increased to 2.0 mg/L to destroy the nitrite accumulation, but nitrite accumulation rate was still as high as 90%. From the 38th day the nitrite accumulation rate decreased to 15%–30% linearly. From the 50th day, DO concentration was decreased to 0.5 mg/L to resume nitrite accumulation. Until the 83rd day the nitrite accumulation rate began to increase to 80%. Dissolved oxygen was the main cause of nitrite accumulation, taking into account other factors such as pH, free ammonia concentration, temperature, and sludge retention time. Because of the different affinity for oxygen between nitrite oxidizing bacteria and ammonia oxidizing bacteria when DO concentration was kept at 0.5 mg/L, nitrite accumulation occurred.

References

1. Zhang Z J Lin R C Jin R L Drainage Engineering. 4th ed.BeijingChina Architecture &Building Press 2002 313 (in Chinese)
2. Voets J P Vanstaen H Verstraete W Removal of nitrogen from highly nitrogenous wastewatersJournal of Water Pollution Control Federation 1975 47394398
3. Wang J L Novelprocesses of biological nitrogen removal and technique theoryChina Water & Wastewater 2000 16(2)2931 (in Chinese)
4. Hellinga C Schellen A A J C Mulder J W van Loosdrecht M C M Heijnen J J The SHARON process: An innovativemethod for nitrogen removal from ammonium-rich waste waterWater Science & Technology 1998 37(9)135142. doi:10.1016/S0273‐1223(98)00281‐9
5. Fux C Boehler M Huber P Brunner I Siegrist H Biological treatment of ammonium-rich wastewaterby partial nitrification and subsequent anaerobic ammonium oxidation(anammox) in a pilot plantJournal of Biotechnology 2002 99(3)295306. doi:10.1016/S0168‐1656(02)00220‐1
6. Ruiz G Jeison D Chamy R Nitrification with high nitrite accumulation for the treatmentof wastewater with high ammonia concentrationWater Research 2003 37(6)13711377. doi:10.1016/S0043‐1354(02)00475‐X
7. Ciudad G Rubilar O Muñoz P Ruiz G Chamy R Vergara C Jeison D Partial nitrification of highammonia concentration wastewater as a part of a shortcut biologicalnitrogen removal processProcess Biochemistry 2005 40(5)17159. doi:10.1016/j.procbio.2004.06.058
8. Chung J Shim H Park S J Kim S J Bae W Optimization of free ammonia concentration for nitriteaccumulation in shortcut biological nitrogen removal processBioprocess and Biosystems Engineering 2006 28(4)27582. doi:10.1007/s00449‐005‐0035‐y
9. Chung J Shim H Lee Y W Bae W Comparison ofinfluence of free ammonia and dissolved oxygen on nitrite accumulationbetween suspended and attached cellsEnvironmentalTechnology 2005 26(1)2133
10. Ciudad G Werner A Bornhardt C Muñoz C Antileo C Differential kinetics of ammonia-and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria: A simple kinetic study based on oxygenaffinity and proton release during nitrificationProcess Biochemistry 2006 41(8)17641772. doi:10.1016/j.procbio.2006.03.032
11. Eaton A D Clesceri L S Rice E W Greenberg A E StandardMethods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. 21st ed.Washington DC, USAAmerican Public Health Association (APHA), American Water Works Association(AWWA) & Water Environment Federation (WEF) 2005
12. Villaverde S Fdz-Polanco F Garca P A Nitrifying biofilm acclimation to free ammonia in submergedbiofilters. Start-up influenceWater Research 2000 34(2)602610. doi:10.1016/S0043‐1354(99)00175‐X
13. Yu D S Peng Y Z Song X Q Li M Nitrogen removalfrom the sewage containing seawater via nitrite pathwayEnvironmental Science 2003 24(3)5055 (in Chinese)
14. Abeling U Seyfrid C F Anaerobic-aerobic treatmentof high strength ammonium waste water-nitrogen removal via nitriteWater Science & Technology 1992 26(5/6)10071015
15. Balmelle B Nguyen K M Capdeville B et al.Study of factors controlling nitrite build-up inbiological processes for water nitrificationWater Science & Technology 1992 26(5–6)10171025
16. Yuan L J Peng D C Wang Z Y Short-cut nitrification and denitrification biologicalnitrogen removalChina Water & Wastewater 2000 16(2)2931 (in Chinese)
17. Hanaki K Wantawin C Ohgaki S Nitrification at low levels of dissolved oxygen with andwithout organic loading in a suspended-growth reactorWater Research 1990 24(3)297302. doi:10.1016/0043‐1354(90)90004‐P
18. Laanbroek H J Gerards S Competition for limiting amountsof oxygen between Nitrosomonas europaea and Nitrobacter winogradskyi grownin mixed continuous culturesArchives ofMicrobiology 1993 159(5)453459. doi:10.1007/BF00288593
19. Gujer W Henze M Mino T Loosdrecht Van Activatedsludge model No. 3Water Science & Technology 1999 39(1)183193. doi:10.1016/S0273‐1223(98)00785‐9