Abstract
Increasing information supported that achieving high-rate mainstream deammonification through two-stage partial nitritation (PN)-anammox process should be a better option than through single-stage process. However, direct experimental evidence was limited so far. Herein, a two-stage PN-anammox process was successfully operated for nitrogen removal from low-strength wastewater in winter. Influent shift from synthetic wastewater to actual anaerobically pretreated sewage had little impact on the process performance. Promising nitrogen removal rates (NRRs) of 0.28–0.07 kg N m−3 d−1 with an average effluent concentration of 5.2 mg TN L−1 were achieved for the anaerobically pretreated sewage treatment at 15–7 °C. Moreover, nearly all the degradable COD in the pretreated sewage was steadily removed in the first-stage PN reactor, despite the varied influent COD concentrations of 22–78 mg L−1 and the operating temperature decrease, suggesting the positive role of the first-stage PN in protecting anammox bacteria. The low temperature seemingly was the only deterministic factor inhibiting the anammox activity, and hence made the anammox reaction to be the rate-limiting step for nitrogen removal in the two-stage PN-anammox process. Unexpectedly, nearly all the anammox bacteria remained active at low temperatures with the process actual anammox activity reached about 76–85% of their maximum potential, implying that higher NRRs would be easily realized through bioaugmentation or enrichment of anammox bacteria. Overall, the present investigation provides direct and valuable information for implementing the two-stage PN-anammox process to treat mainstream municipal wastewater. A control strategy was also proposed to optimize the operation of the two-stage mainstream deammonification process.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
APHA (2005) Standard methods for the examination for water and wastewater American Public Health Association, 21th edn. American Public Health Association, Washington, DC
Bartroli A, Perez J, Carrera J (2010) Applying ratio control in a continuous granular reactor to achieve full nitritation under stable operating conditions. Environ Sci Technol 44(23):8930–8935. https://doi.org/10.1021/es1019405
Bian W, Zhang S, Zhang Y, Li W, Kan R, Wang W, Zheng Z, Li J (2017) Achieving nitritation in a continuous moving bed biofilm reactor at different temperatures through ratio control. Bioresour Technol 226:73–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2016.12.014
Cao Y, van Loosdrecht MCM, Daigger GT (2017) Mainstream partial nitritation-anammox in municipal wastewater treatment: status, bottlenecks, and further studies. Appl Microb Biotechnol 101(4):1365–1383. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-016-8058-7
De Clippeleir H, Vlaeminck SE, De Wilde F, Daeninck K, Mosquera M, Boeckx P, Verstraete W, Boon N (2013) One-stage partial nitritation/anammox at 15 C on pretreated sewage: feasibility demonstration at lab-scale. Appl Microb Biotechnol 97(23):10199–10210. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-013-4744-x
Delgado Vela J, Stadler LB, Martin KJ, Raskin L, Bott CB, Love NG (2015) Prospects for biological nitrogen removal from anaerobic effluents during mainstream wastewater treatment. Environ Sci Technol Let 2(9):234–244. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.5b00191
Dosta J, Fernandez I, Vazquez-Padin J, Mosquera-Corral A, Campos J, Mata-Alvarez J, Mendez R (2008) Short-and long-term effects of temperature on the Anammox process. J Hazard Mater 154(1):688–693. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2007.10.082
Gilbert EM, Agrawal S, Karst SM, Horn H, Nielsen PH, Lackner S (2014) Low temperature partial Nitritation/Anammox in a moving bed biofilm reactor treating low strength wastewater. Environ Sci Technol 48(15):8784–8792. https://doi.org/10.1021/es501649m
Gilbert EM, Agrawal S, Schwartz T, Horn H, Lackner S (2015) Comparing different reactor configurations for partial Nitritation/Anammox at low temperatures. Water Res 81:92–100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2015.05.022
Gu J, Yang Q, Liu Y (2018) Mainstream anammox in a novel A-2B process for energy-efficient municipal wastewater treatment with minimized sludge production. Water Res 138:1–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2018.02.051
Guo Q, Xing BS, Li P, Xu JL, Yang CC, Jin RC (2015) Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) under realistic seasonal temperature variations: characteristics of biogranules and process performance. Bioresour Technol 192:765–773. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2015.06.049
Hendrickx TL, Wang Y, Kampman C, Zeeman G, Temmink H, Buisman CJ (2012) Autotrophic nitrogen removal from low strength waste water at low temperature. Water Res 46(7):2187–2193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2012.01.037
Hu Z, Lotti T, de Kreuk M, Kleerebezem R, van Loosdrecht M, Kruit J, Jetten MS, Kartal B (2013) Nitrogen removal by a nitritation-anammox bioreactor at low temperature. Appl Environ Microb 79(8):2807–2812. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.03987-12
Isaka K, Date Y, Kimura Y, Sumino T, Tsuneda S (2008) Nitrogen removal performance using anaerobic ammonium oxidation at low temperatures. FEMS Microb Lett 282(1):32–38. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-6968.2008.01095.x
Isanta E, Reino C, Carrera J, Perez J (2015) Stable partial nitritation for low-strength wastewater at low temperature in an aerobic granular reactor. Water Res 80:149–158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2015.04.028
Jetten MS, Horn SJ, van Loosdrecht M (1997) Towards a more sustainable municipal wastewater treatment system. Water Sci Technol 35(9):171–180. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0273-1223(97)00195-9
Jin R-C, Ma C, Yu J-J (2013) Performance of an Anammox UASB reactor at high load and low ambient temperature. Chem Eng J 232:17–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2013.07.059
Jin R-C, Yang G-F, Yu J-J, Zheng P (2012) The inhibition of the Anammox process: a review. Chem Eng J 197:67–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2012.05.014
Joss A, Derlon N, Cyprien C, Burger S, Szivak I, Traber J, Siegrist H, Morgenroth E (2011) Combined nitritation–anammox: advances in understanding process stability. Environ Sci Technol 45(22):9735–9742. https://doi.org/10.1021/es202181v
Kartal B, Kuenen J, Van Loosdrecht M (2010) Sewage treatment with anammox. Science 328(5979):702–703. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1185941
Kouba V, Vejmelkova D, Proksova E, Wiesinger H, Concha M, Dolejs P, Hejnic J, Jenicek P, Bartacek J (2017) High-rate partial Nitritation of municipal wastewater after psychrophilic anaerobic pretreatment. Environ Sci Technol 51(19):11029–11038. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.7b02078
Lackner S, Gilbert EM, Vlaeminck SE, Joss A, Horn H, van Loosdrecht M (2014) Full-scale partial nitritation/anammox experiences–an application survey. Water Res 55:292–303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2014.02.032
Laureni M, Falas P, Robin O, Wick A, Weissbrodt DG, Nielsen JL, Ternes TA, Morgenroth E, Joss A (2016) Mainstream partial nitritation and anammox: long-term process stability and effluent quality at low temperatures. Water Res 101:628–639. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2016.05.005
Laureni M, Weissbrodt DG, Szivák I, Robin O, Nielsen JL, Morgenroth E, Joss A (2015) Activity and growth of anammox biomass on aerobically pre-treated municipal wastewater. Water Res 80:325–336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2015.04.026
Leal CD, Pereira AD, Nunes FT, Ferreira LO, Coelho ACC, Bicalho SK, Mac Conell EFA, Ribeiro TB, de Lemos Chernicharo CA, de Araújo JC (2016) Anammox for nitrogen removal from anaerobically pre-treated municipal wastewater: effect of COD/N ratios on process performance and bacterial community structure. Bioresour Technol 211:257–266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2016.03.107
Li X, Sun S, Yuan H, Badgley BD, He Z (2017) Mainstream upflow nitritation-anammox system with hybrid anaerobic pretreatment: long-term performance and microbial community dynamics. Water Res 125:298–308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2017.08.048
Liu WR, Ji XM, Wang JF, Yang DH, Shen YL, Chen CJ, Qian FY, Wu P (2018) Microbial community response to influent shift and lowering temperature in a two-stage mainstream deammonification process. Bioresour Technol 262:132–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2018.04.082
Liu WR, Yang DH, Chen WJ, Gu X (2017) High-throughput sequencing-based microbial characterization of size fractionated biomass in an anoxic anammox reactor for low-strength wastewater at low temperatures. Bioresour Technol 231:45–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2017.01.050
Lotti T, Kleerebezem R, Hu Z, Kartal B, de Kreuk MK, Kip CET, Kruit J, Hendrickx TLG, van Loosdrecht MCM (2015a) Pilot-scale evaluation of anammox-based mainstream nitrogen removal from municipal wastewater. Environ Technol 36(9):1167–1177. https://doi.org/10.1080/09593330.2014.982722
Lotti T, Kleerebezem R, Hu Z, Kartal B, Jetten MSM, van Loosdrecht MCM (2014a) Simultaneous partial nitritation and anammox at low temperature with granular sludge. Water Res 66:111–121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2014.07.047
Lotti T, Kleerebezem R, Kip CET, Hendrickx TLG, Kruit J, Hoekstra M, van Loosdrecht MCM (2014b) Anammox growth on pretreated municipal wastewater. Environ Sci Technol 48(14):7874–7880. https://doi.org/10.1021/es500632k
Lotti T, Kleerebezem R, Lubello C, van Loosdrecht M (2014c) Physiological and kinetic characterization of a suspended cell anammox culture. Water Res 60:1–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2014.04.017
Lotti T, Kleerebezem R, van Loosdrecht MC (2015b) Effect of temperature change on anammox activity. Biotechnol Bioeng 112(1):98–103. https://doi.org/10.1002/bit.25333
Ma B, Zhang S, Zhang L, Yi P, Wang J, Wang S, Peng Y (2011) The feasibility of using a two-stage autotrophic nitrogen removal process to treat sewage. Bioresour Technol 102(17):8331–8334. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2011.06.017
Malovanyy A, Yang J, Trela J, Plaza E (2015) Combination of upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor and partial nitritation/anammox moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) for municipal wastewater treatment. Bioresour Technol 180:144–153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2014.12.101
Mei XJ, Wang ZW, Miao Y, Wu ZC (2017) A pilot-scale anaerobic membrane bioreactor under short hydraulic retention time for municipal wastewater treatment: performance and microbial community identification. J Water Reuse Desal 8(1):58–67. https://doi.org/10.2166/wrd.2017.164
Ni BJ, Yu HQ (2012) Microbial products of activated sludge in biological wastewater treatment systems: a critical review. Crit Rev Env Sci Tec 42(2):187–223. https://doi.org/10.1080/10643389.2010.507696
Perez J, Isanta E, Carrera J (2015) Would a two-stage N-removal be a suitable technology to implement at full scale the use of anammox for sewage treatment? Water Sci Technol 72(6):858–864. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2015.281
Perez J, Lotti T, Kleerebezem R, Picioreanu C, van Loosdrecht MCM (2014) Outcompeting nitrite-oxidizing bacteria in single-stage nitrogen removal in sewage treatment plants: a model-based study. Water Res 66:208–218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2014.08.028
Poot V, Hoekstra M, Geleijnse MA, van Loosdrecht MC, Perez J (2016) Effects of the residual ammonium concentration on NOB repression during partial nitritation with granular sludge. Water Res 106:518–530. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2016.10.028
Reino C, Carrera J (2017) Low-strength wastewater treatment in an anammox UASB reactor: effect of the liquid upflow velocity. Chem Eng J 313:217–225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2016.12.051
Reino C, Suarez-Ojeda ME, Perez J, Carrera J (2016) Kinetic and microbiological characterization of aerobic granules performing partial nitritation of a low-strength wastewater at 10 degrees C. Water Res 101:147–156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2016.05.059
Reino C, Suárez-Ojeda ME, Pérez J, Carrera J (2018) Stable long-term operation of an upflow anammox sludge bed reactor at mainstream conditions. Water Res 128:331–340. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2017.10.058
Siegrist H, Salzgeber D, Eugster J, Joss A (2008) Anammox brings WWTP closer to energy autarky due to increased biogas production and reduced aeration energy for N-removal. Water Sci Technol 57(3):383–388. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2008.048
Strous M, Heijnen JJ, Kuenen JG, Jetten MSM (1998) The sequencing batch reactor as a powerful tool for the study of slowly growing anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing microorganisms. Appl Microb Biotechnol 50(5):589–596. https://doi.org/10.1007/s002530051340
Tang CJ, Peng YZ, Wang CH, Mahmood Q, Zhang JQ, Chen XG, Zhang L, Chen JW (2011) Performance of high-loaded ANAMMOX UASB reactors containing granular sludge. Water Res 45(1):135–144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2010.08.018
Trojanowicz K, Plaza E, Trela J (2016) Pilot scale studies on nitritation-anammox process for mainstream wastewater at low temperature. Water Sci Technol 73(4):761–768. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2015.551
Tsushima I, Ogasawara Y, Kindaichi T, Satoh H, Okabe S (2007) Development of high-rate anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (anammox) biofilm reactors. Water Res 41(8):1623–1634. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2007.01.050
Wells GF, Shi Y, Laureni M, Rosenthal A, Szivak I, Weissbrodt DG, Joss A, Buergmann H, Johnson DR, Morgenroth E (2017) Comparing the resistance, resilience, and stability of replicate moving bed biofilm and suspended growth combined Nitritation-Anammox reactors. Environ Sci Technol 51(9):5108–5117. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6b05878
Funding
This research was supported by Major Science and Technology Program for Water Pollution Control and Treatment (Grant No. 2013ZX07315–001) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51578353 and No. 51508366). Authors also acknowledge support from the Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Technology and Material of Water Treatment.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Ethical approval
This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.
Electronic supplementary material
ESM 1
(PDF 193 kb)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Liu, W., Yang, D., Shen, Y. et al. Two-stage partial nitritation-anammox process for high-rate mainstream deammonification. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 102, 8079–8091 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-018-9207-y
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-018-9207-y