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Updated: Aug 9, 2026
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Electrochemically and Bioelectrochemically Induced Ammonium Recovery
Published on: January 22, 2015
[Nitrification and denitrification in BACF for treating high ammonia source water]
Jian-Guang Liu1, Xiao-Jian Zhang, Zhan-Sheng Wang
1Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
Huan Jing Ke Xue= Huanjing Kexue
|April 8, 2006
Summary
Biological activated carbon filters effectively remove ammonia from water, achieving over 95% removal at low concentrations. Dissolved oxygen is crucial for nitrification efficiency, especially at higher ammonia levels.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Engineering
- Water Treatment Technologies
- Microbiology
Context:
- Micropolluted source waters pose challenges for ammonia removal.
- Biological Activated Carbon Filters (BACF) are investigated for advanced water treatment.
- Nitrification and denitrification processes are key to ammonia removal.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the efficacy of BACF for high ammonia removal from source water.
- To identify factors limiting ammonia removal efficiency in BACF.
- To understand the microbial processes occurring within the filter.
Summary:
- BACF demonstrated high ammonia removal rates (>95%) for influent concentrations below 1.0 mg/L.
- Removal efficiency decreased significantly (to ~30%) at higher ammonia concentrations (1.5-4.9 mg/L), particularly when influent dissolved oxygen (DO) was low (<10 mg/L).
- Influent DO was identified as the limiting factor; rapid DO depletion in the filter created aerobic and anoxic zones, promoting denitrification and accumulation of intermediates like nitrite.
Impact:
- Optimizing DO levels in BACF is critical for enhancing ammonia removal in high-ammonia source waters.
- Understanding the interplay between nitrification and denitrification under varying DO conditions is essential for effective wastewater treatment.
- The study highlights the potential for BACF in advanced treatment but underscores the need for careful operational control.
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