A novel SNPR process for advanced nitrogen and phosphorus removal from mainstream wastewater based on anammox, endogenous partial-denitrification and denitrifying dephosphatation

• Published in: Water research (Oxford) 2020-03, Vol.170, p.115363-115363, Article 115363
• Main Authors: Ji, Jiantao, Peng, Yongzhen, Wang, Bo, Li, Xiyao, Zhang, Qiong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anammox; Bioreactors; Denitrification; Endogenous partial-denitrification; Granular sludge; Mainstream; Municipal wastewater; Nitrogen; Nutrient removal; Phosphorus; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Sewage; Waste Water
• ISSN: 0043-1354; 1879-2448
• DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.115363

For achieving energy-efficient wastewater treatment, a novel simultaneous nitrogen and phosphorus removal (SNPR) process, which integrated anammox, endogenous partial-denitrification and denitrifying dephosphatation in a sequencing batch reactor with granular sludge was developed to treat mainstream wastewater. After 200 days of operation, a simultaneous high-level nitrogen and phosphorus removal of 93.9% and 94.2%, respectively was achieved with an average influent C/N ratio of 2.9. Anammox pathway contributed 82.9% of the overall nitrogen removal because of the stable nitrite production from nitrate via endogenous partial-denitrification. In addition, phosphorus was mainly removed via denitrifying dephosphatation utilizing nitrate as the electron acceptor, resulting in a significant saving of carbon sources and oxygen demands. Further, adsorption/precipitation of phosphorus occurred in this novel SNPR process, which displaced the energy source to the metabolism of glycogen accumulating organisms (GAOs) for nitrite production and alleviated competition between phosphorus accumulating organisms (PAOs) and anammox for electron acceptor. Using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing analysis, the study found that anammox bacteria (8.4%), GAOs (1.5%) and PAOs (1.1%) co-existed in this system, potentially resulting in simultaneous endogenous partial-denitrification, anammox and denitrifying dephosphatation. The above results demonstrated that the novel SNPR process is a promising technique for energy-efficient wastewater treatment. [Display omitted] •Anammox can co-exist with GAOs and PAOs, ensuring the effective SNPR performance.•High-level nitrogen and phosphorus removal (93.9% and 94.2%, respectively) was achieved.•Nitrogen removal via anammox accounted for 82.9%, reducing energy and carbon demands.•Adsorption/precipitation of P were involved and facilitated stable SNPR performance.•The novel SNPR process is promising in energy-efficient wastewater treatment.