Total inorganic nitrogen removal during the partial/complete nitrification for treating domestic wastewater: Removal pathways and main influencing factors.
Achieving nitrite accumulation was considered as the prerequisite of ANAMMOX, which hindered the application of ANAMMOX. In this study, total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) removal during the partial/complete nitrification was studied in a lab-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) for treating domestic wastewater. The results showed TIN was removed by denitrification, ANAMMOX and N2O emission during the partial/complete nitrification. AOB, AOA, Nitrobacter (NB), Nitrospira (NS), AnAOB and DNB were coexisted in the partial/complete nitrification. The microbial competition among these functional communities determined the type of nitrification, TIN removal and pathways. Since low DO concentrations benefits Nitrospira growth, the partial nitrification was damaged. After long-term operation, AOB gradually accommodated the low DO concentration. When Vmax,AOB (the maximum specific reaction rate of AOB) higher than Vmax,NOB (the maximum specific reaction rate of NOB), a part of nitrite was reduced by DNB and AnAOB. Therefore, TIN was removed during the complete nitrification.