Optimizing nitrogenous organic wastewater treatment through integration of organic capture, anaerobic digestion, and anammox technologies: sustainability and challenges

With China's recent commitment to reducing carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality, anaerobic digestion and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) have emerged as promising technologies for treating nitrogenous organic wastewater. Anaerobic digestion can convert organic matter into volatile fatty acids (VFAs), methane, and other chemicals, while anammox can efficiently remove nitrogen with minimal energy consumption. This study evaluates the principles and characteristics of enhanced chemical flocculation and bioflocculation, as well as membrane separation, for capturing organic matter. Additionally, the paper evaluates the production of acids and methane from anaerobic digestion, exploring the influence of various factors and the need for control strategies. The features, challenges, and concerns of partial nitrification-anammox (PN/A) and partial denitrification-anammox (PD/A) are also outlined. Finally, an integrated system that combined organic capture, anaerobic digestion, and anammox is proposed as a sustainable and effective solution for treating nitrogenous organic wastewater and recovering energy and resources.

Automated summary

With China's commitment to carbon reduction and carbon neutrality, anaerobic digestion and anammox have emerged as promising technologies for nitrogenous organic wastewater treatment. Anaerobic digestion can produce volatile fatty acids, methane, and other chemicals, while anammox can efficiently remove nitrogen with minimal energy consumption. This study evaluates the principles and characteristics of enhanced chemical flocculation and bioflocculation, as well as membrane separation, for capturing organic matter. It also explores the production of acids and methane from anaerobic digestion, considering various factors and control strategies. The features, challenges, and concerns of partial nitrification-anammox (PN/A) and partial denitrification-anammox (PD/A) are outlined, and an integrated system combining organic capture, anaerobic digestion, and anammox is proposed as a sustainable and effective solution for treating nitrogenous organic wastewater and recovering energy and resources.