Mechanisms and characteristics of biofilm formation via novel DEAMOX system based on sequencing biofilm batch reactor

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiosc.2018.07.026Get rights and content

A denitrifying ammonium oxidation (DEAMOX) process has been regarded as an innovative process to simultaneously treat ammonia and nitrate containing wastewaters, whereas very limited research has focused on its application in biofilm system. In this research, a novel DEAMOX process was established with fixed sponge carriers in a sequencing biofilm batch reactor (SBBR). To investigate biofilm formation process and characteristics can encourage further research on DEAMOX system optimization, deteriorated performance recovery strategies and application with actual wastewater. Total nitrogen removal efficiency was maintained at 93.0 % after 240 days of operation. With biofilm growth, the protein-like extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and tightly-bound EPS (TB-EPS) of biofilms increased from 65.6 to 46.1, to 179.6 and 142.0 mg gVSS−1, respectively, revealing that protein-like substances and TB-EPS promote biofilm formation. The mechanism of biofilm formation was discussed by analyzing the morphological development and functional bacterial activities of biofilms. Furthermore, high anammox activity was obtained in biofilms with specific NH4+single bondN removal rates over 4.29 mgN gVSS−1h−1, which were significantly higher than in suspended sludge (2.56 mgN gVSS−1h−1). Quantitative polymerase chain reaction results showed that the abundance of anammox bacteria in biofilms increased from 1.87 % to 11.48 % with biofilm growth. These results imply that mature biofilms formed on carriers and the anammox bacteria were sufficient enriched in DEAMOX-SBBR system.

Section snippets

SBBR setup and its operation

As shown in Fig. 1, the DEAMOX process was operated in an SBBR reactor (working volume: 10.0 L). The reactor included a pH meter (WTW Company, WTW 3310, Munich, Germany) for monitoring the pH value and a heating rod for maintaining a stable operational temperature at 30 ± 5 °C. Two separated peristaltic pumps were utilized to supply influent substrates with 4.0 L synthetic water per cycle and carbon source to the reactor, respectively.

As shown in Fig. S1, the carriers were strung together by

Nitrogen removal performance of the DEAMOX-SBBR process

The DEAMOX-SBBR process was successfully operated for more than 240 days for biofilm formation. As shown in Fig. 2b, the reactor seed sludge quickly adapted to the high strength wastewater, with a maintained TN removal efficiency of 97.4 % in phase I. The effluent NH4+single bondN, NO3single bondN and NO2single bondN concentrations remained in the range of 0.12–12.63 mg L−1, 0–11.5 mg L−1 and 0.05–7.93 mg L−1, respectively. During phase I, carriers were added into the SBBR to form biofilms and promote anammox bacteria

Acknowledgments

This research was financially supported by Natural Science Foundation of China (21677005), 111 project (D16003) and the Funding Projects of Beijing Municipal Commission of Education.

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