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Updated: Mar 20, 2026

Estimating Sediment Denitrification Rates Using Cores and N2O Microsensors
Published on: December 6, 2018
Sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification from the micro-polluted water
Weili Zhou1, Xu Liu1, Xiaojing Dong1
1School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
Autotrophic denitrification using thiosulfate as an electron donor effectively removes nitrogen from low C/N water bodies. This method, utilizing ceramsite carriers, proved feasible for treating micro-polluted lake water in pilot-scale experiments.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Water Treatment Engineering
- Microbiology
Background:
- Eutrophication, driven by excess nutrients, severely impacts lakes and reservoirs.
- Nitrogen removal from low C/N water bodies is critical for ecosystem health.
- Autotrophic denitrification presents a potential solution for nitrogen contamination.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate autotrophic denitrification using sulfur compounds as electron donors in biofilter reactors.
- To identify optimal sulfur compounds and carriers for efficient nitrogen removal.
- To evaluate the feasibility of this process for treating real micro-polluted lake water.
Main Methods:
- Laboratory-scale experiments were conducted using various sulfur compounds and carriers in biofilter reactors.
- Thiosulfate was identified as the optimal electron donor, and ceramsite as the preferred carrier.
- Optimum operating parameters were determined, followed by a pilot-scale experiment using West Lake water.
Main Results:
- Different sulfur compounds and carriers significantly impacted denitrification performance.
- Thiosulfate and ceramsite demonstrated superior denitrification efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and hydraulic load resistance.
- Pilot-scale tests confirmed the process's applicability to real micro-polluted lake water.
Conclusions:
- Autotrophic denitrification with thiosulfate is an effective method for nitrogen removal from low C/N water.
- Ceramsite is a suitable carrier material for this denitrification process.
- The investigated method is feasible and applicable for treating micro-polluted lake water, such as that from West Lake, China.
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