Inorganic carbon limitation decreases ammonium removal and N2O production in the algae-nitrifying bacteria symbiosis system.

Li, Q; Xu, Y; Chen, S; Liang, C; Guo, W; Ngo, HH; Peng, L

Inorganic carbon limitation decreases ammonium removal and N2O production in the algae-nitrifying bacteria symbiosis system.

Li, Q Xu, Y Chen, S Liang, C Guo, W

Ngo, HH Peng, L

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Publisher:: Elsevier
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Sci Total Environ, 2024, 928, pp. 172440
Issue Date:: 2024-06-10

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Li, Q
dc.contributor.author	Xu, Y
dc.contributor.author	Chen, S
dc.contributor.author	Liang, C
dc.contributor.author	Guo, W https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5542-2858
dc.contributor.author	Ngo, HH
dc.contributor.author	Peng, L
dc.date.accessioned	2025-01-23T05:53:54Z
dc.date.available	2024-04-10
dc.date.available	2025-01-23T05:53:54Z
dc.date.issued	2024-06-10
dc.identifier.citation	Sci Total Environ, 2024, 928, pp. 172440
dc.identifier.issn	0048-9697
dc.identifier.issn	1879-1026
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/184113
dc.description.abstract	Ammonium removal by a symbiosis system of algae (Chlorella vulgaris) and nitrifying bacteria was evaluated in a long-term photo-sequencing batch reactor under varying influent inorganic carbon (IC) concentrations (15, 10, 5 and 2.5 mmol L-1) and different nitrogen loading rate (NLR) conditions (270 and 540 mg-N L-1 d-1). The IC/N ratios provided were 2.33, 1.56, 0.78 and 0.39, respectively, for an influent NH4+-N concentration of 90 mg-N L-1 (6.43 mmol L-1). The results confirmed that both ammonium removal and N2O production were positively related with IC concentration. Satisfactory ammonium removal efficiencies (>98 %) and rates (29-34 mg-N gVSS-1 h-1) were achieved regardless of NLR levels under sufficient IC of 10 and 15 mmol L-1, while insufficient IC at 2.5 mmol L-1 led to the lowest ammonium removal rates of 0 mg-N gVSS-1 h-1. The ammonia oxidation process by ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) played a predominant role over the algae assimilation process in ammonium removal. Long-time IC deficiency also resulted in the decrease in biomass and pigments of algae and nitrifying bacteria. IC limitation led to the decreasing N2O production, probably due to its negative effect on ammonia oxidation by AOB. The optimal IC concentration was determined to be 10 mmol L-1 (i.e., IC/N of 1.56, alkalinity of 500 mg CaCO3 L-1) in the algae-bacteria symbiosis reactor, corresponding to higher ammonia oxidation rate of ∼41 mg-N gVSS-1 h-1 and lower N2O emission factor of 0.13 %. This suggests regulating IC concentrations to achieve high ammonium removal and low carbon emission simultaneously in the algae-bacteria symbiosis wastewater treatment process.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	Elsevier
dc.relation.ispartof	Sci Total Environ
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172440
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess
dc.subject.classification	Environmental Sciences
dc.subject.mesh	Symbiosis
dc.subject.mesh	Carbon
dc.subject.mesh	Ammonium Compounds
dc.subject.mesh	Nitrification
dc.subject.mesh	Waste Disposal, Fluid
dc.subject.mesh	Bacteria
dc.subject.mesh	Chlorella vulgaris
dc.subject.mesh	Nitrous Oxide
dc.subject.mesh	Bioreactors
dc.subject.mesh	Water Pollutants, Chemical
dc.subject.mesh	Nitrogen
dc.subject.mesh	Chlorella vulgaris
dc.subject.mesh	Bacteria
dc.subject.mesh	Carbon
dc.subject.mesh	Nitrogen
dc.subject.mesh	Nitrous Oxide
dc.subject.mesh	Ammonium Compounds
dc.subject.mesh	Water Pollutants, Chemical
dc.subject.mesh	Bioreactors
dc.subject.mesh	Waste Disposal, Fluid
dc.subject.mesh	Symbiosis
dc.subject.mesh	Nitrification
dc.subject.mesh	Symbiosis
dc.subject.mesh	Carbon
dc.subject.mesh	Ammonium Compounds
dc.subject.mesh	Nitrification
dc.subject.mesh	Waste Disposal, Fluid
dc.subject.mesh	Bacteria
dc.subject.mesh	Chlorella vulgaris
dc.subject.mesh	Nitrous Oxide
dc.subject.mesh	Bioreactors
dc.subject.mesh	Water Pollutants, Chemical
dc.subject.mesh	Nitrogen
dc.title	Inorganic carbon limitation decreases ammonium removal and N2O production in the algae-nitrifying bacteria symbiosis system.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	928
utslib.location.activity	Netherlands
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups/Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater (CTWW)
utslib.copyright.status	embargoed	*
utslib.copyright.embargo	2026-04-16T00:00:00+1000Z
dc.date.updated	2025-01-23T05:53:53Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	928

Abstract:

Ammonium removal by a symbiosis system of algae (Chlorella vulgaris) and nitrifying bacteria was evaluated in a long-term photo-sequencing batch reactor under varying influent inorganic carbon (IC) concentrations (15, 10, 5 and 2.5 mmol L-1) and different nitrogen loading rate (NLR) conditions (270 and 540 mg-N L-1 d-1). The IC/N ratios provided were 2.33, 1.56, 0.78 and 0.39, respectively, for an influent NH4+-N concentration of 90 mg-N L-1 (6.43 mmol L-1). The results confirmed that both ammonium removal and N2O production were positively related with IC concentration. Satisfactory ammonium removal efficiencies (>98 %) and rates (29-34 mg-N gVSS-1 h-1) were achieved regardless of NLR levels under sufficient IC of 10 and 15 mmol L-1, while insufficient IC at 2.5 mmol L-1 led to the lowest ammonium removal rates of 0 mg-N gVSS-1 h-1. The ammonia oxidation process by ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) played a predominant role over the algae assimilation process in ammonium removal. Long-time IC deficiency also resulted in the decrease in biomass and pigments of algae and nitrifying bacteria. IC limitation led to the decreasing N2O production, probably due to its negative effect on ammonia oxidation by AOB. The optimal IC concentration was determined to be 10 mmol L-1 (i.e., IC/N of 1.56, alkalinity of 500 mg CaCO3 L-1) in the algae-bacteria symbiosis reactor, corresponding to higher ammonia oxidation rate of ∼41 mg-N gVSS-1 h-1 and lower N2O emission factor of 0.13 %. This suggests regulating IC concentrations to achieve high ammonium removal and low carbon emission simultaneously in the algae-bacteria symbiosis wastewater treatment process.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/184113