A novel reactor combining anammox and Fenton-like reactions for the simultaneous removal of organic carbon and nitrogen at different organic carbon to nitrogen ratios

• Published in: Journal of environmental management 2020-10, Vol.271, p.110832-110832, Article 110832
• Main Authors: Van Duc, Luong, Ito, Hiroaki, Hama, Takehide, Kim, Jongsun, Kawagoshi, Yasunori
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anammox bacteria; COD/N ratio; Fenton-like reaction; Iron-manganese-sepiolite
• ISSN: 0301-4797; 1095-8630
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110832

A Fenton-like reaction and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) were combined to construct a novel process named FenTaMox for removing nitrogen (N) and organic carbon (measured as chemical oxidation demand (COD)). Two columns were packed with iron-manganese-sepiolite, a catalyst that uses hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to catalyze Fenton-like reactions, and inoculated with marine anammox bacteria. During the start-up, marine anammox medium was fed into both columns to acclimate the marine anammox bacteria to iron-manganese-sepiolite. Batch experiments revealed that the marine anammox bacteria were not affected by 60 mgL−1 of H2O2. Next, medium containing glucose and H2O2 was fed into one column as the FenTaMox treatment, while medium containing glucose but no H2O2 was fed into the other column as the control. At a COD/N of 4, FenTaMox exhibited higher removal efficiencies of N and COD compared with that of the control, suggesting the application of FenTaMox for organic carbon- and N- removal. [Display omitted] •Established FenTaMox process on Fe–Mn-sepiolite at neutral pH.•FenTaMox simultaneously removed N and COD under high salinity and anaerobic condition.•Enabled simultaneous removal of N and COD even at high COD/N ratio of 4.•Fast COD removal by Fenton-like reaction prevented the predominance of denitrification.•Marine anammox bacteria maintained the activity at H2O2 concentration up to 60 mg L−1