ISU Webcam

CE 521 Environmental Biotechnology

---

Innovative Technology for Nitrogen Removal – ANAMMOX

 Jae Ho Ho

 ABSTRACT

Nitrification and denitrification have long been regarded as separated reactions performed by two different kinds of species, autotrophic nitrifiers and heterotrophic denitrifiers. But recently it has been proved that both nitrifiers and denitrifiers have versatile metabolism. Conventional nitrifying bacteria also have ability to nitrify ammonium anaerobically.  And missing bacteria can also oxidize ammonium anaerobically with nitrite as electron acceptor. Now we name the reaction Anammox which is abbreviation of anaerobic ammonium oxidation. The conversion rate of Anammox, however, is lower than that of conventional aerobic autotrophic nitrification and anoxic heterotrophic denitrification. But it can be a good alterative for low C/N ratio wastewater because the Anammox process is autotrophic and there is no need for COD addition to support denitrification (Verstraete et al., 1998). To the practical view, the combination process of SHARON (Single reactor system for High-rate Ammonium Removal Over Nitrite) process and ANAMMOX process gives opportunities in the field of nitrogen removal. But one of biggest challenges is how to accelerate the low reaction rate and the slow growth rate of Anammox organisms.

KEYWORDS: Anammox, anaerobic ammonium oxidation, ammonium, nitrite, hydroxylamine, hydrazine, dinitrogen, nitritation  

---