Efficient single-stage autotrophic nitrogen removal with dilute wastewater through oxygen supply control

Autotrophic nitrogen removal via ammonia oxidizing (AOB) and anaerobic ammonium oxidizing (anammox) bacteria was evaluated for treatment of a dilute 50 mg/L ammonia-containing solution in a single-stage nitrogen-removal filter at 25 °C. Important was an external oxygenation system that permitted close control and measurement of oxygen supply, a difficulty with the generally used diffused air systems. Hydraulic retention time (HRT) was reduced in steps from 15 to 1 h. At 1 h HRT, total nitrogen (TN) removals varied between 73% and 94%, the maximum being obtained with a benchmark oxygenation ratio of 0.75 mol O2/mol ammonia fed. At higher ratios, nitrate was formed causing TN removal efficiency to decrease. With lower ratios, TN and ammonia removals decreased in proportion to the decrease in BOR. When operating at or below the BOR, nitrate formation equaled no more than 2% of the ammonia removed, a value much less than has previously been reported.