Nitrification and denitrification processes for mitigation of nitrous oxide from waste water treatment plants for biovalorization: Challenges and opportunities

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas. Even though its emissions is much lesser than CO2 but its global warming potential (GWP) is 298 times more than CO2. N2O emissions from wastewater treatment plants was caused due to incomplete nitrification or incomplete denitrification catalyzed by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and heterotrophic denitrifiers. Low dissolved oxygen, high nitrite accumulation, change in optimal pH or temperature, fluctuation in C/N ratio, short solid retention time and non-availability of Cu ions were responsible for higher N2O leakage. Regulation of enzyme metabolic pathways involved in N2O production and reduction has also been reviewed. Sequential bioreactors, bioscrubbers, membrane biofilters usage have helped microbial nitrification-denitrification processes in succumbing N2O production in wastewater treatment plants. Reduction of N2O negativity has been studied through its valorization for the formation of value added products such as biopolymers has led to biorefinery approaches as an upcoming mitigation strategy.