1
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Tong Y, Liao X, He Y, Cui X, Wishart M, Zhao F, Liao Y, Zhao Y, Lv X, Xie J, Liu Y, Chen G, Hou L. Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from municipal wastewater treatment in China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ECOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 20:100341. [PMID: 38094258 PMCID: PMC10716752 DOI: 10.1016/j.ese.2023.100341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Municipal wastewater treatment plays an indispensable role in enhancing water quality by eliminating contaminants. While the process is vital, its environmental footprint, especially in terms of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, remains underexplored. Here we offer a comprehensive assessment of GHG emissions from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) across China. Our analyses reveal an estimated 1.54 (0.92-2.65) × 104 Gg release of GHGs (CO2-eq) in 2020, with a dominant contribution from N2O emissions and electricity consumption. We can foresee a 60-65% reduction potential in GHG emissions with promising advancements in wastewater treatment, such as cutting-edge biological techniques, intelligent wastewater strategies, and a shift towards renewable energy sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yindong Tong
- School of Ecology and Environment, Tibet University, Lhasa, 850012, China
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Xiawei Liao
- Bay Area International Business School, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, 519087, China
| | - Yanying He
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Xiaomei Cui
- School of Ecology and Environment, Tibet University, Lhasa, 850012, China
| | | | - Feng Zhao
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Yulian Liao
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Yingxin Zhao
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Xuebin Lv
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Jiawen Xie
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Yiwen Liu
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Guanyi Chen
- School of Ecology and Environment, Tibet University, Lhasa, 850012, China
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University of Commerce, Tianjin, 300134, China
| | - Li'an Hou
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
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2
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Wang Y, Guo H, Li X, Chen X, Peng L, Zhu T, Sun P, Liu Y. Peracetic acid (PAA)-based pretreatment effectively improves medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) production from sewage sludge. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ECOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 20:100355. [PMID: 38192428 PMCID: PMC10772567 DOI: 10.1016/j.ese.2023.100355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Peracetic acid (PAA), known for its environmentally friendly properties as a oxidant and bactericide, is gaining prominence in decontamination and disinfection applications. The primary product of PAA oxidation is acetate that can serve as an electron acceptor (EA) for the biosynthesis of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) via chain elongation (CE) reactions. Hence, PAA-based pretreatment is supposed to be beneficial for MCFAs production from anaerobic sludge fermentation, as it could enhance organic matter availability, suppress competing microorganisms and furnish EA by providing acetate. However, such a hypothesis has rarely been proved. Here we reveal that PAA-based pretreatment leads to significant exfoliation of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) from sludge flocs and disruption of proteinic secondary structures, through inducing highly active free radicals and singlet oxygen. The production of MCFAs increases substantially to 11,265.6 mg COD L-1, while the undesired byproducts, specifically long-chain alcohols (LCAs), decrease to 723.5 mg COD L-1. Microbial activity tests further demonstrate that PAA pretreatment stimulates the CE process, attributed to the up-regulation of functional genes involved in fatty acid biosynthesis pathway. These comprehensive findings provide insights into the effectiveness and mechanisms behind enhanced MCFAs production through PAA-based technology, advancing our understanding of sustainable resource recovery from sewage sludge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufen Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Haixiao Guo
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Xuecheng Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Xueming Chen
- Fujian Provincial Engineering Research Center of Rural Waste Recycling Technology, College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fujian, 350116, China
| | - Lai Peng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, China
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, Hubei, 430070, China
| | - Tingting Zhu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Peizhe Sun
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Yiwen Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
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3
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Hou J, Li Y, Guo H, Wang Y, He Y, Sun P, Zhao Y, Ni BJ, Zhu T, Liu Y. Efficient electrosynthesis of HO 2- from air for sulfide control in sewers. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 470:134181. [PMID: 38569343 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Electrochemically in-situ generation of oxygen and caustic soda is promising for sulfide management while suffers from scaling, poor inactivating capacity, hydrogen release and ammonia escape. In this study, the four-compartment electrochemical cell efficiently captured oxygen molecules from the air chamber to produce HO2- without generating toxic by-products. Meanwhile, the catalyst layer surface of PTFE/CB-GDE maintained a relatively balanced gas-liquid micro-environment, enabling the formation of enduring solid-liquid-gas interfaces for efficient HO2- electrosynthesis. A dramatic increase in HO2- generation rate from 453.3 mg L-1 h-1 to 575.4 mg L-1 h-1 was attained by advancement in operation parameters design (flow channels, electrolyte types, flow rates and circulation types). Stability testing resulted in the HO2- generation rate over 15 g L-1 and the current efficiency (CE) exceeding 85%, indicating a robust stable operational capacity. Furthermore, after 120 mg L-1 HO2- treatment, an increase of 11.1% in necrotic and apoptotic cells in the sewer biofilm was observed, higher than that achieved with the addition of NaOH, H2O2 method. The in-situ electrosynthesis strategy for HO2- represents a significance toward the practical implementation of sulfide abatement in sewers, holding the potential to treat various sulfide-containing wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqi Hou
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China
| | - Yiming Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China
| | - Haixiao Guo
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China
| | - Yufen Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China
| | - Yanying He
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China
| | - Peizhe Sun
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China
| | - Yingxin Zhao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China
| | - Bing-Jie Ni
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Tingting Zhu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China.
| | - Yiwen Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China.
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4
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Liu W, Li J, Liu T, Zheng M, Meng J, Li J. Temperature-resilient superior performances by coupling partial nitritation/anammox and iron-based denitrification with granular formation. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 254:121424. [PMID: 38460226 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121424] [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: 12/24/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
Partial nitritation-anammox (PN/A), an energy-neutral process, is widely employed in the treatment of nitrogen-rich wastewater. However, the intrinsic nitrate accumulation limits the total nitrogen (TN) removal, and the practical application of PN/A continues to face a significant challenge at low temperatures (<15 °C). Here, an integrated partial nitritation-anammox and iron-based denitrification (PNAID) system was developed to address the concern. Two up-flow bioreactors were set up and operated for 400 days, with one as the control group and the other as the experiment group with the addition of Fe0. In comparison to the control group, the experiment group with the Fe0 supplement showed better nitrogen removal during the entire course of the experiment at different temperature levels. Specifically, the TN removal efficiency of the control group decreased from 82.9 % to 53.9 % when the temperature decreased from 30 to 12 °C, while in stark contrast, the experiment group consistently achieved 80 % of TN removal in the same condition. Apart from the enhanced nitrogen removal, the experiment group also exhibited better phosphorus removal (10.6 % versus 74.1 %) and organics removal (49.5 % versus 65.1 %). The enhanced and resilient nutrient removal performance of the proposed integrated process under low temperatures appeared to be attributed to the compact structure of granules and the increased microbial metabolism with Fe0 supplement, elucidated by a comprehensive analysis including microbial-specific activity, apparent activation energy, characteristics of granular sludge, and metagenomic sequencing. These results clearly confirmed that Fe0 supplement not only improved nitrogen removal of PN/A process, but also conferred a certain degree of robustness to the system in the face of temperature fluctuations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, 73 Huanghe Road, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Jianzheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, 73 Huanghe Road, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Tao Liu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Min Zheng
- Water Research Centre, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Jia Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, 73 Huanghe Road, Harbin 150090, China.
| | - Jiuling Li
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
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5
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Wang P, Ou R, Tan J, Li N, Zheng M, Jin Q, Yu J, He D. Effect of sludge redistribution strategy on stability of partial nitrification-anammox process: Further exploration of the potential value of sludge. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 355:141707. [PMID: 38521102 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141707] [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: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
The stability of the two-stage partial nitrification-anammox (PN/A) system was compromised by the inappropriate conversion of insoluble organic matter. In response, a sludge redistribution strategy was implemented. Through the redistribution of PN sludge and anammox sludge in the two-stage PN/A system, a transition was made to the Anammox-single stage PN/A (A-PN/A) system. This specific functional reorganization, facilitated by the rapid reorganization of microbial communities, has the potential to significantly decrease the current risk of suppression. The results of the study showed that implementing the sludge redistribution strategy led to a substantial enhancement in the total nitrogen removal rate (TNRR) by 87.51%, accompanied by a significant improvement of 34.78% in the chemical oxygen demand removal rate (CRR). Additionally, this approach resulted in a remarkable two-thirds reduction in the aeration requirements. High-throughput sequencing revealed that the strategy enriched anammox and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria while limiting denitrifying bacteria, as confirmed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis. Furthermore, the principal component analysis revealed that the location and duration of aeration had direct and indirect effects on functional gene expression and the evolution of microbial communities. This study emphasizes the potential benefits of restructuring microbial communities through a sludge redistribution strategy, especially in integrated systems that encounter challenges with suppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Wang
- Key Laboratory for City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China.
| | - Rui Ou
- Key Laboratory for City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China.
| | - Jun Tan
- Key Laboratory for City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China.
| | - Ning Li
- Pearl River Water Resources Research Institute, Guangzhou, 510611, PR China.
| | - Min Zheng
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Qinghai Jin
- Shenzhen Pangu Environmental Protection Technology Co. Ltd, Shenzhen, 518055, PR China.
| | - Jin Yu
- Shenzhen Pangu Environmental Protection Technology Co. Ltd, Shenzhen, 518055, PR China.
| | - Di He
- Key Laboratory for City Cluster Environmental Safety and Green Development of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China.
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Li Y, He Y, Guo H, Hou J, Dai S, Zhang P, Tong Y, Ni BJ, Zhu T, Liu Y. Sulfur-containing substances in sewers: Transformation, transportation, and remediation. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 467:133618. [PMID: 38335612 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133618] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Sulfur-containing substances in sewers frequently incur unpleasant odors, corrosion-related economic loss, and potential human health concerns. These observations are principally attributed to microbial reactions, particularly the involvement of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in sulfur reduction process. As a multivalent element, sulfur engages in complex bioreactions in both aerobic and anaerobic environments. Organic sulfides are also present in sewage, and these compounds possess the potential to undergo transformation and volatilization. In this paper, a comprehensive review was conducted on the present status regarding sulfur transformation, transportation, and remediation in sewers, including both inorganic and organic sulfur components. The review extensively addressed reactions occurring in the liquid and gas phase, as well as examined detection methods for various types of sulfur compounds and factors affecting sulfur transformation. Current remediation measures based on corresponding mechanisms were presented. Additionally, the impacts of measures implemented in sewers on the subsequent wastewater treatment plants were also discussed, aiming to attain better management of the entire wastewater system. Finally, challenges and prospects related to the issue of sulfur-containing substances in sewers were proposed to facilitate improved management and development of the urban water system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiming Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yanying He
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Haixiao Guo
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Jiaqi Hou
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Suwan Dai
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Peiyao Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yindong Tong
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Bing-Jie Ni
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Tingting Zhu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yiwen Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
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7
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Wang R, Liu J, Zhang Q, Li X, Wang S, Peng Y. Robustness of the anammox process at low temperatures and low dissolved oxygen for low C/N municipal wastewater treatment. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 252:121209. [PMID: 38309058 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121209] [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: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Low water temperatures and ammonium concentrations pose challenges for anammox applications in the treatment of low C/N municipal wastewater. In this study, a 10 L-water bath sequencing batch reactor combing biofilm and suspended sludge was designed for low C/N municipal wastewater treatment. The nitrogen removal performance via partial nitrification anammox-(endogenous) denitrification anammox process was investigated with anaerobic-aerobic-anoxic mode at low temperatures and dissolved oxygen (DO). The results showed that with the decrease of temperature from 30 to 15℃, the influent and effluent nitrogen concentrations and nitrogen removal efficiencies were 73.7 ± 6.5 mg/L, 7.8 ± 2.8 mg/L, and 89.4 %, respectively, with aerobic hydraulic retention time of only 6 h and DO concentration of 0.2-0.5 mg/L. Among that, the stable anammox process compensated for the inhibitory effects of the low temperatures on the nitrification and denitrification processes. Notably, from 30 to 15℃, the anammox activity and relative abundance of the dominant Brocadia genus were increased from 39.7 to 45.5 mgN/gVSS/d and 7.3 to 12.0 %, respectively; the single gene expression level of the biofilm increased 9.0 times. The anammox bacteria showed a good adaptation to temperatures reduction. However, nitrogen removal by anammox was not improved by increasing DO (≥ 4 mg/L) at 8-4℃. Overall, the results of this study demonstrate the feasibility of the mainstream anammox process at low temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Engineering Research Center of Beijing, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China
| | - Jinjin Liu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Engineering Research Center of Beijing, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China
| | - Qiong Zhang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Engineering Research Center of Beijing, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China
| | - Xiyao Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Engineering Research Center of Beijing, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China
| | - Shuying Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Engineering Research Center of Beijing, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China
| | - Yongzhen Peng
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Engineering Research Center of Beijing, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China.
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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: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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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9
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Li S, Islam MS, Yang S, Xue Y, Liu Y, Huang X. Potential stimulation of nitrifying bacteria activities and genera by landfill leachate. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:168620. [PMID: 37977385 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168620] [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: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
With the increasing complexity of influent composition in wastewater treatment plants, the potential stimulating effects of refractory organic matter in wastewater on growth characteristics and genera conversion of nitrifying bacteria (ammonium-oxidizing bacteria [AOB] and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria [NOB]) need to be further investigated. In this study, domestic wastewater was co-treated with landfill leachate in the lab-scale reactor, and the competition and co-existence of NOB genera Nitrotoga and Nitrospira were observed. The results demonstrated that the addition of landfill leachate could induce the growth of Nitrotoga, whereas Nitrotoga populations remain less competitive in domestic wastewater operation. In addition, the refractory organic matter in the landfill leachate also would have a potential stimulating effect on the maximum specific growth rate of AOB genus Nitrosomonas (μmax, aob). The μmax, aob of Nitrosomonas in the control group was estimated to be 0.49 d-1 by fitting the ASM model, and the μmax, aob reached 0.66-0.71 d-1 after injection of refractory organic matter in the landfill leachate, while the maximum specific growth rate of NOB (μmax, nob) was always in the range of 1.05-1.13 d-1. These findings have positive significance for the understanding of potential stimulation on nitrification processes and the stable operation of innovative wastewater treatment process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Li
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Md Sahidul Islam
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Shaolin Yang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yu Xue
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yanchen Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Xia Huang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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10
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Chang G, Yang J, Li X, Liao H, Li S, Hou J, Zhong G, Wang J, Deng M, Xue Y. Iron-modified carriers accelerate biofilm formation and resist anammox bacteria loss in biofilm reactors for partial denitrification-anammox. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2024; 394:130223. [PMID: 38113948 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.130223] [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: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
The slow formation of anammox biofilms presents a bottleneck for resolving anammox bacterial loss and achieving stable performance in biofilm-based partial denitrification-anammox (PD-A) processes. This study utilized iron-modified (K1/Fe3O4 NPs) carriers, which were prepared and used for the first time in PD-A processes. Parallel moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs) indicated that iron-modified carriers facilitated the formation of biofilms at a faster rate than K1 carriers, consequently improving the nitrogen removal performance of the process by over 40 %. 16S rDNA analysis showed that anammox bacteria were approximately four times more abundant in the iron-modified carrier biofilm than in the K1 carrier biofilm. XPS and zeta potential analysis suggested that the improved microbial affinity of the iron-modified carrier surface caused this. As a result, the iron-modified carriers facilitated the formation of anammox biofilms and enhanced PD-A performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genwang Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment & State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; College of Water Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Jinjin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment & State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Xiang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment & State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
| | - Haiqing Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment & State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; College of Water Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Shaokang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment & State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Junhua Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment & State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Genmao Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment & State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Junjie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment & State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Mingtao Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment & State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Yiheng Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment & State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Simulation and Control of Groundwater Pollution, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
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11
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Wang Y, Chen F, Guo H, Sun P, Zhu T, Horn H, Liu Y. Permanganate (PM) pretreatment improves medium-chain fatty acids production from sewage sludge: The role of PM oxidation and in-situ formed manganese dioxide. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 249:120869. [PMID: 38007897 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120869] [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: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
Medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) production from sewage sludge is mainly restricted by the complex substrate structure, competitive metabolism and low electron transfer rate. This study proposes a novel permanganate (PM)-based strategy to promote sludge degradation and MCFAs production. Results show that PM pretreatment significantly increases MCFAs production, i.e., attaining 12,036 mg COD/L, and decreases the carbon fluxes of electron acceptor (EA)/electron donor (ED) to byproducts. Further analysis reveals that PM oxidation enhances the release and biochemical conversion of organic components via disrupting extracellular polymers (EPS) structure and reducing viable cells ratio, providing directly available EA for chain elongation (CE). The microbial activity positively correlated with MCFAs generation are apparently heightened, while the competitive metabolism of CE (i.e., methanogensis) can be completely inhibited. Accordingly, the functional bacteria related to critical bio-steps and dissimilatory manganese reduction are largely enriched. Further mechanism exploration indicates that the main contributors for sludge solubilization are 1O2 (61.6 %) and reactive manganese species (RMnS), i.e., Mn(V)/Mn(VI) (22.3 %) and Mn(III) (∼16.1 %). As the main reducing product of PM reaction, manganese dioxide (MnO2) can enable the formation of microbial aggregates, and serve as electron shuttles to facilitate the carbon fluxes to MCFAs during CE process. Overall, this strategy can achieve simultaneous hydrogen recovery, weaken competitive metabolisms and provide electron transfer accelerator for CE reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufen Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Feng Chen
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Haixiao Guo
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Peizhe Sun
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Tingting Zhu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Harald Horn
- Engler-Bunte-Institut, Water Chemistry and Water Technology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Engler-Bunte-Ring 9, Karlsruhe 76131, Germany
| | - Yiwen Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
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12
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He Y, Liu Y, Li X, Guo H, Zhu T, Liu Y. Polyvinyl Chloride Microplastics Facilitate Nitrous Oxide Production in Partial Nitritation Systems. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:1954-1965. [PMID: 38239129 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c09280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Partial nitritation (PN) is an important partner with anammox in the sidestream line treating high-strength wastewater and primarily contributes to nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in such a hybrid system, which also suffers from ubiquitous microplastics because of the growing usage and disposal levels of plastics. In this study, the influences of polyvinyl chloride microplastics (PVC-MPs) on N2O-contributing pathways were experimentally revealed to fill the knowledge gap on N2O emission from the PN system under microplastics stress. The long-term results showed that the overall PN performance was hardly affected by the low-dose PVC-MPs (0.5 mg/L) while obviously deteriorated by the high dose (5 mg/L). According to the batch tests, PVC-MPs reduced biomass-specific ammonia oxidation rates (AORs) by 5.78-21.94% and stimulated aerobic N2O production by 9.22-88.36%. Further, upon increasing dissolved oxygen concentrations from 0.3 to 0.9 mg O2/L, the degree of AOR inhibition increased but that of N2O stimulation was lightened. Site preference analysis in combination with metabolic inhibitors demonstrated that the contributions of hydroxylamine oxidation and heterotrophic denitrification to N2O production at 0.3 mg O2/L were enhanced by 18.84 and 10.34%, respectively, accompanied by a corresponding decreased contribution of nitrifier denitrification. Finally, the underlying mechanisms proposed for negative influences of PVC-MPs were bisphenol A leaching and reactive oxygen species production, which led to more cell death, altered sludge properties, and reshaped microbial communities, further resulting in enhanced N2O emission. Overall, this work implied that the ubiquitous microplastics are a hidden danger that cannot be ignored in the PN system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanying He
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
| | - Yingrui Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
| | - Xuecheng Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
| | - Haixiao Guo
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
| | - Tingting Zhu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
| | - Yiwen Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P. R. China
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13
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Liu Y, Liu Y, Zhao T, He Y, Zhu T, Chai H, Peng L. Smaller Aerobic Granules Significantly Reduce N 2O Production by Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria: Evidences from Biochemical and Isotopic Analyses. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:545-556. [PMID: 38111342 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c06246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
The mitigation of nitrous oxide (N2O) is of primary significance to offset carbon footprints in aerobic granular sludge (AGS) systems. However, a significant knowledge gap still exists regarding the N2O production mechanism and its pathway contribution. To address this issue, the impact of varying granule sizes, dissolved oxygen (DO), and nitrite (NO2-) levels on N2O production by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) during nitrification in AGS systems was comprehensively investigated. Biochemical and isotopic experiments revealed that increasing DO or decreasing NO2- levels reduced N2O emission factors (by 13.8 or 19.5%) and production rates (by 0.08 or 0.35 mg/g VSS/h) via weakening the role of the AOB denitrification pathway since increasing DO competed for more electrons required for AOB denitrification. Smaller granules (0.5 mm) preferred to diminish N2O production via enhancing the role of NH2OH pathway (i.e., 59.4-100% in the absence of NO2-), while larger granules (2.0 mm) induced conspicuously higher N2O production via the AOB denitrification pathway (approximately 100% at higher NO2- levels). Nitrifying AGS systems with a unified size of 0.5 mm achieved 42% N2O footprint reduction compared with the system with mixed sizes (0.5-2.0 mm) under optimal conditions (DO = 3.0 mg-O2/L and NO2- = 0 mg-N/L).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiwen Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yingrui Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Tianhang Zhao
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yanying He
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Tingting Zhu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Hongxiang Chai
- Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
| | - Lai Peng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Mineral Resources Processing and Environment, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Luoshi Road 122, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
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14
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Boyer TH, Gernjak W. Research stories along the urban water cycle. WATER RESEARCH X 2024; 22:100218. [PMID: 38516567 PMCID: PMC10955406 DOI: 10.1016/j.wroa.2024.100218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Treavor H. Boyer
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment (SSEBE), Arizona State University, PO Box 873005, Tempe, AZ 85287-3005, USA
| | - Wolfgang Gernjak
- Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), 17003 Girona, Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Spain
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15
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Wang K, Li J, Gu X, Wang H, Li X, Peng Y, Wang Y. How to Provide Nitrite Robustly for Anaerobic Ammonium Oxidation in Mainstream Nitrogen Removal. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:21503-21526. [PMID: 38096379 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c05600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Innovation in decarbonizing wastewater treatment is urgent in response to global climate change. The practical implementation of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) treating domestic wastewater is the key to reconciling carbon-neutral management of wastewater treatment with sustainable development. Nitrite availability is the prerequisite of the anammox reaction, but how to achieve robust nitrite supply and accumulation for mainstream systems remains elusive. This work presents a state-of-the-art review on the recent advances in nitrite supply for mainstream anammox, paying special attention to available pathways (forward-going (from ammonium to nitrite) and backward-going (from nitrate to nitrite)), key controlling strategies, and physiological and ecological characteristics of functional microorganisms involved in nitrite supply. First, we comprehensively assessed the mainstream nitrite-oxidizing bacteria control methods, outlining that these technologies are transitioning to technologies possessing multiple selective pressures (such as intermittent aeration and membrane-aerated biological reactor), integrating side stream treatment (such as free ammonia/free nitrous acid suppression in recirculated sludge treatment), and maintaining high activity of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and anammox bacteria for competing oxygen and nitrite with nitrite-oxidizing bacteria. We then highlight emerging strategies of nitrite supply, including the nitrite production driven by novel ammonia-oxidizing microbes (ammonia-oxidizing archaea and complete ammonia oxidation bacteria) and nitrate reduction pathways (partial denitrification and nitrate-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation). The resources requirement of different mainstream nitrite supply pathways is analyzed, and a hybrid nitrite supply pathway by combining partial nitrification and nitrate reduction is encouraged. Moreover, data-driven modeling of a mainstream nitrite supply process as well as proactive microbiome management is proposed in the hope of achieving mainstream nitrite supply in practical application. Finally, the existing challenges and further perspectives are highlighted, i.e., investigation of nitrite-supplying bacteria, the scaling-up of hybrid nitrite supply technologies from laboratory to practical implementation under real conditions, and the data-driven management for the stable performance of mainstream nitrite supply. The fundamental insights in this review aim to inspire and advance our understanding about how to provide nitrite robustly for mainstream anammox and shed light on important obstacles warranting further settlement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaichong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
- Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
| | - Jia Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
- Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
| | - Xin Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
- Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
| | - Han Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
- Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
| | - Xiang Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, P. R. China
| | - Yongzhen Peng
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Engineering Research Center of Beijing, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, P. R. China
| | - Yayi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
- Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
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16
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Zhu T, Ding J, Liu Y, Li X, Wang Z, Liu Y. The effect of organic sources on the electron distribution and N 2O emission in sulfur-driven autotrophic denitrification biofilters. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 903:166126. [PMID: 37562622 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Sulfur-driven autotrophic denitrification (SAD) is considered as an effective alternative to traditional heterotrophic denitrification (HD) due to its cheap, low sludge production and non-toxicity. Nitrous oxide (N2O) as an intermediate product inevitably was generated at the limited supply of electron donor or unbalanced electron distribution condition during the denitrification process. Recently, autotrophic denitrification biofilters were conclusively implemented for advanced nitrogen removal in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). However, residual organic sources after wastewater treatment could affect the electron distribution among denitrifying reductases and few studies are known about this issue. In this study, several lab-scale biofilters packed with elemental sulfur slices were applied to explore the electron distribution characteristics of autotrophic denitrification through the combination of different nitrogen oxides (NOx). The results clearly delineated that the different combination of nitrogen oxides had a remarkable effect on the electron distribution. In any case, the electrons likely flow toward nitrate reductase (Nar) under a single nitrogen oxide combination, followed by nitrite reductase (Nir) and nitrous oxide reductase (Nos). The concurrent presence of multiple electron acceptors resulted in most electrons flowing toward Nar, and least toward Nos. Compared to traditional SAD, the reduction rate of nitrogen oxide in the sulfur-driven autotrophic denitrification with influent of organic source (OSAD) was greatly improved. The maximum value of the true specific rates of NO3- in OSAD process was 9.43 mg-N/g-VSS/h. It was increased by 8.26 folds higher than that in traditional SAD. The electrons were more easily distributed to Nos with the addition of sodium acetate, which further promoted the N2O reduction. This study will provide theoretical support for controlling N2O release in SAD biofilters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Zhu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China
| | - Jiazeng Ding
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China
| | - Yingrui Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China
| | - Xufeng Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China
| | - Zhiwen Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China
| | - Yiwen Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China.
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17
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Boyer TH, Gernjak W. Why stories matter in water research: A case for narrative style paper writing. WATER RESEARCH X 2023; 21:100198. [PMID: 37693825 PMCID: PMC10491847 DOI: 10.1016/j.wroa.2023.100198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Treavor H. Boyer
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment (SSEBE), Arizona State University, PO Box 873005, Tempe, AZ 85287-3005, USA
| | - Wolfgang Gernjak
- Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Girona 17003, Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona 08010, Spain
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18
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Wang H, Fan Y, Zhou M, Liu J, Li X, Wang Y. Metagenomics insight into the long-term effect of ferrous ions on the mainstream anammox system. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 238:117243. [PMID: 37778610 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117243] [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: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) bacteria have a high requirement for iron for their growth and metabolism. However, it remains unclear whether iron supplementation can sustain the stability of mainstream anammox systems at varying temperatures. Here, we investigated the long-term effects of Fe2+ on the mainstream anammox systems. Our findings revealed that the nitrogen removal efficiency (NRE) of the anammox system supplemented with 5 mg/L Fe2+ decreased from 76.5 ± 0.76% at 35 °C to 39.0 ± 9.9% at 25 °C. Notably, higher dosages of Fe2+ (15 mg/L and 30 mg/L) inhibited the anammox system, resulting in NREs of 15.9 ± 8.1% and 2.5 ± 1.1% at 25 °C, respectively. The results of microbial communities and function profiles suggested that the high Fe2+ dosage seriously affected the iron assimilation and utilization in the mainstream anammox system. This was evident from the decreased abundance of genes associated with Fe(II) transport and uptake, which in turn hindered the biosynthesis of intracellular iron-cofactors, resulting in decrease in the absolute abundance of Candidatus Brocadia, a key anammox bacterium, as well as a decline in NRE. Furthermore, our results showed that the anammox process was more susceptible to iron supplementation at 25 °C compared to 35 °C, which may be due to the oxidative stress reactions induced by combined lowered temperature and a high Fe2+ dosage. Overall, these findings offer a deeper understanding of the effect of iron in mainstream anammox systems, which can contribute to improved stability maintenance and effectiveness of anammox processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Yufei Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Mingda Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Jiawei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Xiang Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, 215009, China
| | - Yayi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai, 200092, China.
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19
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Xue Y, Zheng M, Cheng Z, Li S, Yang S, Liu Y, Qian Y, Huang X. Dynamic Simulation of Nitrifying Microbial Communities for Establishing Acidic Partial Nitritation in Suspended Activated Sludge. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:17542-17552. [PMID: 37909179 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c01282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Acidic partial nitritation (PN) is a promising technology to achieve low-cost and energy-efficient shortcut nitrogen removal from wastewater. However, a comprehensive understanding of the acidic PN under dynamic changes of pH in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) is still lacking. In this study, we successfully established acidic PN (NO2- accumulation ratio >80%) under dynamic pH variation from 7.0 to 4.5 in a lab-scale SBR. By accumulating in situ free nitrous acid (FNA) generation based on the dynamic pH change, acidic PN maintained stability even at a low NH4+ concentration of 100 mg N L-1. The microbial community analysis revealed that two ammonium-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) genera, Nitrosospira and Nitrosomonas, successfully coexisted and cooperated during acidic PN. None of the species of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) showed adaptation to intermittent inhibition of in situ FNA even under high DO conditions (>4.0 mg O2 L-1). Furthermore, we innovatively incorporated the classic nitrification model with the growth and decay of different nitrifying bacterial species and their inhibition by pH, FNA, and free ammonia (FA) to predict the nitrifying microbial communities shifting for establishing acidic PN. The extended model was calibrated by using short-term batch experiments and was validated by using long-term dynamic data of the nitrifying microbial community during SBR operation. The validated model was further used to identify feasible influent conditions for the SBR PN process, including influent HCO3- concentration, NH4+ concentration and molar ratio (HCO3/NH4+). Outcomes from this study support the optimal design of acidic PN-based short-cut nitrogen removal processes for future application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Xue
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Min Zheng
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Zhao Cheng
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Siqi Li
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Shaolin Yang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yanchen Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yi Qian
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xia Huang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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20
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Lin C, Liu Y, Li YY, Liu J. Difference of high-salinity-induced inhibition of ammonia-oxidising bacteria and nitrite-oxidising bacteria and its applications. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2023; 387:129640. [PMID: 37549713 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.129640] [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: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
The difficulty in achieving stable partial nitritation (PN) is a challenge that limits the application of mainstream anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox). This study proposes high-salinity treatment as a novel strategy for inactivating nitrite-oxidising bacteria (NOB). The study indicated that NOB are more sensitive to high salinity than ammonia-oxidising bacteria (AOB). The inhibitory effect on the nitrifier gradually increased with increasing salinity from 0 to 100 g NaCl/L. After 24 h and 35 g NaCl/L inhibition, the AOB and NOB activities were 36.65% and 7.15% of their original activities, respectively. After one high-salinity treatment, nitrite accumulation rate (NAR) was above 33% during nitrification. Moreover, the sludge characteristics remained almost unchanged after suppression. A novel process for achieving mainstream PN was proposed and evaluated based on the results. An energy consumption analysis showed that mainstream PN/anammox based on the ex situ high-salinity treatment can achieve higher energy self-sufficiency compared with activated sludge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chihao Lin
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, 333 Nanchen Road, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Yanxu Liu
- School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, 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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21
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Zhang X, Zhang X, Chen J, Wu P, Yang Z, Zhou L, Zhu Z, Wu Z, Zhang K, Wang Y, Ruth G. A critical review of improving mainstream anammox systems: Based on macroscopic process regulation and microscopic enhancement mechanisms. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 236:116770. [PMID: 37516268 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116770] [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: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
Full-scale anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) engineering applications are vastly limited by the sensitivity of anammox bacteria to the complex mainstream ambience factors. Therefore, it is of great necessity to comprehensively summarize and overcome performance-related challenges in mainstream anammox process at the macro/micro level, including the macroscopic process variable regulation and microscopic biological metabolic enhancement. This article systematically reviewed the recent important advances in the enrichment and retention of anammox bacteria and main factors affecting metabolic regulation under mainstream conditions, and proposed key strategies for the related performance optimization. The characteristics and behavior mechanism of anammox consortia in response to mainstream environment were then discussed in details, and we revealed that the synergistic nitrogen metabolism of multi-functional bacterial genera based on anammox microbiome was conducive to mainstream anammox nitrogen removal processes. Finally, the critical outcomes of anammox extracellular electron transfer (EET) at the micro level were well presented, carbon-based conductive materials or exogenous electron shuttles can stimulate and mediate anammox EET in mainstream environments to optimize system performance from a micro perspective. Overall, this review advances the extensive implementation of mainstream anammox practice in future as well as shedding new light on the related EET and microbial mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaonong Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, No. 1 Kerui Road, Suzhou, 215009, PR China
| | - Xingxing Zhang
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, PR China
| | - Junjiang Chen
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, No. 1 Kerui Road, Suzhou, 215009, PR China
| | - Peng Wu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, No. 1 Kerui Road, Suzhou, 215009, PR China; National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Municipal Sewage Resource Utilization Technology, No. 1 Kerui Road, Suzhou, 215009, PR China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Technology and Material of Water Treatment, No. 1 Kerui Road, Suzhou, 215009, PR China.
| | - Zhiqiu Yang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, No. 1 Kerui Road, Suzhou, 215009, PR China
| | - Li Zhou
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, No. 1 Kerui Road, Suzhou, 215009, PR China
| | - Zixuan Zhu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, No. 1 Kerui Road, Suzhou, 215009, PR China
| | - Zhiqiang Wu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, No. 1 Kerui Road, Suzhou, 215009, PR China
| | - Kangyu Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, No. 1 Kerui Road, Suzhou, 215009, PR China
| | - Yiwen Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, No. 1 Kerui Road, Suzhou, 215009, PR China
| | - Guerra Ruth
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, No. 1 Kerui Road, Suzhou, 215009, PR China
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22
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Guo H, Liu S, Wang Y, Hou J, Zhu T, Liu Y. A novel free nitrous acid (FNA)-generation pathway via ferric salts hydrolysis to mitigate sulfide and methane production in sewer: Insights into the performance and microbial mechanisms. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 459:132284. [PMID: 37591170 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Ferric chloride (FeCl3) served as a solid acid has attracted attention recently. However, the feasibility of FeCl3 combined with nitrite for free nitrous acid (FNA) generation in controlling sulfide and methane as well as the triggering mechanisms in the complex syntrophic consortium (i.e., sewer biofilm) remain largely unknown. This work disclosed FeCl3 as an alternative acid source could obtain comparable sulfide and methane mitigations at a low FNA dose (i.e., 0.26 mg N/L), compared to that of HCl acid source. Whereas, a faster recovery rate of sulfide production was observed using FeCl3 under a higher FNA dose (i.e., 0.81 mg N/L) despite the methane control still being comparable. The toxicological mechanisms revealed FNA reacted with proteins amide Ⅰ in extracellular polymeric substances and destroyed protein hydrogen bond. Enzymatic and genic analysis unveiled the overall suppression of hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis, sulfidogenesis and methanogenesis steps due to the inactivation of viable cells by reactive nitrogen species. Economic and environmental assessments demonstrated that the ferric-based FNA strategy reduced chemical costs and N2O emission (ca. 26.5% decrease) compared to the traditional HCl-based FNA method. This work broadens the application of iron salt-based technology in urban water system, together with understanding the biological mechanisms of FNA-based technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haixiao Guo
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Siru Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yufen Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Jiaqi Hou
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Tingting Zhu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yiwen Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
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23
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Hu Z, Liu T, Su Z, Zhao J, Guo J, Hu S, Yuan Z, Zheng M. Adaptation of anammox process for nitrogen removal from acidic nitritation effluent in a low pH moving bed biofilm reactor. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 243:120370. [PMID: 37482002 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120370] [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: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Acidic partial nitritation (PN) has emerged to be a promisingly stable process in wastewater treatment, which can simultaneously achieve nitrite accumulation and about half of ammonium reduction. However, directly applying anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) process to treat the acidic PN effluent (pH 4-5) is susceptible to the inhibition of anammox bacteria. Here, this study demonstrated the adaptation of anammox process to acidic pH in a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR). By feeding the laboratory-scale MBBR with acidic PN effluent (pH = 4.6 ± 0.2), the pH of an anammox reactor was self-sustained in the range of pH 5 - 6. Yet, a high total nitrogen removal efficiency of over 80% at a practical loading rate of up to 149.7 ± 3.9 mg N/L/d was achieved. Comprehensive microbial assessment, including amplicon sequencing, metagenomics, cryosection-FISH, and qPCR, identified that Candidatus Brocadia, close to known neutrophilic members, was the dominant anammox bacteria. Anammox bacteria were found present in the inner layer of thick biofilms but barely present in the surface layer of thick biofilms and in thin biofilms. Results from batch tests also showed that the activity of anammox biofilms could be maintained when subjected to pH 5 at a nitrite concentration of 10 mg N/L, whereas the activity was completely inhibited after disturbing the biofilm structure. These results collectively indicate that the anammox bacteria enriched in the present acidic MBBR could not be inherently acid-tolerant. Instead, the achieved stable anammox performance under the acidic condition is likely due to biofilm stratification and protection. This result highlights the biofilm configuration as a useful solution to address nitrogen removal from acidic PN effluent, and also suggests that biofilm may play a critical role in protecting anammox bacteria found in many acidic nature environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhetai Hu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Tao Liu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Zicheng Su
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Jing Zhao
- Ecological Engineering of Mine Wastes, Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Jianhua Guo
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Shihu Hu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Zhiguo Yuan
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong China.
| | - Min Zheng
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
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24
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He Y, Liu Y, Li X, Zhu T, Liu Y. Unveiling the roles of biofilm in reducing N 2O emission in a nitrifying integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) system. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 243:120326. [PMID: 37454457 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Biofilm process such as integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) system has been preliminarily found to produce less nitrous oxide (N2O) than suspended sludge system. However, the N2O emission behaviors and underlying N2O mitigation mechanism in such hybrid system remain unclear. This study therefore aims to fully unveil the roles of biofilm in reducing N2O emission in a nitrifying IFAS system with the aid of some advanced technologies such as N2O microsensor and site-preference analysis. It was found that ammonia oxidation occurred mostly in the sludge flocs (˃ 86%) and biofilm could reduce N2O emission by 43.77% in a typical operating cycle. Biofilm not only reduced nitrite accumulation in nitrification process, inhibiting N2O production via nitrifier denitrification pathway, but also served as a N2O sink, promoting the reduction of N2O via endogenous denitrification. As a result, N2O emissions from the IFAS system were 50%-83% lower than those from the solo sludge flocs. Further, more N2O emission was reduced in the presence of biofilm with decreasing the dissolved oxygen level in the range of 0.5-3.0 mg O2/L. Microbial community and key enzyme analyses revealed that biofilm had relatively high microbial diversity and unique enzyme composition, providing a reasonable explanation for the changed contributions of different N2O production pathways and reduced N2O emission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanying He
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China
| | - Yingrui Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China
| | - Xuecheng Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China
| | - Tingting Zhu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China
| | - Yiwen Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China.
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25
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Su Z, Liu T, Guo J, Zheng M. Nitrite Oxidation in Wastewater Treatment: Microbial Adaptation and Suppression Challenges. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:12557-12570. [PMID: 37589598 PMCID: PMC10470456 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c00636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Microbial nitrite oxidation is the primary pathway that generates nitrate in wastewater treatment systems and can be performed by a variety of microbes: namely, nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB). Since NOB were first isolated 130 years ago, the understanding of the phylogenetical and physiological diversities of NOB has been gradually deepened. In recent endeavors of advanced biological nitrogen removal, NOB have been more considered as a troublesome disruptor, and strategies on NOB suppression often fail in practice after long-term operation due to the growth of specific NOB that are able to adapt to even harsh conditions. In line with a review of the history of currently known NOB genera, a phylogenetic tree is constructed to exhibit a wide range of NOB in different phyla. In addition, the growth behavior and metabolic performance of different NOB strains are summarized. These specific features of various NOB (e.g., high oxygen affinity of Nitrospira, tolerance to chemical inhibitors of Nitrobacter and Candidatus Nitrotoga, and preference to high temperature of Nitrolancea) highlight the differentiation of the NOB ecological niche in biological nitrogen processes and potentially support their adaptation to different suppression strategies (e.g., low dissolved oxygen, chemical treatment, and high temperature). This review implicates the acquired physiological characteristics of NOB to their emergence from a genomic and ecological perspective and emphasizes the importance of understanding physiological characterization and genomic information in future wastewater treatment studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zicheng Su
- Australian Centre for Water
and Environmental Biotechnology, The University
of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Tao Liu
- Australian Centre for Water
and Environmental Biotechnology, The University
of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Jianhua Guo
- Australian Centre for Water
and Environmental Biotechnology, The University
of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Min Zheng
- Australian Centre for Water
and Environmental Biotechnology, The University
of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
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26
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Ni G, Leung PM, Daebeler A, Guo J, Hu S, Cook P, Nicol GW, Daims H, Greening C. Nitrification in acidic and alkaline environments. Essays Biochem 2023; 67:753-768. [PMID: 37449414 PMCID: PMC10427799 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20220194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Aerobic nitrification is a key process in the global nitrogen cycle mediated by microorganisms. While nitrification has primarily been studied in near-neutral environments, this process occurs at a wide range of pH values, spanning ecosystems from acidic soils to soda lakes. Aerobic nitrification primarily occurs through the activities of ammonia-oxidising bacteria and archaea, nitrite-oxidising bacteria, and complete ammonia-oxidising (comammox) bacteria adapted to these environments. Here, we review the literature and identify knowledge gaps on the metabolic diversity, ecological distribution, and physiological adaptations of nitrifying microorganisms in acidic and alkaline environments. We emphasise that nitrifying microorganisms depend on a suite of physiological adaptations to maintain pH homeostasis, acquire energy and carbon sources, detoxify reactive nitrogen species, and generate a membrane potential at pH extremes. We also recognize the broader implications of their activities primarily in acidic environments, with a focus on agricultural productivity and nitrous oxide emissions, as well as promising applications in treating municipal wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaofeng Ni
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Pok Man Leung
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anne Daebeler
- Institute of Soil Biology and Biogeochemistry, Biology Centre CAS, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Jianhua Guo
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (Formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Shihu Hu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (Formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Perran Cook
- School of Chemistry, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Graeme W Nicol
- Univ Lyon, CNRS, INSA Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Ecole Centrale de Lyon, Ampère, UMR5005, 69134 Ecully, France
| | - Holger Daims
- Division of Microbial Ecology, Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- The Comammox Research Platform, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Chris Greening
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Centre to Impact AMR, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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27
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Hu Z, Hu S, Hong PY, Zhang X, Prodanovic V, Zhang K, Ye L, Deletic A, Yuan Z, Zheng M. Impact of electrochemically generated iron on the performance of an anaerobic wastewater treatment process. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 875:162628. [PMID: 36889383 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Anaerobic treatment of domestic wastewater has the advantages of lower biomass yield, lower energy demand and higher energy recover over the conventional aerobic treatment process. However, the anaerobic process has the inherent issues of excessive phosphate and sulfide in effluent and superfluous H2S and CO2 in biogas. An electrochemical method allowing for in-situ generation of Fe2+ in the anode and hydroxide ion (OH-) and H2 in the cathode was proposed to overcome the challenges simultaneously. The effect of electrochemically generated iron (e‑iron) on the performance of anaerobic wastewater treatment process was explored with four different dosages in this work. The results showed that compared to control, the experimental system displayed an increase of 13.4-28.4 % in COD removal efficiency, 12.0-21.3 % in CH4 production rate, 79.8-98.5 % in dissolved sulfide reduction, 26.0-96.0 % in phosphate removal efficiency, depending on the e‑iron dosage between 40 and 200 mg Fe/L. Dosing of the e‑iron significantly upgraded the quality of produced biogas, showing a much lower CO2 and H2S contents in biogas in experimental reactor than that in control reactor. The results thus demonstrated that e‑iron can significantly improve the performance of anaerobic wastewater treatment process, bringing multiple benefits with the increase of its dosage regarding effluent and biogas quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhetai Hu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Shihu Hu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Pei-Ying Hong
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, SA 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Xueqin Zhang
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Veljko Prodanovic
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNSW Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Kefeng Zhang
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNSW Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Liu Ye
- School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Ana Deletic
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UNSW Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, QLD 4001, Australia
| | - Zhiguo Yuan
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Min Zheng
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
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28
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Ma B, Liang Y, Zhang Y, Wei Y. Achieving advanced nitrogen removal from low-carbon municipal wastewater using partial-nitrification/anammox and endogenous partial-denitrification/anammox. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2023:129227. [PMID: 37244313 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.129227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
To achieve advanced nitrogen removal from low-carbon wastewater, a partial-nitrification/anammox and endogenous partial-denitrification/ anammox (PN/A-EPD/A) process was developed in a sequential batch biofilm reactor (SBBR). Advanced nitrogen was achieved with the effluent total nitrogen (TN) of 3.29 mg/L when the influent COD/TN and the TN were 2.86 and 59.59 mg/L, respectively. This was attributed to a stable PN/A-EPD/A, which was achieved through the integration of four strategies, including treating the inoculated sludge with free nitrous acid, inoculating anammox biofilm, discharging excess activated sludge and residual ammonium at the end of oxic stage. The 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing results demonstrated that anammox bacteria coexisted with ammonia oxidizing bacteria, nitrite oxidizing bacteria, denitrifying glycogen accumulating organisms (DGAOs) and denitrifying phosphorus accumulating organisms (DPAOs) in biofilms. The abundance of anammox bacteria in the inner layer of the biofilm is higher, while that of DGAOs and DPAOs is higher in the outer layer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Ma
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, School of Ecological and Environmental Science, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Yanbing Liang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, School of Ecological and Environmental Science, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Yujian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Agro-Forestry Environmental Processes and Ecological Regulation of Hainan Province, School of Ecological and Environmental Science, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Yan Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China.
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29
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Zuo Z, Chen Y, Xing Y, Li S, Yang S, Jiang G, Liu T, Zheng M, Huang X, Liu Y. The advantage of a two-stage nitrification method for fertilizer recovery from human urine. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 235:119932. [PMID: 37011577 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119932] [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: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Recycling nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) from human urine can potentially offset more than 13% of global agricultural fertilizer demand. Biological nitrification is a promising method for converting volatile ammonia in high-strength human urine into stable ammonium nitrate (a typical fertilizer), but it is usually terminated in the intermediate production of nitrite due to the inhibition of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria by free nitrous acid (FNA). This study aimed to develop a stable nitrification process in a unique two-stage bioreactor by removing critical barriers associated with FNA inhibition. Experimental results show that half of the ammonium in high-strength urine was successfully converted into nitrate, forming valuable ammonium nitrate (with a nitrogen concentration greater than 1500 mg N/L). The ammonium nitrate solution could retain most phosphorus (75% ± 3%) and potassium (96% ± 1%) in human urine, resulting in nearly full nutrient recovery. Once concentrated, the liquid compound fertilizer of ammonium nitrate was generated. Based on an assessment of economic and environmental impacts at the urban scale, urine diversion for nutrient recovery using a technical combination of nitrification and reverse osmosis could reduce total energy input by 43%, greenhouse gas emission by 40%, and cost by 33% compared to conventional wastewater management. Further research is needed to optimize the two-stage nitrification method on a larger scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqiang Zuo
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; Engineering Research Center of Beijing, Key Laboratory of Beijing for Water Quality Science and Water Environment Recovery Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Chen
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; School of Civil, Mining and Environmental Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Yaxin Xing
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Siqi Li
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Shaolin Yang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Guangming Jiang
- School of Civil, Mining and Environmental Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Tao Liu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Min Zheng
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Xia Huang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yanchen Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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30
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Hu Z, Hu S, Ye L, Duan H, Wu Z, Hong PY, Yuan Z, Zheng M. Novel Use of a Ferric Salt to Enhance Mainstream Nitrogen Removal from Anaerobically Pretreated Wastewater. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:6712-6722. [PMID: 37038903 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c08325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to demonstrate a new technology roadmap to support the ongoing paradigm shift in wastewater management from pollutant removal to resource recovery. This is achieved by developing a novel use of an iron salt (i.e., FeCl3) in an integrated anaerobic wastewater treatment and mainstream anammox process. FeCl3 was chosen to be dosed in a proposed sidestream unit rather than in a primary settler or a mainstream reactor. This causes acidification of returned activated sludge and enables stable suppression of nitrite-oxidizing bacterial activity and excess sludge reduction. A laboratory-scale system, which comprised an anaerobic baffled reactor, a continuous-flow anoxic-aerobic (A/O) reactor, and a secondary settler, was designed to treat real domestic wastewater, with the performance of the system comprehensively monitored under a steady-state condition. The experimental assessments showed that the system had good effluent quality, with total nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations of 12.6 ± 1.3 mg N/L and 0.34 ± 0.05 mg P/L, respectively. It efficiently retained phosphorus in excess sludge (0.18 ± 0.03 g P/g dry sludge), suggesting its potential for further recovery. About half of influent organic carbon was recovered in the form of bioenergy (i.e., methane). This together with low energy consumption revealed that the system could produce a net energy of about 0.11 kWh/m3-wastewater, assessed by an energy balance analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhetai Hu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Shihu Hu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Liu Ye
- School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Haoran Duan
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Ziping Wu
- School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Pei-Ying Hong
- Environmental Science and Engineering, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Zhiguo Yuan
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Min Zheng
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
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31
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Cao S, Koch K, Duan H, Wells GF, Ye L, Zhao Y, Du R. In a quest for high-efficiency mainstream partial nitritation-anammox (PN/A) implementation: One-stage or two-stage? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 883:163540. [PMID: 37086997 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Partial nitritation-anammox (PN/A) process is known as an energy-efficient technology for wastewater nitrogen removal, which possesses a great potential to bring wastewater treatment plants close to energy neutrality with reduced carbon footprint. To achieve this goal, various PN/A processes implemented in a single reactor configuration (one-stage system) or two separately dedicated reactors configurations (two-stage system) were explored over the past decades. Nevertheless, large-scale implementation of these PN/A processes for low-strength municipal wastewater treatment has a long way to go owing to the low efficiency and effectiveness in nitrogen removal. In this work, we provided a comprehensive analysis of one-stage and two-stage PN/A processes with a focus on evaluating their engineering application potential towards mainstream implementation. The difficulty for nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) out-selection was revealed as the critical operational challenge to achieve the desired effluent quality. Additionally, the operational strategies of low oxygen commonly adopted in one-stage systems for NOB suppression and facilitating anammox bacteria growth results in a low nitrogen removal rate (NRR). Introducing denitrification into anammox system was found to be necessary to improve the nitrogen removal efficiency (NRE) by reducing the produced nitrate with in-situ utilizing the organics from wastewater itself. However, this may lead to part of organics oxidized with additional oxygen consumed in one-stage system, further compromising the NRR. By applying a relatively high dissolved oxygen in PN reactor with residual ammonium control, and followed by a granules-based anammox reactor feeding with a small portion of raw municipal wastewater, it appeared that two-stage system could achieve a good effluent quality as well as a high NRR. In contrast to the widely studied one-stage system, this work provided a unique perspective that more effort should be devoted to developing a two-stage PN/A process to evaluate its application potential of high efficiency and economic benefits towards mainstream implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenbin Cao
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China; Chair of Urban Water Systems Engineering, Technical University of Munich, Am Coulombwall 3, 85748 Garching, Germany; College of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Faculty of Architecture, Civil and Transportation Engineering (FACTE), Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China
| | - Konrad Koch
- Chair of Urban Water Systems Engineering, Technical University of Munich, Am Coulombwall 3, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Haoran Duan
- School of Chemical Engineering, the University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - George F Wells
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, United States
| | - Liu Ye
- School of Chemical Engineering, the University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Yingfen Zhao
- School of Chemical Engineering, the University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Rui Du
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China; Water Chemistry and Water Technology, Engler-Bunte-Institut, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe 76131, Germany.
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32
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Hu Z, Liu T, Wang Z, Meng J, Zheng M. Toward Energy Neutrality: Novel Wastewater Treatment Incorporating Acidophilic Ammonia Oxidation. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:4522-4532. [PMID: 36897644 PMCID: PMC10035426 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c06444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Chemically enhanced primary treatment (CEPT) followed by partial nitritation and anammox (PN/A) and anaerobic digestion (AD) is a promising roadmap to achieve energy-neutral wastewater treatment. However, the acidification of wastewater caused by ferric hydrolysis in CEPT and how to achieve stable suppression of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) in PN/A challenge this paradigm in practice. This study proposes a novel wastewater treatment scheme to overcome these challenges. Results showed that, by dosing FeCl3 at 50 mg Fe/L, the CEPT process removed 61.8% of COD and 90.1% of phosphate and reduced the alkalinity as well. Feeding by low alkalinity wastewater, stable nitrite accumulation was achieved in an aerobic reactor operated at pH 4.35 aided by a novel acid-tolerant ammonium-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), namely, Candidatus Nitrosoglobus. After polishing in a following anoxic reactor (anammox), a satisfactory effluent, containing COD at 41.9 ± 11.2 mg/L, total nitrogen at 5.1 ± 1.8 mg N/L, and phosphate at 0.3 ± 0.2 mg P/L, was achieved. Moreover, the stable performances of this integration were well maintained at an operating temperature of 12 °C, and 10 investigated micropollutants were removed from the wastewater. An energy balance assessment indicated that the integrated system could achieve energy self-sufficiency in domestic wastewater treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhetai Hu
- Australian
Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia 4072, Queensland, Australia
| | - Tao Liu
- Australian
Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia 4072, Queensland, Australia
| | - Zhiyao Wang
- Australian
Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia 4072, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jia Meng
- State
Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, 73 Huanghe Road, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Min Zheng
- Australian
Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia 4072, Queensland, Australia
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