Biological Nitrogen Removal Database

A manually curated data resource for microbial nitrogen removal


Water Treatment Plant


Experimental setup


Influent:Synthetic wastewater

Denitrification system:Chemoautotrophic hydrogenotrophic denitrification

Denitrifying reactor:Membrane diffusion packed-bed bioreactor (MDPBR)

Medium:Polyethylene biofilm

Culture taken from:Activated sludge

Organism (s) cultured:nan

Respiration:Anaerobic

Electron donor:Hydrogen

Electron acceptor:Nitrate


Experimental Information


Input NO3-N (mg/l):261

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

Denitrification rate (gNO3-N removed/m3/day):225-230

Microorganisms identified:nan

Molecular tools:nan


Information about Article


Major findings:Results from hydrogenotrophic denitrification using MDPBR, was that the negative effects of organics and heterotrophic bacteria in secondary effluent were not observed. This is a promising technology for tertiary nitrogen removal from municipal wastewater

Authors:Li et al., 2013

Title:Hydrogenotrophic Denitrification for Tertiary Nitrogen Removal From Municipal Wastewater Using Membrane Diffusion Packed-Bed Bioreactor

Pubmed link:Link

Full research link:Link

Abstract:A lab-scale membrane diffusion packed-bed bioreactor was used to investigate hydrogenotrophic denitrification for tertiary nitrogen removal from municipal wastewater. After start-up, the bioreactor had been operated for 165 days by stepwise increasing influent loading rates at 30 and 15°C. The results indicated that this bioreactor could achieve relatively high nitrogen removal efficiencies. The denitrification rates reached 0.250 and 0.230 kg N/(m(3)d) at 30 and 15°C respectively. The total nitrogen concentration in effluent was entirely below 2.0 mg/L at the steady operation state. The average increase of total organic carbon in effluent was approximately 0.41 mg/L, suggesting the risk of organic residue can be completely controlled. Dissolved oxygen (DO) did not show obviously negative effects on hydrogenotrophic denitrification. There was only slight decrease of DO concentration in effluent, which demonstrated almost all of the hydrogen was used for nitrate reduction.