Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 17, 2026

Electrochemically and Bioelectrochemically Induced Ammonium Recovery
Published on: January 22, 2015
Removal of ammonium-nitrogen from groundwater using a fully passive permeable reactive barrier with oxygen-releasing
Guoxin Huang1, Fei Liu2, Yingzhao Yang3
1Beijing Key Laboratory of Water Resources & Environmental Engineering, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China; China Meat Research Center, Beijing Academy of Food Sciences, Beijing 100068, China.
Abstract:
A novel fully passive permeable reactive barrier (PRB) with oxygen-releasing compound (ORC) and clinoptilolite was proposed for the removal of ammonium-nitrogen from groundwater. The PRB involves a combination of oxygen release, biological nitrification, ion exchange, and bioregeneration. A pilot-scale performance comparison experiment was carried out employing three parallel columns to assess the proposed PRB. The results showed that the PRB achieved nearly complete [Formula: see text] depletion (>99%). [Formula: see text] of 5.23-10.88 mg/L was removed, and [Formula: see text] of <1.93 mg/L and [Formula: see text] of 2.03-19.67 mg/L were generated. Ion exchange and biological nitrification both contributed to [Formula: see text] removal, and the latter played a dominant role under the condition of sufficient oxygen. Biological nitrification favored a delay in sorption saturation and a release of exchange sites. The ORC could sufficiently, efficiently supply oxygen for approximately 120 pore volumes. The clinoptilolite ensured a robust [Formula: see text] removal in case of temporary insufficient biological activities. No external alkalinity sources had to be supplied and no inhibition of aerobic metabolism occurred. The ceramicite had a negligible effect on the biomass growth. Based on the research findings, a full-scale continuous wall PRB was installed in Shenyang, China in 2012.
Related Concept Videos
Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs
Microbial Bioremediation of Uranium
Bioremediation
Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism
The largest pool of nitrogen available in the terrestrial ecosystem is gaseous nitrogen (N2) from the air, but this...
Drug Elimination by Renal Route: Tubular Reabsorption
Inorganic Nitrogen Assimilation

