title: Batch operation of biofilter--free-water surface wetland series for enhancing nitritation and anammox.
abstract: This study compared two series of ecologically engineered treatment systems for nitrogen removal by enhancing nitritation and anammox. Each treatment series had two biofilters followed by one free-water surface (FWS) wetland. The first series included biofilters packed with marble chips and demonstrated a development process in nitrogen removal through the first 26 cycles of weekly batch operation. The series then stabilized at an average ammonium removal rate of 19.2 g N/m3 x d and total nitrogen removal rate of 10.6 g N/m3 x d during the latest 22 cycles. The second series, which consisted of biofilters packed with pea pebbles, experienced decreasing nitrogen removal rates. Anammox and heterotrophic denitrification accounted for 77% and 23%, respectively, of the total nitrogen removal in the marble biofilters. Nitrogen removal rates in the FWS wetlands increased significantly with ammonium loading rates increasing up to approximately 30 g N/m3.d. Ammonium and total nitrogen removal followed zero-order reaction kinetics. The marble biofilter-wetland series reached an ammonium removal rate of 30.3 g N/m3 x d and total nitrogen removal rate of 23.0 g N/m3 x d through the latest 22 cycles of batch operation at the average ammonium loading rate of 56.4 g N/m3 x d.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Resources Engineering, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York, Syracuse, New York 13210, USA. wtao@esf.edu
authors.forename: Wendong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Jianfeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huchzermeier
mesh_terms: D019149:Bioreactors; D002119:Calcium Carbonate; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*; D053833:Wetlands
chemical_list: D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014867:Water; D002119:Calcium Carbonate; D009584:Nitrogen