Multiple strategies for maintaining stable partial nitritation of low-strength ammonia wastewater

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2020-11, Vol.742, p.140542-140542, Article 140542
• Main Authors: Sui, Qianwen, Jiang, Li'an, Di, Fei, Yue, Wenhui, Chen, Yanlin, Wang, Hongyan, Chen, Meixue, Wei, Yuansong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ammonia oxidizing bacteria; Bioaugmentation; Low-strength ammonia wastewater; Mathematical modeling; Nitrite oxidizing bacteria; Partial nitritation
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140542

Stable production of nitrite is an essential technical challenge for mainstream anaerobic ammonia oxidation (Anammox). Due to difficulties in the stable inhibition of nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) and maintenance of long-term partial nitritation (PN), integrated multiple, rather than a single, controlling strategies were preferred especially in a continuous-flow treatment system. A mathematically model was developed to evaluate effects of integrated multiple-strategies on ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and NOB. Through experimental study and model simulation, intermittent aeration and low SRT (3.5 d) resulted in unstable nitrite accumulation. Integrated multiple-strategies of intermittent aeration, low SRT (3.5 d) and bioaugmentation achieved nitrite accumulation rate of 81% and NO2−-N/NH4+-N ratio in effluent of 1.29, which was preferable for further anammox process. Meanwhile, the richness and diversity of microbial community increased due to the bioaugmentation. The AOB/NOB ratio increased from 13.8 to 34.1 which facilitated nitrite accumulation. In combination with bioaugmentation, the observed growth rates of AOB and NOB increased from −0.0835 and −0.0282 to 0.0434 and 0.0127 d−1, respectively, which promoted AOB outcompeting NOB in the mixed liquid. [Display omitted] •Combination of intermittent aeration, low SRT and bioaugmentation achieved high NAR.•PN of low strength wastewater was achieved in a continuous-flow CSTR.•A model successfully evaluated the integrated multiple-strategies for stable PN.