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High-rate nitrogen removal from livestock manure digester liquor by combined partial nitritation–anammox process

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Abstract

In this study, combination of a partial nitritation reactor, using immobilized polyethylene glycol (PEG) gel carriers, and a continuous stirred granular anammox reactor was investigated for nitrogen removal from livestock manure digester liquor. Successful nitrite accumulation in the partial nitritation reactor was observed as the nitrite production rate reached 2.1 kg-N/m3/day under aerobic nitrogen loading rate of 3.8 kg-N/m3/day. Simultaneously, relatively high free ammonia concentrations (average 50 mg-NH3/l) depressed the activity of nitrite oxidizing bacteria with nitrate concentration never exceeding 3% of TN concentration in the effluent of the partial nitritation reactor (maximum 35.2 mg/l). High nitrogen removal rates were achieved in the granular anammox reactor with the highest removal rate being 3.12 kg-N/m3/day under anaerobic nitrogen loading rate of 4.1 kg-N/m3/day. Recalcitrant organic compounds in the digester liquor did not impair anammox reaction and the SS accumulation in the granular anammox reactor was minimal. The results of this study demonstrated that partial nitritation–anammox combination has the potential to successfully remove nitrogen from livestock manure digester liquor.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Kumamoto, 860-8555, Japan

    Sen Qiao, Taichi Yamamoto, Motoki Misaka & Kenji Furukawa

  2. School of Environmental and Biological Science and Technology, Dalian University of Technology, No. 2 Linggong Road, 116023, Dalian, China

    Sen Qiao

  3. Hitachi Plant Technologies, Ltd., Kami-Hongo 537, Matsudo, Chiba, 271-0064, Japan

    Kazuichi Isaka & Tatsuo Sumino

  4. Environmental Assessment and Approvals Branch, Ontario Ministry of the Environment, 2-St. Clair Ave. W, 12A F, Toronto, ON, M4V 1L5, Canada

    Zafar Bhatti

Authors
  1. Sen Qiao
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  2. Taichi Yamamoto
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  3. Motoki Misaka
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  4. Kazuichi Isaka
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  5. Tatsuo Sumino
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  6. Zafar Bhatti
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  7. Kenji Furukawa
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Correspondence to Sen Qiao.

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Qiao, S., Yamamoto, T., Misaka, M. et al. High-rate nitrogen removal from livestock manure digester liquor by combined partial nitritation–anammox process. Biodegradation 21, 11–20 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-009-9277-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-009-9277-8

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