Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2026

08:13
A Novel Bioreactor for High Density Cultivation of Diverse Microbial Communities
Published on: December 25, 2015
Partial nitrification using an electrolytic aerating bioreactor with ammonia-oxidizing bacteria-dominant activated
Soojeong Shin1, Suk Soon Choi, Young Je Yoo
1School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
Biotechnology Letters
|February 3, 2011
Summary
This study optimized ammonia removal from wastewater using an electrolytic aerating bioreactor. A specialized activated sludge culture achieved a maximum ammonia removal rate of 0.64 mM NH(3)/l h.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Engineering
- Biotechnology
- Wastewater Treatment
Background:
- Ammonia is a major pollutant in wastewater, causing eutrophication and toxicity.
- Partial nitrification is a key step in biological nutrient removal processes.
- Developing efficient bioreactors for ammonia removal is crucial for environmental protection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of an electrolytic aerating bioreactor for partial nitrification of ammonia.
- To optimize the bioreactor conditions for maximum ammonia removal.
- To assess the performance of a specialized activated sludge culture in ammonia removal.
Main Methods:
- Culturing activated sludge for 8 months to enrich ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB).
- Utilizing an electrolytic aerating bioreactor for wastewater treatment.
- Measuring ammonia removal rates under specific operational conditions.
Main Results:
- AOB-dominant activated sludge was successfully cultured.
- The bioreactor achieved a maximum ammonia removal rate of 0.64 mM NH(3)/l h.
- Optimal performance was observed with 5.4 g mixed liquor suspended solids/l in a 50 ml reactor.
Conclusions:
- Electrolytic aerating bioreactors are effective for partial nitrification.
- AOB-dominant sludge enhances ammonia removal efficiency.
- This method offers a promising approach for treating ammonia-rich wastewater.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Microbes and the Nitrogen Cycle
The nitrogen cycle is a complex biogeochemical process critical to maintaining the balance of nitrogenous compounds in ecosystems. This cycle involves multiple microbial-mediated transformations through which nitrogen changes oxidation states, supporting essential ecological functions and contributing to plant and microbial growth.Nitrogen Fixation and AmmonificationNitrogen fixation initiates the cycle by converting inert atmospheric nitrogen (N₂) into bioavailable ammonia (NH₃), a process...
Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs
Chemolithotrophs are microorganisms that obtain energy by oxidizing inorganic molecules such as hydrogen gas (H₂), ammonia (NH₃), reduced sulfur compounds (H₂S, S²⁻), and ferrous iron (Fe²⁺). Unlike heterotrophic organisms that rely on organic carbon, chemolithotrophs transfer electrons from these inorganic donors to the electron transport chain (ETC), generating a proton motive force (PMF) that drives ATP synthesis through oxidative phosphorylation. However, because inorganic electron donors...
Inorganic Nitrogen Assimilation
Nitrogen is an essential element in biological systems, forming a crucial component of proteins, nucleic acids, and other cellular constituents. Many bacteria and archaea acquire nitrogen in the form of nitrate (NO₃⁻) or ammonia (NH₃), which are then assimilated into biomolecules through specific enzymatic pathways.Assimilatory Nitrate ReductionWhen nitrate enters the cell, it undergoes a two-step reduction process known as assimilatory nitrate reduction. Initially, the enzyme nitrate reductase...
Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism
Nitrogen is a very important element for life because it is a major constituent of proteins and nucleic acids. It is a macronutrient, and in nature, it is recycled from organic compounds and stored in the form of ammonia, ammonium ions, nitrate, nitrite, or nitrogen gas by many metabolic processes. Many of these metabolic processes are carried out only by prokaryotes.
The largest pool of nitrogen available in the terrestrial ecosystem is gaseous nitrogen (N2) from the air, but this nitrogen...
The largest pool of nitrogen available in the terrestrial ecosystem is gaseous nitrogen (N2) from the air, but this nitrogen...
Bioreactor Design and Operational System
Bioreactors are engineered vessels designed to cultivate microorganisms under controlled conditions for industrial bioprocessing. They maintain sterility and allow precise regulation of pH, temperature, oxygen, and nutrient levels to optimize microbial growth and metabolite production. Bioreactors range from small laboratory units of 1 liter to industrial systems holding up to 500,000 liters, though only about 75% of their volume is actively used for fermentation. The remaining headspace...
Microbial Wastewater Treatment
Microbial communities in aquatic ecosystems play a key role in the natural breakdown of contaminants introduced through domestic and industrial effluents. Acting as biological catalysts, these microbes change and mineralize a wide range of organic and inorganic pollutants under different redox conditions.In oxygen-rich surface waters, aerobic heterotrophs lead organic matter breakdown, using oxygen as the terminal electron acceptor to efficiently oxidize substrates to carbon dioxide and water.

