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The performance of nitrate-reducing Fe(II) oxidation processes under variable initial Fe/N ratios: The fate of nitrogen and iron species

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Abstract

The Fe/N ratio is an important control on nitrate-reducing Fe(II) oxidation processes that occur both in the aquatic environment and in wastewater treatment systems. The response of nitrate reduction, Fe oxidation, and mineral production to different initial Fe/N molar ratios in the presence of Paracoccus denitrificans was investigated in 132 h incubation experiments. A decrease in the nitrate reduction rate at 12 h occurred as the Fe/N ratio increased. Accumulated nitrite concentration at Fe/N ratios of 2–10 peaked at 12–84 h, and then decreased continuously to less than 0.1 mmol/L at the end of incubation. N2O emission was promoted by high Fe/N ratios. Maximum production of N2 occurred at a Fe/N ratio of 6, in parallel with the highest mole proportion of N2 resulting from the reduction of nitrate (81.2%). XRD analysis and sequential extraction demonstrated that the main Fe minerals obtained from Fe(II) oxidation were easily reducible oxides such as ferrihydrite (at Fe/N ratios of 1–2), and easily reducible oxides and reducible oxides (at Fe/N ratios of 3–10). The results suggest that Fe/N ratio potentially plays a critical role in regulating N2, N2O emissions and Fe mineral formation in nitrate-reducing Fe (II) oxidation processes.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Key R & D Program of China (No. 2017YFC0505305) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 2662018JC053).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Resources and Environment, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China

    Boyi Cheng, Yi Wang & Yumei Hua

  2. School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, UK

    Kate V. Heal

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  1. Boyi Cheng
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  2. Yi Wang
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  3. Yumei Hua
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  4. Kate V. Heal
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Correspondence to Yumei Hua.

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Highlights

• Bacterially-mediated coupled N and Fe processes examined in incubation experiments.

• NO3− reduction was considerably inhibited as initial Fe/N ratio increased.

• The maximum production of N2 occurred at an initial Fe/N molar ratio of 6.

• Fe minerals produced at Fe/N ratios of 1–2 were mainly easily reducible oxides.

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11783_2020_1366_MOESM1_ESM.pdf

The performance of nitrate-reducing Fe(II) oxidation processes under variable initial Fe/N ratios: The fate of nitrogen and iron species

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Cheng, B., Wang, Y., Hua, Y. et al. The performance of nitrate-reducing Fe(II) oxidation processes under variable initial Fe/N ratios: The fate of nitrogen and iron species. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng. 15, 73 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-020-1366-2

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