title: Coupling the treatment of low strength anaerobic effluent with fermented biowaste for nutrient removal via nitrite.
abstract: Nutrient removal via nitrite was investigated in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) treating low strength effluent produced from an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB). Domestic organic waste (DOW) and vegetable and fruit waste (VFW) were fermented and applied as external carbon source to the SBR. Nutrient removal via nitrite was much higher when DOW fermentation liquid (FL) was applied rather than VFW FL and acetic acid. The DOW FL contained propionic acid and butyric acid in significant proportions, favouring the nutrient removal via nitrite, while the VFW FL contained mainly acetic acid, which was associated with lower nutrient via nitrite activity. The application of high volumetric nitrogen loading rate (vNLR = 0.19-0.21 kgN m(-3) d(-1)) in combination with low dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration during the aerobic phase, resulted in high and stable nitrite accumulation (NO2-N/NOx-N >97%). These conditions favoured the phosphorus uptake via nitrite, which reached high rates (5.95 ± 2.21 mgP (gVSS h)(-1)), while the aerobic phosphorus removal was much lower. Through mass balances, it was demonstrated that the application of the UASB-SBR process with nutrient removal via nitrite at a decentralized level is a sustainable solution for effective co-treatment of domestic sewage and biowaste.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie 15, 37134 Verona, Italy; Interuniversity Consortium ''Chemistry for the Environment'' (INCA), Via delle Industrie, 30175 Marghera, Venice, Italy; Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, Brunel University, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH Middlesex, UK.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Katsou
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie 15, 37134 Verona, Italy; Interuniversity Consortium ''Chemistry for the Environment'' (INCA), Via delle Industrie, 30175 Marghera, Venice, Italy. Electronic address: malamis.simos@gmail.com.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Malamis
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, University Ca'Foscari of Venice, Dorsoduro 2137, 30121 Venice, Italy.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Frison
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie 15, 37134 Verona, Italy; Interuniversity Consortium ''Chemistry for the Environment'' (INCA), Via delle Industrie, 30175 Marghera, Venice, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fatone
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000378:metabolism*; D019149:Bioreactors; D020148:Butyric Acid / Q000032:analysis; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis; D005285:Fermentation; D009573:Nitrites / Q000737:chemistry*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011422:Propionates / Q000032:analysis; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D009573:Nitrites; D011422:Propionates; D012722:Sewage; D020148:Butyric Acid; D010758:Phosphorus; D002244:Carbon; C029658:propionic acid; D009584:Nitrogen; D019342:Acetic Acid
keywords: Biowaste; Denitrifying phosphorus removal via nitrite; Fermentation liquid; Nitritation/denitritation; Sequencing batch reactor; Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket