Mirza, M.W. - Department of Civil Engineering, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India
D'Silva, T.C. - Department of Civil Engineering, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India
Gani, K.M. - Institute of Water and Wastewater Technology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa
Afsar, S.S. - - Department of Civil Engineering, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India
Gaur, R.Z. - Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Newe Yaar Research Center, Ramat Yishai, Israel
Mutiyar, P.K. - National Mission for Clean Ganga, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India, New Delhi, India
Khan, A.A. - Department of Civil Engineering, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India
Diamantis, V. - Department of Environmental Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, Xanthi, Greece
BACKGROUND: This study explores the feasibility of three different inoculum sources (anaerobic, aerobic, and anoxic sludge from conventional sewage treatment plants) together with the potential of biomass carrier for Anaerobic ammonium oxidation bacteria (anammox) cultivation. Fed-batch reactors were operated with synthetic medium at different temperatures. RESULTS: The reactor inoculated with anaerobic sludge and biomass carrier showed close to stoichiometric nitrite to ammonia utilization (1.2:1) and the highest ammonia removal (12.2 mg NH4+·g VS−1·day−1), followed by the reactor inoculated with activated sludge without carrier (4.3 mg NH4+·g VS−1·day−1), which also showed close to stoichiometric nitrite to ammonia utilization. Anammox development was recorded by higher nitrogen removal, gradually increasing gas production rate, and the presence of Brocadiaceae anammox family bacteria. All batch reactors revealed significant phosphorus removal (>80%), which was attributed to the co-existence of anammox bacteria (Brocadiaceae) with denitrifying polyphosphate accumulating organisms (flavobacterium sp.). CONCLUSION: The results of this study revealed that anaerobic sludge and activated sludge from sewage treatment plants with biomass carriers for microbial immobilization were suitable for anammox bacteria enrichment. The co-existence of anammox bacteria with denitrifying polyphosphate accumulating microorganisms reveals new possibilities for simultaneous nitrogen and phosphate removal.
