Biological Nitrogen Removal Database

A manually curated data resource for microbial nitrogen removal


Groundwater Water systems


Experimental setup


Influent:Groundwater

Denitrification system:nan

Denitrifying reactor:Fluidized

Medium:Cellulose

Culture taken from:strain 47

Organism (s) cultured:nan

Respiration:nan

Electron donor:Soluble starch

Electron acceptor:Nitrate


Experimental Information


Input NO3-N (mg/l):13-17

Nitrate removal rate (mg NO3-N/l/h):nan

Denitrification rate (gNO3-N removed/m3/day):460

Microorganisms identified:nan

Molecular tools:nan


Information about Article


Major findings:The on-site denitrification system described here can be used in future in groundwater systems. Starch was used as a non-toxic carbon source.

Authors:Kim et al., 2002

Title:On-site nitrate removal of groundwater by an immobilized psychrophilic denitrifier using soluble starch as a carbon source

Pubmed link:None

Full research link:Link

Abstract:On-site denitrification of nitrate-contaminated groundwater was conducted at 15°C using a facultative psychrophilic denitrifier (strain 47) immobilized on macro-porous cellulose carriers and utilizing soluble starch as a non-toxic carbon source. A C/N ratio of 2.5 to 3.0 and a P/N ratio of 0.05 to 0.10 were found to allow complete denitrification of the groundwater used in this study. Under these conditions, the long-term performance of the system (4 months) was examined by decreasing the HRT (hydraulic retention time) from 4 h to 0.25 h. The process was stable and 95 to 100% of the influent nitrogen (NO3-N ranging from 13.0 to 16.5 mgl-1) was removed until an HRT of 0.75 h was reached. The maximum NO3-N removal rate was 0.46 kg-Nm?3d?1 at an HRT of 0.75 h. Nitrogen removal efficiency of 99.5% at an HRT of 1 h was obtained with a C/N ratio 2.58, corresponding to 4.3 g of soluble starch per 1 g of NO3-N.