Performance evaluation of the anammox hybrid reactor seeded with mixed inoculum sludge

Long startup and poor granulation are the major bottlenecks in field-scale application of the anammox (ANaerobic AMMonium OXidation) process. In the present study, the anammox process was investigated in a modified anammox hybrid reactor (AHR) inoculated with mixed seed culture (anoxic and activated sludge). The startup study delineated four distinct phases, i.e. cell lysis, lag phase, activity elevation and stationary phase. Use of mixed seed culture at influent [Formula: see text] ratio (1:1) and hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 1 d led to early startup of the anammox process. The removal efficiencies of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] during acclimation were found to be 94.3% and 96.4%, respectively, at nitrogen loading rate (NLR) of 0.35 kg N/m(3) d. Pearson correlation analysis dictated strong and positive correlation of HRT and sludge retention time (SRT) with nitrogen removal efficiency (NRE) while NLR and sludge loading rate (SLR) were negatively correlated. Attached growth system (AGS) in AHR contributed an additional 11% ammonium removal and reduced the sludge washout rate by 29%. Mass balance of nitrogen revealed that the major fraction (74.1%) of input nitrogen was converted into N2 gas indicating higher substrate conversion efficiency of anammox biomass. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) study of biomass indicated the presence of heterogeneous population of cocci and rod-shaped bacteria of average diameter varying from 1.2 to 1.5 mm. Owing to the features of early start-up, ability to retain high biomass and consistently higher NRE, hybrid reactor configuration seeded with mixed culture offers noble strategy for cultivation of well-compacted anammox granules for field-scale installation.