Comparison of Nine Membrane Pairs for Electrodialytic Removal of Nitrate Ions

Electrodialysis (ED) of NaNO3 solutions was performed to stress the role of the membrane pair as a unit i.e. the behavior as a whole of Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM) and Cation Exchange Membrane (CEM), in the process at room temperature. The membrane pair was also tested in the reclamation of nitric acid and sodium hydroxide. It was found that the membrane pair ranking in Limiting Current Density does not agree with that of ions leakage and both rankings are not the same as for Current Efficiency or Specific Power Consumption, each parameter for a specific membrane pair depends on the associated membrane and at a lesser degree on the flow rate. Results show that one cannot select a membrane or a membrane pair only by its limiting current density i.e. it is necessary to evaluate several parameters of the process by characterizing the whole membrane pair and to decide the parameter of interest, i.e. denitrification speed, ions leakage, proton back migration, current efficiency or specific power consumption.

Influence of modified biochar supported sulfidation of nano-zero-valent-iron(S-nZVI/BC) on nitrate removal and greenhouse gas emission in constructed wetland

In this study,the biochar (BC) produced from sawdust,sludge,reed and walnut were used to support sulfidation of nano-zero-valent-iron (S-nZVI) to enhance nitrate NO_(3)^(-) removal and investigate the impact on greenhouse gas emissions.Batch experiment results showed the S-nZVI/BC(sawdust (2:1,500)),S-n ZVI/BC(sludge (2:1,900)),S-n ZVI/BC(reed (2:1,700)),and S-n ZVI/BC(walnut (2:1,700))respectively improved NO_(3)^(-) removal efficiencies by 22%,20%,3%and0.1%,and the selectivity toward N_(2)by 22%,25%,22%and 18%.S-nZVI uniformly loaded on BC provided electrons for the conversion of NO_(3)^(-) to N_(2)through Fe0.At the same time,FeSxlayer was formed on the outer layer of ZVI in the sulfidation process to prevent iron oxidation,so as to improve the electrons utilization efficiency After adding four kinds of S-nZVI/BC into constructed wetlands (CWs),the NO_(3)^(-) removal efficiencies could reach 100%and the N_(2)O emission fluxes were reduced by 24.17%-36.63%.And the average removal efficiencies of TN,COD,TP were increased by 21.9%,-16.5%,44.3%,repectively.The increasing relative abundances of denitrifying bacteria,such as Comamonas and Simplicispira,suggested that S-nZVI/BC could also improve the process of microbial denitrification.In addition,different S-nZVI/BC had different effects on denitrification functional genes (narG,nirk,nirS and nos Z genes),methanotrophs (pmoA) and methanogenesis (mcrA).This research provided an effective method to improve NO_(3)^(-) removal and reduce N_(2)O emission in CWs.

A combo technology of autotrophic and heterotrophic denitrification processes for groundwater treatment

In this study,a sequential process(heterotrophic up-flow column and completely mixed membrane bioreactors)was proposed combining advantages of the both processes.The system was operated for 249 days with simulated and real groundwater for nitrate removal at concentrations varying from 25 to 145 mg·L^(-1) NO_(3)^(-)-N.The contribution of heterotrophic process to total nitrate removal in the system was controlled by dozing the ethanol considering the nitrate concentration.By this way,sulfur based autotrophic denitrification rate was decreased and the effluent sulfate concentrations were controlled.The alkalinity requirement in the autotrophic process was produced in the heterotrophic reactor,and the system was operated without alkalinity supplementation.Throughout the study,the chemical oxygen demand in the heterotrophic reactor effluent was(23.7±22)mg L^(-1) and it was further decreased to(7.5±7.2)mg·L^(-1) in the system effluent,corresponding to a 70%reduction.In the last period of the study,the real groundwater containing 145 mg·L^(-1) NO_(3)^(-)-N was completely removed.Membrane was operated without chemical washing in the first 114 days.Between days 115-249 weekly chemical washing was required.

Nitrate removal from aqueous solutions by magnetic cationic hydrogel:Effect of electrostatic adsorption and mechanism

Excessive nitrate(NO3-)is among the most problematic surface water and groundwater pollutants.In this study,a type of magnetic cationic hydrogel(MCH)is employed for NO3-adsorption and well characterized herein.Its adsorption capacity is considerably pHdependent and achieves the optimal adsorption(maximum NO3--adsorption capacity is95.88±1.24 mg/g)when the pH level is 5.2-8.8.The fitting result using the homogeneous surface diffusion model indicates that the surface/film diffusion controls the adsorption rate,and NO3-approaches the center of MCH particles within 30 min.The diffusion coefficient(Ds)and external mass transfer coefficient(kF)in the liquid phase are1.15×10-6 cm2/min and 4.5×10-6 cm/min,respectively.The MCH is employed to treat surface water that contains 10 mg/L of NO3-,and it is found that the optimal magnetic separation time is 1.6 min.The high-efficiency mass transfer and magnetic separation of MCH during the adsorption-regeneration process favors its application in surface water treatment.Furthermore,the study of the mechanism involved reveals that both-N+(CH3)3 groups and NO3-are convoluted in adsorption via electrostatic interactions.It is further found that ion exchange between NO3-and chlorine occurs.

Bioaugmentation and quorum sensing disruption as solutions to increase nitrate removal in sequencing batch reactors treating nitrate-rich wastewater

Bioaugmentation of denitrifying bacteria can serve as a promising technique to improve nutrient removal during wastewater treatment. While denitrification inhibition by bacterial quorum sensing(QS) in Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been indicated, the application of bacterial QS disruption to improve nitrate removal from wastewater has not been investigated. In this study, the effect of bioaugmentation of P. aeruginosa SD-1 on nitrate removal in sequencing batch reactors that treat nitrate rich wastewater was assessed. Additionally, the potential of a quorum sensing inhibitor(QSI) to improve denitrification following bacterial bioaugmentation was evaluated. Curcumin, a natural plant extract, was used as a QSI. The chemical oxygen demand(COD) and initial nitrate concentration of the influent were 700 ±20 mg/L and 200 ±10 mg/L respectively, and their respective concentrations in the effluent were 56.9 ±3.2 mg/L and 9.0 ±3.2 mg/L. Thus, the results revealed that bioaugmentation of P. aeruginosa SD-1 resulted in an increased nitrate removal to 82% ±1%. Further, nitrate was almost completely removed following the addition of the QSI, and activities of nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase increased by 88% ±2% and 74% ±2% respectively. The nitrogen mass balance indicated that aerobic denitrification was employed as the main pathway for nitrogen removal in the reactors. The results imply that bioaugmentation and modulation of QS in denitrifying bacteria, through the use of a QSI, can enhance nitrate removal during wastewater treatment.

Optimization and evaluation of a bottom substrate denitrification tank for nitrate removal from a recirculating aquaculture system

A bottom substrate denitrification tank for a recirculating aquaculture system was developed. The laboratory scale denitrification tank was an 8 L tank （0.04 m2 tank surface area）, packed to a depth of 5 cm with a bottom substrate for natural denitrifying bacteria. An aquarium pump was used for gentle water mixing in the tank; the dissolved oxygen in the water was maintained in aerobic conditions （e.g. 〉 2 mg/L） while anoxic conditions predominated only at the bottom substrate layer. The results showed that, among the four substrates tested （soil, sand, pumice stone and vermiculite）, pumice was the most preferable material. Comparing carbon supplementation using methanol and molasses, methanol was chosen as the carbon source because it provided a higher denitrification rate than molasses. When methanol was applied at the optimal COD：N ratio of 5：1, a nitrate removal rate of 4591 ± 133 mg-N/m2 tank bottom area/day was achieved. Finally, nitrate removal using an 80 L denitrification tank was evaluated with a 610 L recirculating tilapia culture system. Nitrate treatment was performed by batch transferring high nitrate water from the nitrification tank into the denitrification tank and mixing with methanol at a COD：N ratio of 5：1. The results from five batches of nitrate treatment revealed that nitrate was successfully removed from water without the accumulation of nitrite and ammonia. The average nitrate removal efficiency was 85.17% and the average denitrification rate of the denitrification tank was 6311 ± 945 mg-N/m2 tank bottom area/day or 126 ± 18 mg-N/L of pumice packing volume/day.

Scrap Iron Filings assisted nitrate and phosphate removal in low C/N waters using mixed microbial culture

This study focuses on identifying the factors under which mixed microbial seeds assist bio-chemical denitrification when Scrap Iron Filings(SIF)are used as electron donors and adsorbents in low C/N ratio waters.Batch studies were conducted in abiotic and biotic reactors containing fresh and aged SIF under different dissolved oxygen concentrations with NO_(3)^(-)−N and/or PO_(4)^(3−)influent(s)and their nitrate/phosphate removal and by-product formations were studied.Batch reactors were seeded with a homogenized mixed microbial inoculum procured from natural sludges which were enriched over 6 months under denitrifying conditions in the presence of SIF.Results indicated that when influent containing 40 mg/L of NO_(3)^(-)−N was treated with 5 g SIF,79.9%nitrate reduction was observed in 8 days abiotically and 100%removal was accomplished in 20 days when the reactor was seeded.Both abiotic and seeded reactors removed more than 92%PO_(4)^(3−)under high DO conditions in 12 days.Abiotic and biochemical removal of NO_(3)^(-)−N and abiotic removal of PO_(4)^(3−)were higher under independent NO_(3)^(-)−N/PO_(4)^(3−)loading,while 99%PO_(4)^(3−)was removed biochemically under combined NO_(3)^(-)−N and PO_(4)^(3−)loading.This study furthers the understandings of nitrate and phosphate removal in Zero Valent Iron(ZVI)assisted mixed microbial systems to encourage the application of SIF-supported bio-chemical processes in the simultaneous removals of these pollutants.

Nitrate removal and extracellular polymeric substances of autohydrogenotrophic bacteria under various pH and hydrogen flow rates

In recent years there has been an increasing interest in the use of autohydrogenotrophic bacteria to treat nitrate from wastewater. However, our knowledge about the characteristics of extracellular polymeric substances（EPS） releasing by these activities is not yet very advanced. This study aimed to investigate the change in EPS compositions under various p H values and hydrogen flow rates, taking into consideration nitrogen removal. Results showed that p H 7.5 and a hydrogen flow rate of 90 m L/min were the optimal operating conditions, resulting in 100% nitrogen removal after 6 hr of operation. Soluble and bound polysaccharides decreased, while bound proteins increased with increasing p H. Polysaccharides increased with increasing hydrogen flow rate. No significant change of bound proteins was observed at various hydrogen flow rates.

Pseudomonas mendocina LYX:A novel aerobic bacterium with advantage of removing nitrate high effectively by assimilation and dissimilation simultaneously

The problem of nitrate accumulation in aerobic tank and total nitrogen excessive discharge in effluent was very common in traditional livestock and poultry farming wastewater treatment systems owing to the lengthy process flow and low process control level.A strain LYX of aerobic bacterium was isolated from the activated sludge of a wastewater treatment system in a pig farm,which could remove nitrate effectively in aerobic tank and was identified Pseudomonas mendocina by 16S rRNA sequencing.Under the condition of nitrate as the sole nitrogen source,this strain removed over 90%of NO_(3)^(−)-N with an initial concentration of 110 mg/L under aerobic conditions within 48 hours.Among them,37.9%of NO_(3)^(−)-N was assimilated into Bio-N,about 51.9%was reduced to gaseous nitrogen and less than 0.5%of nitrogen was replaced by NO_(3)^(−)-N and NH_(4)^(+)-N,9.7%NO_(3)^(−)-N remained in the effluent at the end.At the same time,four key genes(napA,nirK,norB and nosZ)related to nitrate nitrogen removal were expressed during the denitrification process of P.mendocina LYX,in which the transcription level of the indicator genes of this aerobic denitrifying bacterium(napA)was the highest.In addition,it was found with the 15N tracer technique that inoculation of this strain on sludge increased the amount of nitrogen loss from 9.26 nmol N/(g·h)to 23.835 nmol N/(g·h).Therefore,P.medocina LYX is a potential bioagent for advanced nitrogen removal by assimilating and reducing nitrate simultaneously in aerobic tanks.

Remediation of nutrient-rich waters using the terrestrial plant, Pandanus amaryllifolius Roxb.

Effective control of eutrophication is generally established through the reduction of nutrient loading into waterways and water bodies. An economically viable and ecologically sustainable approach to nutrient pollution control could involve the integration of retention ponds, wetlands and greenways into water management systems. Plants not only play an invaluable role in the assimilation and removal of nutrients, but they also support fauna richness and can be aesthetically pleasing. Pandanus amaryllifolius, a tropical terrestrial plant, was found to establish well in hydrophytic conditions and was highly effective in remediating high nutrient levels in an aquatic environment showing 100% removal of NO^-N up to 200 mg/L in 14 days. Phosphate uptake by the plant was less efficient with 64% of the PO4-P removed at the maximum concentration of 100 mg/L at the end of 6 weeks. With its high NO^-N and PO43--P removal efficiency, P. amaryllifolius depleted the nutrient-rich media and markedly contained the natural colonization of algae. The impediment of algal growth led to improvements in the water quality with significant decreases in turbidity, pH and electrical conductivity. In addition, the plants did not show stress symptoms when grown in high nutrient levels as shown by the changes in their biomass, total soluble proteins and chlorophyll accumulation as well as photochemical efficiency. Thus, P. amaryUifolius is a potential candidate for the mitigation of nutrient pollution in phytoremediation systems in the tropics as the plant requires low maintenance, is tolerant to the natural variability of weather conditions and fluctuating hydro-periods, and exhibit good nutrient removal capabilities.