Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 3, 2025

Experimental Column Setup for Studying Anaerobic Biogeochemical Interactions Between Iron OxyHydroxides, Trace Elements, and Bacteria
Published on: December 19, 2017
Promotion of nitrogen removal in a zero-valent iron-mediated nitrogen removal system operated in co-substrate mode
Han Yang1, Liangwei Deng2, Hongnan Yang2
1Biogas Institute of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu 610041, China; Laboratory of Development and Application of Rural Renewable Energy, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chengdu 610041, China; Chengdu Drainage Limited Liability Company, Chengdu 610000, China.
Abstract:
In this study, the performance and mechanism of nitrogen removal were investigated in a zero-valent iron-mediated nitrogen removal system operated in co-substrate mode with sodium acetate as the organic carbon source. The results showed that the additional organic matter had the capacity to promote NH4+-N and total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) removal with efficiencies of 91.09% and 84.10%, and increases of 60.06% and 75.32% compared with the control group, respectively. The organic matter also stimulated the production of extracellular polymer substances that reduced the passivation and toxicity of iron to microorganisms. The ammonia oxidation activity was 2.5 times higher than that in the control group, and the anammonia oxidation activity and denitrification activity were substantially higher than in the control group with TIN removal efficiencies of 1.02 and 1.19 mgN/(gVSS·d), respectively. In addition, the organic matter increased the enrichment of the heterotrophic denitrification bacterium Diaphorobacter and facultative iron salt-based bacterium Dechloromonas.
Related Concept Videos
Inorganic Nitrogen Assimilation
Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs
Coagulation
Redox Titration: Other Oxidizing and Reducing Agents
Microbial Nutrition
Redox Equilibria: Overview

