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Measurement of the Potential Rates of Dissimilatory Nitrate Reduction to Ammonium Based on 14NH4+/15NH4+ Analyses via Sequential Conversion to N2O
Published on: October 7, 2020
Denitrification of high strength nitrate waste
Pradip B Dhamole1, Rashmi R Nair, Stanislaus F D'Souza
1Food and Fermentation Technology Department, Institute of Chemical Technology, University of Mumbai, Matunga, Mumbai 400 019, India.
Abstract:
The aim of the present work was to study the treatment of high strength nitrate waste (40000 ppm NO(3) i.e., 9032 ppm NO(3)-N) by acclimatizing sludge initially capable of degrading dilute streams (100-200 ppm NO(3)-N). Sludge from an effluent treatment plant of a fertilizer industry was acclimatized for 15 d each at 1694, 3388, 6774 and 9032 ppm NO(3)-N in a 4 L sequencing batch reactor. Complete denitrification of extremely concentrated nitrate waste (9032 ppm NO(3)-N) using acclimatized sludge was achieved in just 6 h. During the acclimatization period, increase in nitrite peak value from zero to 5907 ppm NO(2)-N was observed, as the concentration was increased from 1694 to 9032 ppm NO(3)-N. Kinetic analysis of the nitrate and nitrite profile could reasonably support microbiological explanations for nitrite build up and changes in sludge composition.
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