Applicability of two-stage anoxic/oxic shortcut nitrogen removal via partial nitrification and partial denitrification for municipal wastewater by adding sludge fermentation products continuously

Partial nitrification and partial denitrification combined with anammox is a promising process for sewage treatment. In this study, real municipal wastewater was treated in a continuous two-stage anoxic/oxic (A/O) reactor. External mixed sludge fermentation products were added in the anoxic zone, simultaneously achieving partial nitrification and partial denitrification and achieving a high and relatively stable accumulation of nitrite. The maximum accumulation rates of NO2--N in A1.2 and A2.1-A2.4 zones of the reactor reached 70% and 61%- 37%, respectively, which improved denitrification efficiency and created conditions that supported the coupling of subsequent anammox. The influent nitrogen load of the system was 0.078 kg/(m(3)center dot d), and the mean influent and effluent total nitrogen were 51 and 12 mg/L, respectively. The mean total nitrogen removal rate reached 76%. Further analysis revealed that Hyphomicrobium (incomplete denitrifiers) and Nitrosomonas (ammonia oxidizing bacteria) were enriched, which may have facilitated the high nitrite accumulation. Moreover, the batch test showed that adding sludge fermentation during denitrification significantly suppressed nitrite reduction, resulting in the nitrite accumulation.

Automated summary

Partial nitrification and partial denitrification combined with anammox is a promising process for sewage treatment, which was successfully achieved in this study by adding sludge fermentation products in the anoxic zone to facilitate nitrite accumulation and improve denitrification efficiency. The system achieved a high removal rate of total nitrogen, with enriched incomplete denitrifiers and ammonia oxidizing bacteria contributing to the high nitrite accumulation.