Improved simultaneous nitrification and denitrification in a single reactor by using two different immobilization carriers with specific oxygen transfer characteristics

Abstract

To maximize nitrogen utilization rates during nitrification and denitrification in a simultaneous reaction for direct nitrogen removal from ammonia–nitrogen in a single reactor, two different carriers were applied that immobilized nitrifiers and denitrifiers separately. With the optimized DO concentration and mixing ratio of immobilization carriers, ammonium–nitrogen was successfully removed as designed until the middle phase of treatment where nitrogen removal rate was higher than 83% of the theoretical value, although an imbalance between nitrification and denitrification occurred at a later phase of treatment where residual nitrate–nitrogen concentration was less than 2 mg/l. The new approach using two different carriers to immobilize nitrifiers and denitrifiers separately was proved useful for controlling both nitrification and denitrification rates, enabling the utilization of maximum treatment ability of both nitrifiers and denitrifiers in a single reactor for direct nitrogen removal from ammonium–nitrogen.