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Bu C, Wang S, Yu B, Pfaender F, Zhu T, Li YY, Liu J. Intelligent FA/FNA alternating strategy for nitrite-oxidizing bacteria inhibition: Data-driven prediction and process control. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2025; 386:125688. [PMID: 40367802 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2025] [Revised: 04/22/2025] [Accepted: 05/04/2025] [Indexed: 05/16/2025]
Abstract
Alternating treatment with free ammonia (FA) and free nitrous acid (FNA) is an effective strategy to inhibit nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) in partial nitrification (PN) process. However, the current alternating treatment relies on manual assessment of nitrite accumulation rate (NAR), which poses challenges for automation. This study proposed an intelligent control system for automatic real-time switching between FA/FNA inhibition strategy and real-time control of inhibition concentration to realize stable NOB inhibition. By comparing the prediction performance of three models with different complexities for both classification and regression methods, support vector machine (SVM) was used to determine whether to alternate the strategies based on whether NAR was below 96 % and multilayer perceptron (MLP) was used for real-time control of FNA concentration by predicting the nitrite concentration. The high prediction accuracy of these two sub-models provides a solid foundation for the automatic control model of FA/FNA. Both models were trained and tested using an experimental dataset with manual alternating FA/FNA strategy over 180 days of a continuous flow PN reactor. After optimizing algorithms, the SVM had a 91.67 % classification accuracy, while the MLP showed an R2 of 0.96 and an RMSE of 53.16. During the real-time control of the intelligent control system, the SVM showed a classification accuracy of 97.5 % compared to actual measurements, and the R2 between the controlled FNA and the actual FNA is 0.83, with an RMSE of 0.04. The real-time operation demonstrates that the intelligent control system can promptly realize FA/FNA alternating and accurately control FNA concentration, maintaining NAR above 95.55 % while ammonium removal efficiency above 52.99 %. Compared to the current alternating treatment, the intelligent control strategy simplifies the manual operations and enables the automation of the FA/FNA alternating inhibition strategy, contributing to the stable and efficient operation of the PN process and promoting the application of PN/A process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenlong Bu
- Sino-European School of Technology, Shanghai University, 333 Nanchen Road, Shanghai, 200444, China; School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, 333 Nanchen Road, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Siyuan Wang
- BioCo Research Group, Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Centre for Green Chemistry and Environmental Biotechnology, Ghent University Global Campus, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Bohan Yu
- BioCo Research Group, Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Fabien Pfaender
- Sino-European School of Technology, Shanghai University, 333 Nanchen Road, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Tianxing Zhu
- Sino-European School of Technology, Shanghai University, 333 Nanchen Road, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Yu-You Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-06 Aza, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8579, Japan
| | - Jianyong Liu
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, 333 Nanchen Road, Shanghai, 200444, China.
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2
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Wei Y, Ye M, Chen Y, Li YY. Competitive bio-augmentation overcoming unusual direct inhibitor inefficacy in mainstream nitrite-oxidizing bacteria suppression: Unveiling the underpinnings in microbial and nitrogen metabolism aspects. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 926:171900. [PMID: 38527552 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
The long-stabilized mainstream partial nitritation/Anammox (PN/A) process continues to encounter significant challenges from nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB). Therefore, this study aimed to determine an efficient, rapid, and easily implementable strategy for inhibiting NOB. A laboratory-scale reactor was operated continuously for 325 days, experiencing NOB outbreak in mainstream and recovery with simulated sidestream support. The results show that direct inhibitory strategies including intermittent aeration and approximately 35 mg/L free ammonia had unusual weak inhibitory effects on NOB activity. Subsequently, the exogenous Anammox from sidestream employed as a competitive bio-augmentation approach rapidly inhibited NOB dynamics. Evidence suggests that the damaged hydroxyapatite granules under low pH conditions might have contributed to NOB dominance by diminishing Anammox bacteria activity, thereby creating a substrate-rich environment favoring NOB survival. In contrast, the introduction of exogenous Candidatus Kuenenia facilitated the nitrogen removal efficiency from 32.5 % to over 80 %. This coincided with a decrease in the relative abundance of Nitrospira from 16.5 % to 2.7 % and NOB activity from 0.34 to 0.07 g N/(g mixed liquor volatile suspended solid)/d. Metagenomic analysis reveals a decrease in the functional potential of most nitrite transport proteins, coupled with a significant increase in eukaryotic-like serine/threonine-protein kinase involved in cellular regulation, during the Anammox activity recovery. This study's findings reveal the feasibility of the bio-augmentation based on substrate competition, wherein sidestream processes support the mainstream PN/A integration, offering significant potential for practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanxiao Wei
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-06 Aza, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Min Ye
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-06 Aza, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Yujie Chen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-06 Aza, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Yu-You Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-06 Aza, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan; Department of Frontier Sciences for Advanced Environment, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University, 6-6-20 Aoba, Aramaki-Aza, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan.
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3
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Van Tendeloo M, Baptista MC, Van Winckel T, Vlaeminck SE. Recurrent multi-stressor floc treatments with sulphide and free ammonia enabled mainstream partial nitritation/anammox. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169449. [PMID: 38123077 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Selective suppression of nitrite-oxidising bacteria (NOB) over aerobic and anoxic ammonium-oxidising bacteria (AerAOB and AnAOB) remains a major challenge for mainstream partial nitritation/anammox implementation, a resource-efficient nitrogen removal pathway. A unique multi-stressor floc treatment was therefore designed and validated for the first time under lab-scale conditions while staying true to full-scale design principles. Two hybrid (suspended + biofilm growth) reactors were operated continuously at 20.2 ± 0.6 °C. Recurrent multi-stressor floc treatments were applied, consisting of a sulphide-spiked deoxygenated starvation followed by a free ammonia shock. A good microbial activity balance with high AnAOB (71 ± 21 mg N L-1 d-1) and low NOB (4 ± 17 % of AerAOB) activity was achieved by combining multiple operational strategies: recurrent multi-stressor floc treatments, hybrid sludge (flocs & biofilm), short floc age control, intermittent aeration, and residual ammonium control. The multi-stressor treatment was shown to be the most important control tool and should be continuously applied to maintain this balance. Excessive NOB growth on the biofilm was avoided despite only treating the flocs to safeguard the AnAOB activity on the biofilm. Additionally, no signs of NOB adaptation were observed over 142 days. Elevated effluent ammonium concentrations (25 ± 6 mg N L-1) limited the TN removal efficiency to 39 ± 9 %, complicating a future full-scale implementation. Operating at higher sludge concentrations or reducing the volumetric loading rate could overcome this issue. The obtained results ease the implementation of mainstream PN/A by providing and additional control tool to steer the microbial activity with the multi-stressor treatment, thus advancing the concept of energy neutrality in sewage treatment plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michiel Van Tendeloo
- Research Group of Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Maria Catarina Baptista
- Research Group of Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Tim Van Winckel
- Research Group of Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Siegfried E Vlaeminck
- Research Group of Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium.
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4
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Zhu W, Van Tendeloo M, De Paepe J, Vlaeminck SE. Comparison of typical nitrite oxidizing bacteria suppression strategies and the effect on nitrous oxide emissions in a biofilm reactor. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2023; 387:129607. [PMID: 37544532 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.129607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
In mainstream partial nitritation/anammox (PN/A), suppression of nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) and mitigation of N2O emissions are two essential operational goals. The N2O emissions linked to three typical NOB suppression strategies were tested in a covered rotating biological contactor (RBC) biofilm system at 21 °C: (i) low dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations, and treatments with (ii) free ammonia (FA), and (iii) free nitrous acids (FNA). Low emerged DO levels effectively minimized NOB activity and decreased N2O emissions, but NOB adaptation appeared after 200 days of operation. Further NOB suppression was successfully achieved by periodic (3 h per week) treatments with FA (29.3 ± 2.6 mg NH3-N L-1) or FNA (3.1 ± 0.3 mg HNO2-N L-1). FA treatment, however, promoted N2O emissions, while FNA did not affect these. Hence, biofilm PN/A should be operated at relatively low DO levels with periodic FNA treatment to maximize nitrogen removal efficiency while avoiding high greenhouse gas emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiqiang Zhu
- Research Group of Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium; School of Water Conservancy and Environment, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, PR China
| | - Michiel Van Tendeloo
- Research Group of Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Jolien De Paepe
- Research Group of Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Siegfried E Vlaeminck
- Research Group of Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium.
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5
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Huang J, Wang C, Zhang S, Han X, Feng R, Li Y, Huang X, Wang J. Optimizing nitrogenous organic wastewater treatment through integration of organic capture, anaerobic digestion, and anammox technologies: sustainability and challenges. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023:10.1007/s11356-023-27410-6. [PMID: 37261686 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-27410-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
With China's recent commitment to reducing carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality, anaerobic digestion and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) have emerged as promising technologies for treating nitrogenous organic wastewater. Anaerobic digestion can convert organic matter into volatile fatty acids (VFAs), methane, and other chemicals, while anammox can efficiently remove nitrogen with minimal energy consumption. This study evaluates the principles and characteristics of enhanced chemical flocculation and bioflocculation, as well as membrane separation, for capturing organic matter. Additionally, the paper evaluates the production of acids and methane from anaerobic digestion, exploring the influence of various factors and the need for control strategies. The features, challenges, and concerns of partial nitrification-anammox (PN/A) and partial denitrification-anammox (PD/A) are also outlined. Finally, an integrated system that combined organic capture, anaerobic digestion, and anammox is proposed as a sustainable and effective solution for treating nitrogenous organic wastewater and recovering energy and resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianming Huang
- School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Ding 11#, Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100083, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunrong Wang
- School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Ding 11#, Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100083, People's Republic of China.
| | - Shujun Zhang
- Beijing Drainage Group Co. Ltd (BDG), Beijing, 100022, China
| | - Xiaoyu Han
- Beijing Drainage Group Co. Ltd (BDG), Beijing, 100022, China
| | - Rongfei Feng
- School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Ding 11#, Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100083, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Li
- School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Ding 11#, Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100083, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoyan Huang
- School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Ding 11#, Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100083, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianbing Wang
- School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Ding 11#, Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100083, People's Republic of China
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6
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Xie Y, Jia M, De Wilde F, Daeninck K, De Clippeleir H, Verstraete W, Vlaeminck SE. Feasibility of packed-bed trickling filters for partial nitritation/anammox: Effects of carrier material, bottom ventilation openings, hydraulic loading rate and free ammonia. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2023; 373:128713. [PMID: 36758644 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.128713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
This study pioneers the feasibility of cost-effective partial nitritation/anammox (PN/A) in packed-bed trickling filters (TFs). Three parallel TFs tested different carrier materials, the presence or absence of bottom ventilation openings, hydraulic loading rates (HLR, 0.4-2.2 m3 m-2 h-1), and free ammonia (FA) levels on synthetic medium. The inexpensive Argex expanded clay was recommended due to the similar nitrogen removal rates as commercially used plastics. Top-only ventilation at an optimum HLR of 1.8 m3 m-2 h-1 could remove approximately 60% of the total nitrogen load (i.e., 300 mg N L-1 d-1, 30 °C) and achieve relatively low NO3--N accumulation (13%). Likely FA levels of around 1.3-3.2 mg N L-1 suppressed nitratation. Most of the total nitrogen removal took place in the upper third of the reactor, where anammox activity was highest. Provided further optimizations, the results demonstrated TFs are suitable for low-energy shortcut nitrogen removal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yankai Xie
- Research Group of Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL), Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, Antwerpen 2020, Belgium; State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Mingsheng Jia
- Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Gent 9000, Belgium
| | - Fabian De Wilde
- Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Gent 9000, Belgium
| | - Katrien Daeninck
- Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Gent 9000, Belgium
| | - Haydée De Clippeleir
- Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Gent 9000, Belgium
| | - Willy Verstraete
- Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology (CMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Gent 9000, Belgium; Avecom NV, Industrieweg 122P, Wondelgem 9032, Belgium
| | - Siegfried E Vlaeminck
- Research Group of Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL), Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, Antwerpen 2020, Belgium.
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7
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Peng L, Qiu H, Li S, Xu Y, Liang C, Wang N, Liu Y, Ni BJ. The mitigation effect of free ammonia and free nitrous acid on nitrous oxide production from the full-nitrification and partial-nitritation systems. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2023; 372:128564. [PMID: 36592867 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.128564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The potentials of using endogenous free ammonia (FA) and free nitrous acid (FNA) as nitrous oxide (N2O) mitigators were investigated in treatment of both mainstream and sidestream wastewater. Although the N2O emission factor of a sidestream partial-nitritation (PN) reactor (averaged 1.70 % ± 0.39 %, n = 30) was about 2.4 times higher than a mainstream full-nitrification (FN) reactor (averaged 0.72 % ± 0.24 %, n = 30) (P < 0.01), one-hour exposure of PN sludge to 1.5 mg HNO2-N/L FNA could virtually abolish N2O emission. As for FN sludge, both 45 mg NH3-N/L FA and 0.015 mg HNO2-N/L FNA successfully mitigated N2O production at varying dissolved oxygen (DO) levels (50 % vs 61 %), while 1.5 mg HNO2-N/L FNA not only reduced more N2O (92 %) but also altered the N2O dependency on DO. Both FNA and FA sludge treatment were effective N2O mitigation strategies with FNA toward the end of carbon neutrality and FA being more economically appealing (2 % cost saving).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lai Peng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan 430070, China; Shenzhen Research Institute of Wuhan University of Technology, Shenzhen 518000, Guangdong, China
| | - Huiling Qiu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan 430070, China; Shenzhen Research Institute of Wuhan University of Technology, Shenzhen 518000, Guangdong, China
| | - Shengjun Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan 430070, China; Shenzhen Research Institute of Wuhan University of Technology, Shenzhen 518000, Guangdong, China.
| | - Yifeng Xu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Chuanzhou Liang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Ning Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yiwen Liu
- University of Technology Sydney, Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Bing-Jie Ni
- University of Technology Sydney, Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
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8
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Wang Y, Liang B, Kang F, Wang Y, Zhao C, Lyu Z, Zhu T, Zhang Z. An efficient anoxic/aerobic/aerobic/anoxic process for domestic sewage treatment: From feasibility to application. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:970548. [PMID: 35983333 PMCID: PMC9378819 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.970548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In this paper, the anoxic/aerobic/aerobic/anoxic (AOOA) process was proposed using fixed biofilms in a continuous plug-flow multi-chamber reactor, and no sludge reflux operation was performed during the 190 days of operation. The reactor volume ratio of 1.5:2:1.5:1 (A/O/O/A) with the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration of 2 mg L−1 in the aerobic zone was the optimal condition for reactor operation. According to the results obtained from the treatment of real domestic sewage, when the hydraulic retention time (HRT) was 6 h, the effluent of the reactor could meet the discharge standard even in cold conditions (13°C). Specifically, the elemental-sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification (ESAD) process contributed the most to the removal of total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) in the reactor. In addition, the use of vibration method was helpful in removing excess sludge from the biofilms of the reactor. Overall, the AOOA process is an efficient and convenient method for treating domestic sewage.
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Kirim G, McCullough K, Bressani-Ribeiro T, Domingo-Félez C, Duan H, Al-Omari A, De Clippeleir H, Jimenez J, Klaus S, Ladipo-Obasa M, Mehrani MJ, Regmi P, Torfs E, Volcke EIP, Vanrolleghem PA. Mainstream short-cut N removal modelling: current status and perspectives. WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : A JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION ON WATER POLLUTION RESEARCH 2022; 85:2539-2564. [PMID: 35576252 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2022.131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This work gives an overview of the state-of-the-art in modelling of short-cut processes for nitrogen removal in mainstream wastewater treatment and presents future perspectives for directing research efforts in line with the needs of practice. The modelling status for deammonification (i.e., anammox-based) and nitrite-shunt processes is presented with its challenges and limitations. The importance of mathematical models for considering N2O emissions in the design and operation of short-cut nitrogen removal processes is considered as well. Modelling goals and potential benefits are presented and the needs for new and more advanced approaches are identified. Overall, this contribution presents how existing and future mathematical models can accelerate successful full-scale mainstream short-cut nitrogen removal applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gamze Kirim
- modelEAU, Université Laval, 1065 avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1 V 0A6, Canada E-mail: ; CentrEau, Quebec Water Research Centre, 1065 avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1 V 0A6, Canada
| | - Kester McCullough
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Ave., Virginia Beach, VA 23455, USA
| | - Thiago Bressani-Ribeiro
- BioCo Research Group, Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Gent 9000, Belgium
| | - Carlos Domingo-Félez
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Haoran Duan
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Ahmed Al-Omari
- Brown and Caldwell, 1725 Duke St. Suite 250, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA
| | - Haydee De Clippeleir
- DC Water and Sewer Authority, 5000 Overlook Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20032, USA
| | - Jose Jimenez
- Brown and Caldwell, 1725 Duke St. Suite 250, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA
| | - Stephanie Klaus
- Hampton Roads Sanitation District, 1434 Air Rail Ave., Virginia Beach, VA 23455, USA
| | - Mojolaoluwa Ladipo-Obasa
- DC Water and Sewer Authority, 5000 Overlook Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20032, USA; Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, The George Washington University, 800 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| | - Mohamad-Javad Mehrani
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, Ul. Narutowicza 11/12, Gdansk 80-233, Poland; Department of Urban Water and Waste Management, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universit¨atsstraße 15, 45141, Essen, Germany
| | - Pusker Regmi
- Brown and Caldwell, 1725 Duke St. Suite 250, Alexandria, VA 22314, USA
| | - Elena Torfs
- Centre for Advanced Process Technology for Urban Resource recovery (CAPTURE), Frieda Saeysstraat 1, Gent 9000, Belgium; BIOMATH, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Gent 9000, Belgium
| | - Eveline I P Volcke
- BioCo Research Group, Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Gent 9000, Belgium; Centre for Advanced Process Technology for Urban Resource recovery (CAPTURE), Frieda Saeysstraat 1, Gent 9000, Belgium
| | - Peter A Vanrolleghem
- modelEAU, Université Laval, 1065 avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1 V 0A6, Canada E-mail: ; CentrEau, Quebec Water Research Centre, 1065 avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1 V 0A6, Canada
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10
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Zhu W, Van Tendeloo M, Xie Y, Timmer MJ, Peng L, Vlaeminck SE. Storage without nitrite or nitrate enables the long-term preservation of full-scale partial nitritation/anammox sludge. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 806:151330. [PMID: 34717986 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Bioaugmentation with summer harvested sludge during winter could compensate for bacterial activity loss but requires that sludge activity can be restored after storage. This study assesses the effect of temperature and redox adjustment during the storage over 180 days of partial nitritation/anammox (PN/A) granular resp. floccular sludge from potato processing resp. sludge reject water treatment. Anoxic storage conditions (in the presence of nitrite or nitrate and the absence of oxygen) resulted in a loss of 80-100% of the anammox bacteria (AnAOB) activity capacity at 20 °C and 4 °C, while anaerobic conditions (without oxygen, nitrite, and nitrate) lost only 45-63%. Storage at 20 °C was more cost-effective compared to 4 °C, and this was confirmed in the sludge reactivation experiment (20 °C). Furthermore, AnAOB activity correlated negatively with the electrical conductivity level (R2 > 0.85, p < 0.05), so strong salinity increases should be avoided. No significant differences were found in the activity capacity of aerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AerAOB) under different storage conditions (p > 0.1). The relative abundance of dominant AnAOB (Candidatus Brocadia) and AerAOB genera (Nitrosomonas) remained constant in both sludges. In conclusion, preserving PN/A biomass without cooling and nitrite or nitrate addition proved to be a cost-effective strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiqiang Zhu
- Research Group of Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Michiel Van Tendeloo
- Research Group of Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Yankai Xie
- Research Group of Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Marijn Juliaan Timmer
- Research Group of Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Lai Peng
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Siegfried E Vlaeminck
- Research Group of Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium.
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11
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Van Tendeloo M, Xie Y, Van Beeck W, Zhu W, Lebeer S, Vlaeminck SE. Oxygen control and stressor treatments for complete and long-term suppression of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria in biofilm-based partial nitritation/anammox. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2021; 342:125996. [PMID: 34598074 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.125996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Mainstream nitrogen removal by partial nitritation/anammox (PN/A) can realize energy and cost savings for sewage treatment. Selective suppression of nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) remains a key bottleneck for PN/A implementation. A rotating biological contactor was studied with an overhead cover and controlled air/N2 inflow to regulate oxygen availability at 20 °C. Biofilm exposure to dissolved oxygen concentrations < 0.51 ± 0.04 mg O2 L-1 when submerged in the water and < 1.41 ± 0.31 mg O2 L-1 when emerged in the headspace (estimated), resulted in complete and long-term NOB suppression with a low relative nitrate production ratio of 10 ± 4%. Additionally, weekly biofilm stressor treatments with free ammonia (FA) (29 ± 1 mg NH3-N L-1 for 3 h) could improve the NOB suppression while free nitrous acid treatments had insufficient effect. This study demonstrated the potential of managing NOB suppression in biofilm-based systems by oxygen control and recurrent FA exposure, opening opportunities for resource efficient nitrogen removal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michiel Van Tendeloo
- Research Group of Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Yankai Xie
- Research Group of Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Wannes Van Beeck
- Research Group Environmental Ecology and Applied Microbiology (ENdEMIC), Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Weiqiang Zhu
- Research Group of Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Sarah Lebeer
- Research Group Environmental Ecology and Applied Microbiology (ENdEMIC), Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Siegfried E Vlaeminck
- Research Group of Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium.
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12
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Achieving high-rate partial nitritation with aerobic granular sludge at low temperatures. Biodegradation 2021; 33:45-58. [PMID: 34727273 DOI: 10.1007/s10532-021-09965-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Partial nitritation is necessary for the implementation of the mainstream anammox (anaerobic ammonium oxidation) process in wastewater treatment plants. However, the difficulty in outcompeting nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) at mainstream conditions hinders the performance of partial nitritation. The present work aimed to develop a high-rate partial nitritation process for low-ammonium wastewater treatment at low temperatures by seeding aerobic granules. Experimental results suggested that both stratified structure of nitrifiers developed in the granules and sufficient residual ammonium concentration (18-35 mg N L-1) in the bulk liquid contributed to efficient NOB repression. With the hydraulic retention time progressively shortened from 1.0 to 0.17 h, the influent nitrogen loading rate of the partial nitritation process reached 6.8 ± 0.4 kg N m-3 d-1 even at 10-15 °C. The high concentration (7.5 gVSS L-1) and activity (0.48 g N g-1 VSS d-1 at 11 °C) of granular sludge made the reactor possess an overcapacity evaluated by the ratio between the actual ammonium oxidation rate of the granules and their maximum potential. The overcapacity helped the reactor to face the adverse effect of decreasing temperatures. Overall, this work indicated the great potential of applying aerobic granules to achieve high-rate partial nitritation at mainstream conditions. Moreover, anammox bacteria with a relative abundance of 2.8% was also identified in the partial nitritation granules at the end of this study, suggesting that the granules provided a habitable niche for anammox bacteria growth. Note that these results cannot fully relate to the treatment of real domestic/municipal wastewater, they are a source of important information increasing the knowledge about low temperature partial nitrification.
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13
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Application of Anammox-Based Processes in Urban WWTPs: Are We on the Right Track? Processes (Basel) 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/pr9081334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The application of partial nitritation and anammox processes (PN/A) to remove nitrogen can improve the energy efficiency of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) as well as diminish their operational costs. However, there are still several limitations that are preventing the widespread application of PN/A processes in urban WWTPs such as: (a) the loss of performance stability of the PN/A units operated at the sludge line, when the sludge is thermally pretreated to increase biogas production; (b) the proliferation of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) in the mainstream; and (c) the maintenance of a suitable effluent quality in the mainstream. In this work, different operational strategies to overcome these limitations were modelled and analyzed. In WWTPs whose sludge is thermically hydrolyzed, the implementation of an anerobic treatment before the PN/A unit is the best alternative, from an economic point of view, to maintain the stable performance of this unit. In order to apply the PN/A process in the mainstream, the growth of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) should be promoted in the sludge line by supplying extra sludge to the anaerobic digesters. The AOB generated would be applied to the water line to partially oxidize ammonia, and the anammox process would then be carried out. Excess nitrate generated by anammox bacteria and/or NOB can be removed by recycling a fraction of the WWTP effluent to the biological reactor to promote its denitrification.
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14
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Qiu S, Wang L, Chen Z, Yang M, Yu Z, Ge S. An integrated mainstream and sidestream strategy for overcoming nitrite oxidizing bacteria adaptation in a continuous plug-flow nutrient removal process. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2021; 319:124133. [PMID: 32977093 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.124133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
An integrated mainstream aeration and sidestream sludge treatment was demonstrated to be effective in overcoming the adaptationof nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) in an anoxic/oxic process. Results showed that by employing the alternating free nitrous acid and free ammonia (FNA/FA) sidestream sludge treatment alone, nitritation was established but varied, which was addressed by integrating alternating aeration with step feeding (ALASF) in reactor. Two critical considerations contributed to stable effluent nitrite accumulation (>83.8 %)and nitrogen removal (>83.0 %): 1) aerobic sludge rather than return sludge should be taken for FNA/FA treatment to avoid anoxic starvation which facilitated NOB recovery; 2) ALASF ensured timely denitritation and created constant anoxic disturbance for NOB inhibition. Nitrospira and Nitrobacter after 540-day operation were 0.38 % of seed sludge.A20 % reduction of operating cost was obtained in this nitritation process. This study moved nitritation one step closer to application in continuous plug-flow process from municipal wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Qiu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Xiao Ling Wei 200, Nanjing 210094 Jiangsu, China
| | - Lingfeng Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Xiao Ling Wei 200, Nanjing 210094 Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhipeng Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Xiao Ling Wei 200, Nanjing 210094 Jiangsu, China
| | - Mingzhu Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Xiao Ling Wei 200, Nanjing 210094 Jiangsu, China
| | - Ziwei Yu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Xiao Ling Wei 200, Nanjing 210094 Jiangsu, China
| | - Shijian Ge
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Xiao Ling Wei 200, Nanjing 210094 Jiangsu, China.
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