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Updated: Jun 10, 2026

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
High-rate nitrogen removal by the Anammox process with a sufficient inorganic carbon source
Jiachun Yang1, Li Zhang, Yasuhiro Fukuzaki
1Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Kumamoto 860-8555, Japan. 091d9126@st.kumamoto-u.ac.jp
Abstract:
This study focused on high-rate nitrogen removal by the anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox) process with a sufficient inorganic carbon (IC) source. Experiments were carried out in an up-flow column Anammox reactor fed with synthetic inorganic wastewater for 110 days. The IC source was added into the influent tank in the form of bicarbonate. The results confirmed the positive impact of inorganic matter on stimulating Anammox activity. After the addition of sufficient IC, the nitrogen removal rate sharply increased from 5.2 to 11.8 kg-Nm(-3)day(-1) within only 32 days. NO(2)-N inhibition was not observed even at NO(2)-N concentrations greater than 460 mgN/L, indicating the enriched Anammox consortium adapted to high NO(2)-N concentrations. The ratio of NO(2)-N removal, NO(3)-N production and NH(4)-N removal for the reactor was correspondingly changed from 1.21:0.21:1 to 1.24:0.18:1. Simultaneously, the sludge volume index of the Anammox granules decreased markedly from 36.8 to 21.5 mL/g, which was attributed to the implementation of proper operational strategy. In addition, DNA analysis revealed that a shift from the KSU-1 strain to the KU2 strain occurred in the Anammox community.
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