Exploiting refractory organic matter for advanced nitrogen removal from mature landfill leachate via anammox in an expanded granular sludge bed reactor

A green process for total nitrogen removal without extra energy consumption: Synergistic actions for wastewater treatment

Total nitrogen (TN) removal is one of the key issues in improving water quality, while the traditional nitrification-denitrification process with its high energy consumption is unsustainable, due to greenhouse gas (GHG) emission. A method using organic-inorganic pellets and selected microalgae that can operate without electricity consumption was designed for TN removal in actual wastewater treatment. The results showed that the TN removal efficiencies with different pellets were 88.2 % ± 2.2 %, 86.6 % ± 3.0 %, 85.4 % ± 4.3 %, and 82.3 % ± 6.5 %, respectively. Microalgae assimilated inorganic nitrogen within cells, resulting in a significant positive relationship with TN (P < 0.05), and effectively removed TN through sedimentation. The pellets adsorbed nitrogen and microorganisms, released organic substances to regulate the ratio of water chemical oxygen demand (COD) to TN, and correspondingly influenced microbial growth. Microalgae and bacteria such as Romboutsia, Proteiniclasticum, and Rhodopseudomonas cooperated to form a mixed aerobic (water) -anaerobic (pellets) environment in the devices, and acted synergistically to remove TN. This study verifies the feasibility of TN removal with only solar energy in a low flow application in large spaces, benefiting carbon neutrality in wastewater treatment.

Membrane-enhanced methanogenesis efficiency and biomass retention in EGSB-AnMBR for food waste press filtrate treatment

In this study, an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) system was integrated with the expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) to enhance the treatment performance and stability of food waste press filtrate (FWPF) digestion. A long-term continuous experiment was conducted at organic loading rates (OLRs) of 6.7, 13.4 and 20.1 g-COD/L/d. The optimal OLR was determined to be 13.4 g-COD/L/d, achieving a methane yield of 0.25 L-CH4/g-COD. At the OLR of 6.7 g-COD/L/d, both the EGSB and EGSB-AnMBR exhibited excellent COD removal efficiencies of 95.1% and 98.4%, respectively, with the membrane contributing only a marginal 3.0% improvement in the methanogenic performance of EGSB. However, at an increased OLR of 13.4 g-COD/L/d, the COD removal efficiency of the EGSB dropped to 77.3% due to granular sludge disintegration. In contrast, biomass retention by the membrane enabled the EGSB-AnMBR to maintain a significantly higher COD removal efficiency of 97.0%. The membrane enhanced the methanogenic performance of the EGSB by 34.5%, primarily by retaining all biodegradable COD. Of this enhancement, 3.6% was specifically attributed to membrane-rejected SCOD. Membrane fouling analysis revealed that cake layer formation was the dominant fouling mechanism under low-flux operation. Dissolved organic matter characterization provided further insights into fouling dynamics. These findings highlight the potential of the EGSB-AnMBR system as a robust and efficient solution for FWPF treatment, particularly in overcoming the limitations of conventional EGSB reactors.

Enhanced dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium and electron transfer mechanisms in bidirectional electron transfer biofilm constructed by iron phthalocyanine

Bidirectional electron transfer biofilms (BETB) could efficiently reduce nitrate without accumulating nitrite, representing a promising biological electrochemical denitrification technology. This study utilized iron phthalocyanine modified carbon felt (FePc-CF) to enrich electroactive bacteria, constructing a long-term stable FePc-BETB. Its nitrate removal rate reached 91%, far exceeding the traditional nitrate-reducing biocathode (45%) and Con-BETB (46%). The dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) dominated nitrate reduction in FePc-BETB, consuming 35% of the total electrons. Additionally, FePc-BETB effectively reduced the accumulation of NO2--N and N2O. Electrochemical analysis demonstrated FePc-BETB exhibited stronger electrochemical activity and electron transfer capability. Mediated electron transfer (MET) enhanced by increased extracellular humic acid in FePc-BETB favored the electron supplement for nitrate removal. The relative abundance of nrfA, marker of the DNRA, increased significantly. This study provided new insights into regulating denitrification and DNRA pathways and treating nitrate wastewater lacking electron donors.

Utilizing waste-derived carbon source for partial denitrification-anammox process: Wastewater- and sludge-derived organics

The partial denitrification-anammox (PDA) process is a promising and sustainable technology for nitrogen removal in wastewater treatment. It is well-suited for mainstream nitrogen removal from municipal wastewater, polishing of anammox for ammonia-rich wastewater treatment, and simultaneous treatment of nitrate and ammonia containing wastewater. While the PDA process reduces external carbon source consumption by over 40 %, it still requires additional carbon input. Wastewater treatment systems inherently contain organics in both wastewater and sludge, but these sources are often inaccessible to denitrifiers. Efficient utilization of these organics is essential for advancing energy-efficient wastewater treatment. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in utilizing organics derived from wastewater and waste-sludge. Key developments in hydrolytic acidification and Fe-C micro-electrolysis are highlighted for enhancing the biodegradability and conversion of refractory organics. Strategies such as extended hydraulic retention time, functional microbial enrichment, enzymatic pretreatment, and microbial co-cultures are also discussed to improve readily biodegradable organics supply and nitrogen removal. This review further explores emerging applications of PDA process that leverage carbon sources from wastewater treatment systems. Future research should prioritize the efficient integration of these organics throughout PDA process and develop cost-effective methods to address by-products like ammonia-nitrogen. Moreover, a practical roadmap is proposed, outlining optimization of fermentation conditions, system integration, stability under real-world conditions, and techno-economic evaluations. This review aims to provide a comprehensive framework to unlock the full-scale application of PDA using waste-derived carbon, advancing toward carbon-neutral and cost-effective wastewater treatment.

Regulation of microcurrent on carbon and nitrogen metabolism in denitrification under low carbon-to-nitrogen ratio: Optimizing carbon flux distribution

Synergy of autotrophic and heterotrophic denitrification can achieve low-carbon and high-efficient nitrogen removal. However, it remains unclear how microcurrent-driven hydrogen autotrophic denitrification regulates carbon flux distribution (nitrogen reduction, poly-β-hydroxyalkanoate (PHA) storage, and cell growth) in heterotrophic denitrification. This work compared biofilm reactor with biofilm electrode reactor under different carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratios (10 - 3). At C/N ratio of 3, microcurrent accelerated nitrate reduction rate by 0.35 mg/(L·min) and reduced nitrite accumulation by 10.29 mg/L, thus decreasing nitrogen reduction proportion by 11.21%. Meanwhile, PHA storage and cell growth proportions increased by 0.03% and 11.18%, respectively. PHA was initially synthesized and subsequently utilized for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and energy production, while cell growth preferentially utilized limited carbon sources to maintain system stability. Increased abundance of hydrogen autotrophic denitrifiers, heterotrophic denitrifiers, and PHA storage bacteria confirmed optimization of microcurrent on carbon flux distribution. These findings advanced the understanding of microcurrent regulation on carbon flux.

Enhanced nitrogen removal from low C/N municipal wastewater in a step-feed integrated fixed-film activated sludge system: Synergizing anammox and partial denitrification with sludge fermentation liquid supplementation

The scarcity of rapidly biodegradable organics, which serve as essential electron donors for the partial denitrification (PD) process, significantly hinders the combined application of PD coupled with anammox (PDA) in municipal wastewater treatment plants. This study innovatively applied, for the first time, a step-feed strategy combined with the use of sludge fermentation liquid (SFL) as an external carbon source in an integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) system, successfully driving full nitrification and PDA to achieve advanced nitrogen removal from low C/N real municipal wastewater. Moreover, the associated nitrogen removal mechanism of this system was systematically analyzed. By employing second-step SFL feed as a supplementary carbon source, the nitrogen removal efficiency reached 92.26 ± 2.77 % and the effluent total inorganic nitrogen was 6.43 ± 2.23 mg/L, with anammox contributing approximately 70 % to total inorganic nitrogen removal. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis unveiled the extensive cooperation and synergistic interactions among anammox bacteria, denitrifying bacteria, and nitrifying bacteria, with Candidatus Brocadia being highly enriched in biofilms with a relative abundance of 2.21 %. Metagenomic sequencing confirmed that the relative abundance of the narGHI gene was greater than that of the nirS gene, providing stable nitrite accumulation conditions for the anammox process. Overall, this study proposes an innovative synergistic treatment scheme that utilizes a step-feed full nitrification-PDA process driven by SFL to achieve advanced nitrogen removal in municipal wastewater treatment plants. This approach is characterized by low energy consumption, low operational costs and a high nitrogen removal efficiency.

Deciphering intricate associations between vigorous development and novel metabolic preferences of partial denitrification/anammox granular consortia within mainstream municipal wastewater

There is limited understanding of the granular partial denitrification/anammox (PD/A) microbiota and metabolic hierarchy specific to municipal wastewater treatment, particularly concerning the multi-mechanisms of functional differentiation and granulation tendencies under high-loading shocks. Therefore, this study utilized fragmented mature biofilm as the exclusive inoculum to rapidly establish a granular PD/A system. Following long-term feeding with municipal wastewater, PD/A process reached a total nitrogen removal efficiency of 97.7%, with anammox contributing over 93%. The dominant filamentous bacteria that supported the granular structure underwent significant changes throughout the operational period. Notably, the mature granular PD/A process demonstrated a distinct metabolic preference for recalcitrant, labile, and xenobiotic organics found in municipal wastewater. The biosynthesis of quorum sensing signaling molecules and core cofactors further enhanced the re-development and substrate metabolic adaptations of PD/A granules in real wastewater environments. This research illuminates the micro-ecological succession and metabolic heterogeneity of the granular PD/A process under mainstream loading.

Unraveling the resistance mechanism of anammox granular sludge to iron nanoparticles

Iron nanoparticles (FeNPs) generated from industrial activities could end up into the sewer system, and potentially affect wastewater treatment processes. The impact of FeNPs on anammox process is getting increasing attention. However, the resistance mechanism of anammox granular sludge (AnGS) to FeNPs has not been fully elucidated. The current study investigated the metabolic and morphological response of AnGS to acute and chronic FeNPs exposure. Results showed that nitrogen removal efficiencies were elevated at 1-4 mM FeNPs concentrations compared to 0-0.5 mM FeNPs. Extracellular protein and tyrosine-like and tryptophan-like fluorophore secretions of AnGS were stimulated by FeNPs, which largely contributed to the adsorption of FeNPs on AnGS surface. FeNPs exposure triggered higher necrotic fraction of AnGS compared with no FeNPs condition. Highly absorbed particles appeared inside the bacterial cells of AnGS, soft X-ray imaging illustrated that anammox bacteria maintained intact cellular and anammoxosome structures whereas non-anammox bacterial structures were damaged under FeNPs exposure. Anammox bacterial abundance increased from 4.84% to 20.64%, when FeNPs concentrations increased from 0 mM to 4 mM, and anammoxosome membrane ensured anammox bacterial metabolism under FeNPs exposure. This study extended fundamental understanding of AnGS resistance mechanisms to FeNPs.

A holistic field experimental inquiry into cadmium's migration and translocation dynamics across the entire growth spectrum of five Japonica rice cultivars

The contamination of farmland soils with cadmium (Cd) poses a substantial threat to agricultural productivity, food security and safety, and ultimately human health. However, little research has been done on the Cd transport mechanisms in highly Cd polluted soil via field experiment. This study, from a field-scale perspective, examines the migration and transformation features of Cd throughout the growth cycle of five (C1, C2, C3, C4, H1) Japonica rice cultivars in Jiangsu Province, China. Analysis of pH, SOM, total Cd, DTPA-Cd, and microbial communities were conducted. C1 ~ C3 were classified as High Cd-accumulating rice (HC), while C4 and H1 were considered as low Cd-accumulating rice (LC) based on the Cd levels in their brown rice. Phloem was confirmed as the main pathway for Cd into rice grains in high-Cd soil. For the HC group, the Cd concentration in brown and polished rice was positively correlated with the Cd concentration in the leaves and spikes; while for the LC group, they were significantly positively correlated with the Cd concentration in both stem and spike (p < 0.05). The husks of the LC group were more effective in intercepting and sequestering Cd. It was revealed that 6 % ~ 9.09 % of the Cd content detected in the rice grains could be attributed to the internal translocation processes occurring within the plant itself, and approximately 90.91 % ~ 93.84 % of the Cd was traced back to the roots' absorption during grouting. Rice polishing decreased the Cd content from the level in the brown rice by 18 % ~ 47 %. Distinct microbial profiles separated rice rhizosphere from bulk soil, with the former favouring copiotrophs in nutrient-rich zones and the latter oligotrophs in lean conditions. This study delivers crucial data support from a field perspective for a deeper understanding and control of Cd migration and transformation processes in highly Cd-contaminated soil.

Microbial community dynamics in different floc size aggregates during nitrogen removal process upgrading in a full-scale landfill leachate treatment plant

Upgrading processes to reduce biodegradable organic substance addition is crucial for treating landfill leachate with high pollutant concentrations, aiding carbon emission reduction. Aggregate size in activated sludge processes impacts pollutant removal and sludge/water separation. This study investigated microbial community succession and driving mechanisms in different floc-size aggregates during nitrogen removal progress upgrade from conventional to partial nitrification-denitrification in a full-scale landfill leachate treatment plant (LLTP) using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The upgrade and floc sizes significantly influenced microbial diversity and composition. After upgrading, ammonia-oxidizing bacteria were enriched while nitrite-oxidizing bacteria suppressed in small flocs with homogeneity and high mass transfer efficiency. Larger flocs enriched Defluviicoccus, Thauera, and Truepera, while smaller flocs enriched Nitrosomonas, suggesting their potential as biomarkers. Multi-network analyses revealed microbial interactions. A deep learning model with convolutional neural networks predicted nitrogen removal efficiency. These findings guide optimizing LLTP processes and understanding microbial community dynamics based on floc size.

Performances of a novel BAF with ferromanganese oxide modified biochar (FMBC) as the carriers for treating antibiotics, nitrogen and phosphorus in aquaculture wastewater

In this paper, a biological aerated filter (BAF) based on ferromanganese oxide-biochar (FMBC) was constructed to investigated the removal performance and mechanism for conventional pollutants and four kinds of antibiotic, in contrast of conventional zeolite loaded BAF (BAF-A) and bamboo biochar filled BAF (BAF-B). Results showed that the average removal efficiency of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and antibiotics in a FMBC-BAF (named by BAF-C) were 52.97 ± 2.27%, 51.58 ± 1.92% and 70.36 ± 1.00% ~ 81.65 ± 0.99% respectively in running period (39-100 d), which were significantly higher than those of BAF-A and BAF-B. In the BAF-C, the expression of denitrification enzyme activities and the secretion of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) especially polyprotein (PN) were effectively stimulated, as well as accelerated electron transfer activity (ETSA) and lower electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were acquired. After 100 days of operation, the abundance of nitrogen, phosphorus and antibiotic removal functional bacteria like Sphingorhabdus (4.52%), Bradyrhizobium (1.98%), Hyphomicrobium (2.49%), Ferruginibacter (7.80%), unclassified_f_Blastoca tellaceae (1.84%), norank_f_JG30-KF-CM45 (6.82%), norank_f_norank_o_SBR1031 (2.43%), Nitrospira (2.58%) norank_f_Caldilineaceae (1.53%) and Micropruina (1.11%) were enriched. Mechanism hypothesis of enhanced performances of nutrients and antibiotics removal pointed that: The phosphorus was removed by adsorption and precipitation, antibiotics removal was mainly achieved through the combined action of adsorption and biodegradation, while nitrogen removal was realized by biologic nitrification and denitrification in a FMBC-BAF for aquaculture wastewater treatment.

Performance evaluation of the effect of humic acid on Anammox granular sludge: Apparent morphology, nitrogen removal and microbial community

Humic acid (HA) is a typical refractory organic matter, so it is of great significance to investigate its effect on the performance of Anammox granular sludge. When the dosage of HA ≤ 50 mg/L, HA promotes the total nitrogen removal rate (NRR) to 1.45 kg/(m3·day). When HA was between 50 and 100 mg/L, the NRR of Anammox was stable. At this time, the adsorption of HA causes the sludge to gradually turn from red to brown, but the activities of heme and enzymes showed that its capacity was not affected. When HA levels reached 250 mg/L, the NRR dropped to 0.11 kg/(m3·day). Moderate HA levels promoted the release of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), but excessive HA levels lead to a decrease in EPS concentrations. HA inhibited Anammox activity, which indirectly hindered the transmission of substrate and accumulated substrate toxicity. Although HA promoted the increase of heterotrophic microbial abundance in Anammox system, the microbial diversity decreased gradually. With the increase of HA concentration, the abundance of Candidatus_Brocadia, the main functional microorganism of Anammox system, decreased gradually, while the abundance of Candidatus_Kuenenia increased gradually.

Synergy between Nitrogen Removal and Fermentation Bacteria Ensured Efficient Nitrogen Removal of a Mainstream Anammox System at Low Temperatures

Simultaneous partial nitrification, anammox, denitrification, and fermentation (SNADF) is a novel process achieving simultaneous advanced sludge reduction and nitrogen removal. The influence of low temperatures on the SNADF reactor was explored to facilitate the application of mainstream anammox. When temperature decreased from 32 to 16 °C, efficient nitrogen removal was achieved, with a nitrogen removal efficiency of 81.9-94.9%. Microbial community structure analysis indicated that the abundance of Candidatus Brocadia (dominant anaerobic ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AnAOB) in the system) increased from 0.03% to 0.18%. The abundances of Nitrospira and Nitrosomonas increased from 1.6% and 0.16% to 2.5% and 1.63%, respectively, resulting in an increase in the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) to nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) abundance ratio from 0.1 to 0.64. This ensured sufficient nitrite for AnAOB, promoting nitrogen removal. In addition, Candidatus Competibacter, which plays a role in partial denitrification, was the dominant denitrification bacteria (DNB) and provided more nitrite for AnAOB, facilitating AnAOB enrichment. Based on the findings from microbial correlation network analysis, Nitrosomonas (AOB), Thauera, and Haliangium (DNB), and A4b and Saprospiraceae (fermentation bacteria), were center nodes in the networks and therefore essential for the stability of the SNADF system. Moreover, fermentation bacteria, DNB, and AOB had close connections in substrate cooperation and resistance to adverse environments; therefore, they also played important roles in maintaining stable nitrogen removal at low temperatures. This study provided new suggestions for mainstream anammox application.

Ciprofloxacin affects nutrient removal in manganese ore-based constructed wetlands: Adaptive responses of macrophytes and microbes

Ciprofloxacin (CIP) has received considerable attention in recent decades due to its high ecological risk. However, little is known about the potential response of macrophytes and microbes to varying levels of CIP exposure in constructed wetlands. Therefore, lab-scale manganese ore-based tidal flow constructed wetlands (MO-TFCWs) were operated to evaluate the responses of macrophytes and microbes to CIP over the long term. The results indicated that total nitrogen removal improved from 79.93% to 87.06% as CIP rose from 0 to 4 mg L-1. The chlorophyll content and antioxidant enzyme activities in macrophytes were enhanced under CIP exposure, but plant growth was not inhibited. Importantly, CIP exposure caused a marked evolution of the substrate microbial community, with increased microbial diversity, expanded niche breadth and enhanced cooperation among the top 50 genera, compared to the control (no CIP). Co-occurrence network also indicated that microorganisms may be more inclined to co-operate than compete. The abundance of the keystone bacterium (involved in nitrogen transformation) norank_f__A0839 increased from 0.746% to 3.405%. The null model revealed drift processes (83.33%) dominated the community assembly with no CIP and 4 mg L-1 CIP. Functional predictions indicated that microbial carbon metabolism, electron transfer and ATP metabolism activities were enhanced under prolonged CIP exposure, which may contribute to nitrogen removal. This study provides valuable insights that will help achieve stable nitrogen removal from wastewater containing antibiotic in MO-TFCWs.

Refractory dissolved organic matters in sludge leachate trigger the combination of anammox and denitratation for advanced nitrogen removal

The cost-effective treatment of sludge leachate (SL) with high nitrogen content and refractory dissolved organic matter (rDOM) has drawn increasing attention. This study employed, for the first time, a rDOM triggered denitratation-anammox continuous-flow process to treat landfill SL. Moreover, the mechanisms of exploiting rDOM from SL as an inner carbon source for denitratation were systematically analyzed. The results demonstrated outstanding nitrogen and rDOM removal performance without any external carbon source supplement. In this study, effluent concentrations of 4.27 ± 0.45 mgTIN/L and 5.58 ± 1.64 mgTN/L were achieved, coupled with an impressive COD removal rate of 65.17 % ± 1.71 %. The abundance of bacteria belonging to the Anaerolineaceae genus, which were identified as rDOM degradation bacteria, increased from 18.23 % to 35.62 %. As a result, various types of rDOM were utilized to different extents, with proteins being the most notable, except for lignins. Metagenomic analysis revealed a preference for directing electrons towards NO3--N reductase rather than NO2--N reductase, indicating the coupling of denitratation bacteria and anammox bacteria (Candidatus Brocadia). Overall, this study introduced a novel synergy platform for advanced nitrogen removal in treating SL using its inner carbon source. This approach is characterized by low energy consumption and operational costs, coupled with commendable efficiency.

Unraveling the mechanism of norfloxacin removal and fate of antibiotics resistance genes (ARGs) in the sulfur-mediated autotrophic denitrification via metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses

The co-contamination of antibiotics and nitrogen has attracted widespread concerns due to its potential harm to ecological safety and human health. Sulfur-driven autotrophic denitrification (SAD) with low sludge production rate was adopted to treat antibiotics laden-organic deficient wastewater. Herein, a lab-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was established to explore the simultaneous removal of nitrate and antibiotics, i.e. Norfloxacin (NOR), as well as microbial response mechanism of SAD sludge system towards NOR exposure. About 80.78 % of NOR was removed by SAD sludge when the influent NOR level was 0.5 mg/L, in which biodegradation was dominant removal route. The nitrate removal efficiency decreased slightly from 98.37 ± 0.58 % to 96.58 ± 1.03 % in the presence of NOR. Thiobacillus and Sulfurimonas were the most abundant sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) in SAD system, but Thiobacillus was more sensitive to NOR. The up-regulated genes related to Xenobiotics biodegradation and metabolism and CYP450 indicated the occurrence of NOR biotransformation in SAD system. The resistance of SAD sludge to the exposure of NOR was mainly ascribed to antibiotic efflux. And the effect of antibiotic inactivation was enhanced after long-term fed with NOR. The NOR exposure resulted in the increased level of antibiotics resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Besides, the enhanced ARG-MGE co-existence patterns further reveals the higher horizontal mobility potential of ARGs under NOR exposure pressures. The most enriched sulfur oxidizing bacterium Thiobacillus was a potential host for most of ARGs. This study provides a new insight for the treatment of NOR-laden wastewater with low C/N ratio based on the sulfur-mediated biological process.

Rapid start-up of an innovative pilot-scale staged PN/A continuous process for enhanced nitrogen removal from mature landfill leachate via robust NOB elimination and efficient biomass retention

The start-up and stable operation of partial nitritation-anammox (PN/A) treatment of mature landfill leachate (MLL) still face challenges. This study developed an innovative staged pilot-scale PN/A system to enhance nitrogen removal from MLL. The staged process included a PN unit, an anammox upflow enhanced internal circulation biofilm (UEICB) reactor, and a post-biofilm unit. Rapid start-up of the continuous flow PN process (full-concentration MLL) was achieved within 35 days by controlling dissolved oxygen and leveraging free ammonia and free nitrous acid to selectively suppress nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB). The UEICB was equipped with an annular flow agitator combined with the enhanced internal circulation device of the guide tube, which achieved an efficient enrichment of Candidatus Kuenenia in the biofilm (relative abundance of 33.4 %). The nitrogen removal alliance formed by the salt-tolerant anammox bacterium (Candidatus Kuenenia) and denitrifying bacteria (unclassified SBR1031 and Denitratisoma) achieved efficient nitrogen removal of UEICB (total nitrogen removal percentage: 90.8 %) and at the same time effective treatment of the refractory organic matter (ROM). The dual membrane process of UEICB fixed biofilm combined with post-biofilm is effective in sludge retention, and can stably control the effluent suspended solids (SS) at a level of less than 5 mg/L. The post-biofilm unit ensured that effluent total nitrogen (TN) remained below the 40 mg/L discharge standard (98.5 % removal efficiency). Compared with conventional nitrification-denitrification systems, the staged PN/A process substantially reduced oxygen consumption, sludge production, CO2 emissions and carbon consumption by 22.8 %, 67.1 %, 87.1 % and 87.1 %, respectively. The 195-day stable operation marks the effective implementation of the innovative pilot-scale PN/A process in treating actual MLL. This study provides insights into strategies for rapid start-up, robust NOB suppression, and anammox biomass retention to advance the application of PN/A in high-ammonia low-carbon wastewater.

Migration of microorganisms between nitrification-denitrification flocs, anammox biofilms and blank carriers during mainstream anammox start-up

To solve the shortage of inoculum, the feasibility of establishing simultaneous partial nitrification, anammox, and denitrification (SNAD) reactor through inoculating nitrification-denitrification sludge, anammox biofilm and blank carriers was investigated. Advanced nitrogen removal efficiency of 91.2 ± 3.6 % was achieved. Bacteria related to nitrogen removal and fermentation were enriched in anammox biofilm, blank carriers and flocs, and the abundance of dominant anaerobic ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AnAOB), Candidatus Brocadia, reached 3.4 %, 0.5 % and 0.3 %, respectively. Candidatus Competibacter and Calorithrix became the dominant denitrifying bacteria (DNB) and fermentative bacteria (FB), respectively. The SNAD system was successfully established, and new mature biofilms formed in blank carriers, which could provide inoculum for other anammox processes. Partial nitrification, partial denitrification and aerobic_chemoheterotrophy were existed and facilitated AnAOB enrichment. Microbial correlation networks revealed the cooperation between DNB, FB and AnAOB that promoted nitrogen removal. Overall, the SNAD process was started up through inoculating more accessible inoculum.

Achieving advanced nitrogen removal and excess sludge treatment via single nitritation/anammox-fermentation combined system

The feasibility of treating wastewater and excess sludge via simultaneous nitritation, anammox, denitrification and fermentation (SNADF) was investigated in three parallel sequencing batch reactors (SBRs). SBR2 and SBR3 received exogenous nitrification-denitrification sludge and thermal hydrolysis sludge, respectively. Nitrogen removal efficiencies of 92.8 ± 5.9%, 94.6 ± 4.1%, 93.4 ± 4.8% were achieved in SBR1, SBR2, and SBR3, respectively (influent ammonium: 56.0-74.0 mg N/L), with low observed sludge yield of 0.02-0.15, -0.06-0.11, -0.17-0.05 kg mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS)/kg chemical oxygen demand (COD). Anammox bacterial abundances increased from 3.6 × 109 ± 2.8 × 108 to 8.1 × 109 ± 2.3 × 108, 1.5 × 1010 ± 1.1 × 108, and 1.4 × 1010 ± 2.9 × 108 copies/L in SBR1-SBR3, respectively. The abundances of Nitrosomonas, genes (amo, hao) for partial nitrification, and narGHI genes (nitrate → nitrite) in dominant partial denitrifying bacteria (Candidatus Competibacter) were higher in SBR2 and SBR3 than that in SBR1. These results suggested that adding excess sludge promoted sludge reduction, nitrite production and anammox bacterial enrichment. The SNADF system could treat excess sludge, meanwhile, achieve advanced nitrogen removal.

Efficient nitrogen removal from mature landfill leachate by single-stage partial-nitritation anammox using expanded granular sludge bed

The effective retention of anaerobic ammonia oxidizing (anammox) bacteria and its high sensitivity to toxic substances and oxygen posed a major challenge to the application of partial nitrification combined with anammox (PN/A) in mature landfill leachate treatment, although it is a promising and efficient nitrogen removal process. In this study, a single-stage PN/A process based on expanded granular sludge bed was proposed to treat the mature landfill leachate. During the last phase, when the NH+ 4-N concentration of mature landfill leachate in influent was 1150.0 mg/L, the nitrogen removal efficiency (NRE) was 83.64% with 1.07 kg N/(m3·d) nitrogen removal rate (NRR). The activity of anammox bacteria (AnAOB) and ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) was 9.21 ± 0.22 mg N/(gVSS·h) and 14.34 ± 0.65 mg N/(gVSS·h), respectively. The bacteria produced a high amount of tightly bound extracellular polymeric substance (TB-EPS) i.e., 4071.79 mg/(g·VSS). This helped to create granular sludge and provided favorable spatial conditions for the distribution of functional bacteria that were adapted to different environments. Due to the efficient retention of functional bacteria by the granular sludge, the relative abundance of Ca.Brocadia and Ca.Kuneneia was 1.71% and 0.31%, respectively. Redundancy analysis (RDA) and microbial correlation network diagram showed that the relative abundance of Ca. Kuenenia, Nitrosomonas and Truepera had a stronger positive correlation with the increase of the proportion of mature landfill leachate added to the influent. Overall, the PN/A process based on granular sludge provides an effective method for autotrophic biological nitrogen removal from mature landfill leachate.

Research progress of novel bio-denitrification technology in deep wastewater treatment

Excessive nitrogen emissions are a major contributor to water pollution, posing a threat not only to the environment but also to human health. Therefore, achieving deep denitrification of wastewater is of significant importance. Traditional biological denitrification methods have some drawbacks, including long processing times, substantial land requirements, high energy consumption, and high investment and operational costs. In contrast, the novel bio-denitrification technology reduces the traditional processing time and lowers operational and maintenance costs while improving denitrification efficiency. This technology falls within the category of environmentally friendly, low-energy deep denitrification methods. This paper introduces several innovative bio-denitrification technologies and their combinations, conducts a comparative analysis of their denitrification efficiency across various wastewater types, and concludes by outlining the future prospects for the development of these novel bio-denitrification technologies.

Positive effects of lignocellulose on the formation and stability of aerobic granular sludge

Introduction

Lignocellulose is one of the major components of particulate organic matter in sewage, which has a significant influence on biological wastewater treatment process. However, the effect of lignocellulose on aerobic granular sludge (AGS) system is still unknown.

Methods

In this study, two reactors were operated over 5 months to investigate the effect of lignocellulose on granulation process, structure stability and pollutants removal of AGS.

Results and discussion

The results indicated that lignocellulose not only promoted the secretion of tightly bound polysaccharide in extracellular polymeric substances, but also acted as skeletons within granules, thereby facilitating AGS formation, and enhancing structural strength. Lignocellulose imposed little effect on the removal efficiency of pollutants, with more than 95, 99, and 92% of COD, NH4+-N, and PO43--P were removed in both reactors. However, it did exhibit a noticeable influence on pollutants conversion processes. This might be due to that the presence of lignocellulose promoted the enrichment of functional microorganisms, including Candidatus_Accumulibacter, Candidatus_Competibacter, Nitrosomonas, and Nitrospira, etc. These findings might provide valuable insights into the control strategy of lignocellulose in practical AGS systems.