Nitrification at Low Oxygen Concentration in Biofilm Reactor
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 127, Issue 3
Abstract
A nitrification process under low dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration is proposed in a completely stirred biofilm reactor. The reactor was fed with a synthetic wastewater containing 250 mg NH4–N/L. A stable nitrite accumulation in the effluent was obtained during >110 days' operation; NO2–N:(NO2–N + NO3–N) in the effluent reached >90% under 0.5 mg DO/L. Ammonium was completely converted and NH4–N in the outlet was as low as 5 mg/L. A transient increase of the DO concentration in the reactor induced a complete conversion of ammonia and nitrite to nitrate after only 2 days. A return to a low DO concentration again induced nitrite accumulation. These results show that the nitrite oxidizers were always present in the reactor but were outcompeted at low DO concentration, due to their lower affinity for oxygen, compared with ammonia oxidizers. Nitrite accumulation could also be favored by free nitrous acid accumulation inside the biofilm.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 127 • Issue 3 • March 2001
Pages: 266 - 271
History
Received: Feb 22, 2000
Published online: Mar 1, 2001
Published in print: Mar 2001
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