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Updated: May 15, 2026

A Synthetic Methodology for Preparing Impregnated and Grafted Amine-Based Silica Composites for Carbon Capture
Published on: September 29, 2023
Biological N removal from wastes generated from amine-based CO2 capture: case monoethanolamine
Ingrid Hauser1, Ana B Colaço, Julie A Skjæran
1Department of Biotechnology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7491, Trondheim, Norway. ingrid.hauser@ntnu.no
Abstract:
Large-scale amine-based CO(2) capture will generate waste containing large amounts of ammonia, in addition to contaminants such as the actual amine as well as degradation products thereof. Monoethanolamine (MEA) has been a dominant amine applied so far in this context. This study reveals how biological N removal can be achieved even in systems heavily contaminated by MEA in post- as well as pre-denitrification treatment systems, elucidating the rate-limiting factors of nitrification as well as aerobic and denitrifying biodegradation of MEA. The hydrolysis of MEA to ammonia readily occurred both in post- and pre-denitrification treatment systems with a hydraulic retention time of 7 h. MEA removal was ≥99 ± 1 % and total nitrogen removal 77 ± 10 % in both treatment systems. This study clearly demonstrates the advantage of pre-denitrification over post-denitrification for achieving biological nitrogen removal from MEA-contaminated effluents. Besides the removal of MEA, the removal efficiency of total nitrogen as well as organic matter was high without additional carbon source supplied.
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