Advance in microbiology and application of anammox bacteria

The traditional nitrogen removal processes do not meet increasingly stringent discharge standards and sustainable demands. A novel, economical and efficient process was originally discovered in a denitrifying pilot plant reactor, namely anaerobic ammonia oxidation. Some significant advantages make the anammox be a milestone in the field of wastewater treatment and attract much attention, such as low biomass yield and cost. In this paper, the physiological properties, molecular techniques, reaction mechanism of the anammox bacteria and the practical applications are summarized in briefly.