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N2O accumulation from denitrification under different temperatures

  • Environmental biotechnology
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Abstract

The effects of temperature on nitrous oxide (N2O) accumulation during denitrification and denitritation were investigated. Batch experiments were performed to measure N2O accumulation at 25 and 35 °C. More N2O accumulation was observed during denitritation at the higher temperature as compared with full denitrification and low temperature tests. The highest nitrite concentration tested in this study (25 mg/L NO2 −N and pH 8.0) did not show inhibitory effect on N2O reduction. It was found that the major cause of more N2O accumulation during denitrification at higher temperature was due to higher N2O production rate and lower N2O solubility. Specific nitrate, nitrite, and N2O reduction rates increased 62, 61, and 41 %, respectively, when temperature rose from 25 to 35 °C. The decrease of N2O solubility in mixed liquor at 35 °C (when compared to 25 °C) resulted in faster diffusing rate of N2O from liquid to gas phase. It was also more difficult for gas phase N2O to be re-dissolved. The diffused N2O was then accumulated in the headspace, which was not available for denitrification by denitrifiers. The results of this study suggest higher temperature may worsen N2O emission from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs).

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Acknowledgments

This project is supported by funding from Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Singapore (MEWR), Environment and Water Industry Programme Office (EWI) through project “Energy +: A novel integrated concept for retrofitting and optimizing existing wastewater treatment plants into energy self-sufficiency,” project reference number 2P 10004/95.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Advanced Environmental Biotechnology Centre (AEBC), Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute (NEWRI), Nanyang Technological University, 1 Cleantech Loop, CleanTech One, #06-08, Singapore, 637141, Singapore

    Leong Soon Poh, Xie Jiang, Yu Liu, Wun Jern Ng & Yan Zhou

  2. School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore

    Leong Soon Poh, Yu Liu, Wun Jern Ng & Yan Zhou

  3. DHI Water & Environment (S) Pte. Ltd., 1 Cleantech Loop, CleanTech One, #03-05, Singapore, 637141, Singapore

    Zhongbo Zhang

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  1. Leong Soon Poh
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  2. Xie Jiang
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  3. Zhongbo Zhang
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  4. Yu Liu
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  5. Wun Jern Ng
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  6. Yan Zhou
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Correspondence to Wun Jern Ng or Yan Zhou.

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Poh, L.S., Jiang, X., Zhang, Z. et al. N2O accumulation from denitrification under different temperatures. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 99, 9215–9226 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-015-6742-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-015-6742-7

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