Physiological and kinetic characterization of a suspended cell anammox culture

• Published in: Water research (Oxford) Vol. 60; pp. 1 - 14
• Main Authors: Lotti, T., Kleerebezem, R., Lubello, C., van Loosdrecht, M.C.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier 01.09.2014
• Subjects: Ammonia - metabolism; anaerobic ammonium oxidation; Anaerobiosis; Applied sciences; Bacteria; Bacteria - genetics; Bacteria - growth & development; Bacteria - isolation & purification; Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of waters; Biomass; bioreactors; Bioreactors - microbiology; Biotechnology; Constants; Culture; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; Enrichment; Environment and pollution; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General purification processes; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Kinetics; Mass transfer; microbial communities; Molecular Sequence Data; nitrifying bacteria; nitrites; nitrogen; Nitrogen - metabolism; Nitrogen removal; Oxidation-Reduction; Phylogeny; Pollution; Reaction kinetics; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sewage - microbiology; sewage sludge; stoichiometry; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Wastewaters; Water treatment and pollution; Stoichiometry; Water treatment; Ammonium; Growth rate; Nitrites; Anammox process; Nitrogen compounds; Anammox; Microbial biomass; Biological purification; Membrane reactor; Bioreactor; Free-cells suspension; Anaerobe; Oxidation; Nitrite half saturation constant; Nitrogen source; Waste water purification; Granular sludge; Microbial community
• ISSN: 0043-1354; 1879-2448; 1879-2448
• DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2014.04.017

Anammox related technologies are currently widely applied for nitrogen removal from sewage sludge digester rejection water. Nevertheless, many aspects of the anammox process like the kinetic characteristics and the reaction stoichiometry are still subject of debate. Parameter values reported in literature are often hampered by mass transfer limitation or by the presence of a significant side population. In this study a membrane bioreactor (MBR) based method for growing a highly enriched anammox microbial community is described. The almost pure free-cells suspension of highly active anammox bacteria was used for detailed kinetic and stoichiometric analysis of the anammox process. The anammox culture enriched during this study had a biomass specific maximum growth rate of 0.21 d(-)(1) which is higher than ever reported before in literature. Using an experimental methodology based on imposing dynamic process conditions combined with process modeling and parameter estimation, the intrinsic nitrite half saturation constant was identified to be as low as 35 μg-N L(-)(1). This was confirmed to be an accurate estimation in the pH range of 6.8-7.5.