Modelling of simultaneous nitrogen and thiocyanate removal through coupling thiocyanate-based denitrification with anaerobic ammonium oxidation

Xueming Chen, Linyan Yang, Jing Sun, Xiaohu Dai, Bing-Jie Ni*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

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Abstract

Thiocyanate (SCN)-based autotrophic denitrification (AD) has recently been demonstrated as a promising technology that could be integrated with anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox) to achieve simultaneous removal of nitrogen and SCN. However, there is still a lack of a complete SCN-based AD model, and the potential microbial competition/synergy between AD bacteria and Anammox bacteria under different operating conditions remains unknown, which significantly hinders the possible application of coupling SCN-based AD with Anammox. To this end, a complete SCN-based AD model was firstly developed and reliably calibrated/validated using experimental datasets. The obtained SCN-based AD model was then integrated with the well-established Anammox model and satisfactorily verified with experimental data from a system coupling AD with Anammox. The integrated model was lastly applied to investigate the impacts of influent NH4 +-N/NO2 -N ratio and SCN concentration on the steady-state microbial composition as well as the removal of nitrogen and SCN. The results showed that the NH4 +-N/NO2 -N ratio in the presence of a certain SCN level should be controlled at a proper value so that the maximum synergy between AD bacteria and Anammox bacteria could be achieved while their competition for NO2 would be minimized. For the simultaneous maximum removal (>95%) of nitrogen and SCN, there existed a negative relationship between the influent SCN concentration and the optimal NH4 +-N/NO2 -N ratio needed. High-level (>95%) simultaneous removal of nitrogen and thiocyanate could be achieved through combining thiocyanate-based autotrophic denitrification and Anammox.

Original languageEnglish
JournalEnvironmental Pollution
Volume253
Pages (from-to)974-980
ISSN0269-7491
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019

Keywords

  • Anaerobic ammonium oxidation
  • Microbial competition
  • Modelling
  • Synergy
  • Thiocyanate-based autotrophic denitrification

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