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Anammox process for nitrogen removal from anaerobically digested fish canning effluents.
A Dapena-Mora1, J L Campos, A Mosquera-Corral
1Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Santiago de Compostela, Rua Lope Gómez de Marzoa s/n, E-15782, Spain.
Summary
The Sharon-Anammox process effectively treats high-nitrogen, high-salinity industrial wastewater. Controlling the nitrite to ammonium ratio is key for optimal nitrogen removal efficiency.
Area of Science:
- Environmental biotechnology
- Wastewater treatment
- Microbial processes
Background:
- Industrial wastewaters, such as from fish canneries, often contain high concentrations of ammonium, organic carbon, and salinity.
- The Sharon process (partial nitrification) partially oxidizes ammonium to nitrite.
- Anaerobic digestion is used as a pre-treatment step, generating effluent with high ammonium and organic carbon content.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of the Anammox process in treating effluent from anaerobic digestion of fish cannery wastewater.
- To assess the impact of high salinity and nitrogen loading on the Anammox process.
- To investigate the bacterial population dynamics and robustness of the Anammox reactor.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing a two-step Sharon-Anammox system for wastewater treatment.
- Feeding effluent from anaerobic digestion (pre-treated by Sharon reactor) to the Anammox reactor.
- Monitoring nitrogen removal efficiency, ammonium, nitrite, and salinity levels.
- Analyzing bacterial population distribution using Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH) and batch activity assays.
Main Results:
- The Sharon-Anammox system achieved an average nitrogen removal efficiency of 68%.
- The process was limited by the non-stoichiometric ratio of ammonium to nitrite in the influent.
- The Anammox reactor demonstrated robustness despite variations in influent composition, with stable bacterial populations.
- Process destabilization occurred when nitrite concentration exceeded ammonium concentration, leading to reduced nitrogen removal.
Conclusions:
- The Sharon-Anammox system is a viable option for treating high-nitrogen and high-salinity industrial wastewaters.
- Effective nitrogen removal is dependent on maintaining an appropriate nitrite to ammonium ratio.
- The Anammox process exhibits resilience to influent variations, but stoichiometric balance is crucial for optimal performance.