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PubMed2007

The phylogeny of the genus Nitrobacter based on comparative rep-PCR, 16S rRNA and nitrite oxidoreductase gene sequence analysis.

Strains of Nitrobacter mediate the second step in the nitrification process by oxidizing nitrite to nitrate. The phylogenetic diversity of the genus is currently not well investigated. In this study, a rep-PCR profile and the nearly complete 16S rRNA gene sequence of 30 strains, comprising a wide physiological as well as ecological diversity and encompassing representatives of the four species, were determined. The sequence diversity of the 16S rRNA gene between different species was low, indicating the need for additional phylogenetic markers. Therefore, primers were developed for amplifying the complete nxrX gene and a 380bp fragment of the nxrB1 gene, which are both genes involved in the nitrite oxidation process. These genes confirmed the division into phylogenetic groups revealed by the 16S rRNA gene but showed a better discriminatory power. They can be a valuable additional tool for phylogenetic analysis within the genus Nitrobacter and can assist in the identification of new Nitrobacter isolates.

Africa↗
PubMed2006

Ammonia-oxidising Crenarchaeota: important players in the nitrogen cycle?

Cultivation-independent molecular surveys show that members of the kingdom Crenarchaeota within the domain Archaea represent a substantial component of microbial communities in aquatic and terrestrial environments. Recently, metagenomic studies have revealed that such Crenarchaeota contain and express genes related to those of bacterial ammonia monooxygenases. Furthermore, a marine chemolithoautotrophic strain was isolated that uses ammonia as a sole energy source. Considering the ubiquity and abundance of Crenarchaeota, these findings considerably challenge the accepted view of the microbial communities involved in global nitrogen cycling. However, the quantitative contribution of Archaea to nitrification in marine and terrestrial environments still remains to be elucidated.

Ammonia↗
PubMed2006

Leachate migration from spent mushroom substrate through intact and repacked subsurface soil columns.

Field weathering of spent mushroom substrate (SMS) produces soluble compost leachate that percolates into underlying soils and may adversely impact groundwater. Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate movement and retention of SMS leachate solutes in subsurface soil columns. Spent mushroom substrate leachate with high concentrations of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and inorganic salts was passively loaded to intact and repacked columns of Bt1 soil (fine-loamy, mixed, semiactive, mesic Typic Hapludults) and effluents were monitored for changes in chemical composition. Transport of SMS leachate in undisturbed soil cores was mainly via preferential flow, whereas matrix flow was predominant in repacked soil columns. Leachate DOM and phosphate were sorbed by soil minerals while Cl-, SO4(2-), Na+ and NH4+ were eluted. Leachate K+ displaced exchangeable native cations and was retained. Biodegradation of leachate DOM resulted in reduction and elution of soil Mn and Fe, especially in repacked columns. Persistent anoxia also inhibited nitrification. Precipitation of gypsum and CaCO3 blocked preferential flow channels, and movement of SMS leachate was subsequently reduced. The results demonstrate that SMS leachate migrates via rapid preferential flow initially, followed by matrix flow at a lower rate. Leachate solutes may transport to depth in soil profiles through preferential channels. To protect water resources, weathering of deep SMS piles should be conducted on compact surfaces or in fields with a condensed soil layer (no structural cracks) above the groundwater table, and measures controlling leachate runoff be imposed.

Adsorption↗
PubMed2005

Changes in the chemical and physicochemical properties of the solid fraction of cattle slurry during composting using different aeration strategies.

Replacement of peat as a growing medium by a renewable material, such as an organic waste, is an issue of concern since harvesting of peat has a considerable environmental impact and, actually, it is a non-renewable resource. Cattle manure is a readily available organic waste, which means that once it goes through the composting process, it can be used as an alternative to peat, specifically, the solid fraction obtained from mechanical liquid-solid separation of cattle slurry (SF). Studies have shown it to be suitable for such uses. The purpose of this study was to detect possible changes in the physicochemical and chemical properties of SF when it is composted using different aeration strategies, with an emphasis on the changes that would make it feasible for use as a substrate. With this aim in mind, an experiment was designed with three aeration strategies that would be used during composting. The first consisted of applying air through a static method (forced ventilation). The second involved improving aeration by adding a bulking agent and a dynamic turning method. In the third strategy, aeration was carried out by turning (control). The results show that the different aeration strategies had a clear effect on the evolution of pH, electrical conductivity (EC), nitrate-N, ammonia-N and bicarbonate content. Nitrification was favored under good aeration conditions using the static composting method, probably due to the greater availability of ammonia-N that was transformed into nitrate-N. In general, the low buffering capacity allowed for a reduction of the pH during the curing stage of composting (in conjunction with low temperatures during this period), a characteristic that favors the use of this compost as a growing medium. We also conclude that measuring bicarbonate levels during composting could be used as an indicator of the possible acidification of the material and as a way of evaluating the level of material aeration.

Air↗
PubMed2005

A full-scale study of treatment of pig slurry by composting: kinetic changes in chemical and microbial properties.

Since the indiscriminate disposal of pig slurry can cause not only air pollution and bad odours but also nutrient pollution of ground waters and superficial waters, composting is sometimes used as one environmentally acceptable method for recycling pig manure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of composting pig slurry on its sanitation (evaluated by ecotoxicity assays and pathogen content determination), as well as to determine the effect of a carbon-rich bulking agent (wood shavings, WS) and the starting C/N ratio on the changes undergone by different chemical (volatile organic matter, C and N fractions) and microbiological (microbial biomass C, ATP, dehydrogenase activity, urease, protease, phosphatase, and beta-glucosidase activities) parameters during composting. Pig slurry mixed with bulking agent (P+WS) and the solid faction separated from it, both with (PSF+WS) and without bulking agent (PSF), were composted for 13 weeks. Samples for analysis were taken from composting piles at the start of the process and at 3, 6, 9, and 13 weeks after the beginning of composting. The total organic carbon, water soluble C and ammonium content decreased with composting, while Kjeldahl N and nitrate content increased. The nitrification process in the PSF+WS pile was more intense than in the PSF or P+WS composting piles. The pathogen content decreased with composting, as did phytotoxic compounds, while the germination index increased with compost age. Piles with bulking agent showed higher values of basal respiration, microbial biomass carbon, ATP and hydrolase activities during the composting process than piles without bulking agent.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed2004

Enhanced ammonia nitrogen removal using consistent biological regeneration and ammonium exchange of zeolite in modified SBR process.

The modified zeo-SBR is recommended for a new nitrogen removal process that has a special function of consistent ammonium exchange and bioregeneration of zeolite-floc. Three sets of sequencing batch reactors, control, zeo-SBR, and modified zeo-SBR were tested to assess nitrogen removal efficiency. The control reactor consisted of anoxic-fill, aeration-mixing, settling, and decanting/idle phases, meaning that nitrogen removal efficiency was dependent on the decanting volume in a cycle. The zeo-SBR reactor was operated in the same way as the control reactor, except for daily addition of powdered zeolite in the SBR reactor. The operating order sequences in the zeo-SBR were changed in the modified zeo-SBR. Anoxic-fill phase was followed by aeration-mixing phase in the zeo-SBR, while aeration-mixing phase was followed by anoxic-fill phase in the modified zeo-SBR to carry NH4(+)-N over to the next operational cycle and to reduce total nitrogen concentration in the effluent. In the modified zeo-SBR, nitrification and biological regeneration occurred during the initial aeration-mixing phase, while denitrification and ammonium adsorption occurred in the following anoxic-fill phase. The changed operational sequence in the modified zeo-SBR to adapt the ammonium adsorption and biological regeneration of the zeolite-floc could enhance nitrogen removal efficiency. As a result of the continuous operation, the nitrogen removal efficiencies of the control and zeo-SBR were in 68.5-70.9%, based on the 33% of decanting volume for a cycle. The zeo-SBR showed a consistent ammonium exchange and bio-regeneration in the anoxic-fill and aeration-mixing phases, respectively. Meanwhile, the effluent total nitrogen of the modified zeo-SBR showed 50-60 mg N/L through ammonium adsorption of the zeolite-floc when the influent ammonium concentration was 315 mg N/L, indicating the T-N removal efficiency was enhanced over 10% in the same HRT and SRT conditions as those of control and zeo-SBR reactors. The ammonium adsorption capacity was found to be 6-7 mg NH4(+)-N/g FSS that is equivalent to 40 mg NH4(+)-N/L of ammonium nitrogen removal.

Adsorption↗
PubMed2004

Nitrogen control in AO process with recirculation of solubilized excess sludge.

In order to establish a sludgeless process with a nitrogen-controlled effluent, batch and continuous experiments in a lab scale anoxic-oxic (AO) process were carried out to investigate the possibility of ozonized sludge (OS) usage as a denitrification energy source. Through ozonation at an ozone dose of 1.2g O(3)/g MLVSS, 63.2% of treated MLVSS was solubilized, 12.7% of COD was lost (probably due to complete oxidation to CO(2)), and soluble COD/TN ratio of OS appeared to be only about 10.78 because ozonation released cellular proteins and other nitrogenous substances. In oxic conditions, incubation of OS supernatant with activated sludge generated nitrate without significant ammonia accumulation, which meant that rapid nitrification occurred following ammonia generation from heterotrophic degradation of nitrogen-bearing cellular substances. In anoxic conditions, externally supplied nitrate was removed at the expense of organic carbons in the OS supernatant. However, ammonia was accumulated as anoxic incubation proceeded probably because of heterotrophic degradation of nitrogenous materials as in oxic conditions. Thus it was appeared that solubilized excess sludge acted as a reducing power for denitrification but also as a nitrogen source. In addition, 24-41% of COD contained in OS supernatant were found to be consumed for denitrification. But the remaining COD was not assimilated further even in the presence of nitrate. It was concluded by a nitrogen balance analysis that the energy source contained in OS was not sufficient to completely reduce the nitrogen that was originated from OS itself to nitrogen gas.

Ammonia↗
PubMed2004

Effect of nitrite on phosphate uptake by phosphate accumulating organisms.

In biological nitrogen removal processes, nitrite can be formed and accumulated through both nitrification and denitrification. Despite the fact that, in practice, biological phosphate removal (BPR) is often combined with biological nitrogen removal, there are only a few publications reporting the effect of nitrite on BPR. In this study, phosphate-accumulating organisms (PAO) were cultivated in an anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic sequencing batch reactor (SBR). The effect of nitrite on the enrichment of the sludge with PAO, the phosphate uptake rates and the sludge respiration was investigated. The results indicate that (1) presence of nitrite inhibits both aerobic and anoxic (denitrifying) phosphate uptake, (2) aerobic phosphate uptake was more affected than anoxic phosphate uptake, (3) presence of nitrite could be one of the factors enhancing the presence of glycogen accumulating organisms (GAO)--competitors to PAO for substrate in the anaerobic phase, and (4) it is required to monitor and control nitrite accumulation in a full-scale wastewater treatment plants.

Bacteria, Anaerobic↗
PubMed2004

Evaluation of solid-state bioconversion of domestic wastewater sludge as a promising environmental-friendly disposal technique.

Natural and environmental-friendly disposal of wastewater sludge is a great concern. Recently, biological treatment has played prominent roles in bioremediation of complex hydrocarbon- rich contaminants. Composting is quite an old biological-based process that is being practiced but it could not create a great impact in the minds of concerned researchers. The present study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of the solid-state bioconversion (SSB) processes in the biodegradation of wastewater sludge by exploiting this promising technique to rejuvenate the conventional process. The Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) domestic wastewater treatment plant (DWTP) sludge was considered for evaluation of SSB by monitoring the microbial growth and its subsequent roles in biodegradation under two conditions: (i) flask (F) and (ii) composting bin (CB) cultures. Sterile and semi-sterile environments were allowed in the F and the CB, respectively, using two mixed fungal cultures, Trichoderma harzianum with Phanerochaete chrysosporium 2094 (T/P) and T. harzianum with Mucor hiemalis (T/M) and two bulking materials, sawdust (SD) and rice straw (RS). The significant growth and multiplication of both the mixed fungal cultures were reflected in soluble protein, glucosamine and color intensity measurement of the water extract. The color intensity and pH of the water extract significantly increased and supported the higher growth of microbes and bioconversion. The most encouraging results of microbial growth and subsequent bioconversion were exhibited in the RS than the SD. A comparatively higher decrease of organic matter (OM) % and C/N ratio were attained in the CB than the F, which implied a higher bioconversion. But the measurement of soluble protein, glucosamine and color intensity exhibited higher values in the F than the CB. The final pH drop was higher in the CB than the F, which implied that a higher nitrification occurred in the CB associated with a higher release of H+ ions. Both the mixed cultures performed almost equal roles in all cases except the changes in moisture content.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗
PubMed2004

A predictive model for the reactor inorganic suspended solids concentration in activated sludge systems.

A simple predictive model for the activated sludge reactor inorganic suspended solids (ISS) concentration (excluding that from chemical precipitant dosing) is presented. It is based on the accumulation of influent ISS in the reactor and an ordinary heterotrophic organism (OHO) ISS content (fiOHO) of 0.15 mg ISS/mg OHO organic (volatile) suspended solids (VSS) and a variable phosphate accumulating organism (PAO) ISS content (fiPAO) proportional to their P content (fXBGP). Organism ISS content is conceptualized as the uptake of dissolved inorganic solids by active organisms, which when dried in the total suspended solids (TSS) test procedure, precipitate and manifest as ISS. The model is validated with data from 22 investigations conducted over the past 15 years on 30 aerobic and anoxic-aerobic nitrification-denitrification (ND) systems and 18 anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic ND biological excess P removal (BEPR) systems variously fed artificial and real wastewater, and operated from 3 to 20 days sludge age. The predicted reactor VSS/TSS ratio reflects the observed relative sensitivity to sludge age, which is low, and to BEPR, which is high. To use the model for design, two parameters need to be known: (1) the influent ISS concentration, which is not commonly measured in wastewater characterization analyses and (2) the P content of PAOs (fXBGP), which can vary considerably depending on the extent of anoxic P uptake BEPR that takes place in the system. Some guidance on the measurement of influent ISS concentration and selection of the PAO P content to calculate the mixed liquor VSS/TSS ratio for design is given.

Bacteria, Aerobic↗
PubMed2005

Degradation of acetonitrile through a sequence of microbial reactors.

Degradation of nitrogen containing organic compounds often leads to formation of ammonium and some low molecular weight organic compounds. The study is focused on degradation of acetonitrile in a sequence of stirred biofilm reactors, where the degradation of acetonitrile into acetic acid and ammonia takes place in the first two reactors. A large fraction of the acetic acid is also degraded in these reactors. The subsequent two reactors were introduced in order to take care of the ammonia, while a fifth reactor was a polishing step before the water was released to the recipient. From earlier studies it is known that the rate of acetonitrile degradation is approximately 80 g acetonitrile/ (m3 reactor h). In the present study nitrification proceeded with 10 g NH4(+)-N/(m3 reactor h) and the denitrification by 35 g NOx(-)-N/ (m3 reactor h). This means that the reactors involved in removal of the nitrogen component needs to be far larger than those dealing with degradation of the more complex molecules.

Acetonitriles↗
PubMed2005

Development of an advanced biological treatment system applied to the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus using the sludge ceramics.

To develop a method of forming lake sediment into sludge ceramics with porosity and good biological adhesion for use as a medium for microorganisms in wastewater treatment, a study of the effects of forming conditions was conducted by adjusting the water content of sludge and compounding some additives. By adjusting the water content of the raw material at the kneading/pelletizing step to 40-42% and adding 3% waste glass to the raw materials to make up for the lack of flux, a sludge ceramic with a density in terms of specific gravity of saturated surface dry aggregate of about 1400 kg m(-3) was formed. In addition, to develop a small-scale wastewater treatment system capable of removing nitrogen and phosphorus, a sludge ceramic was applied as a medium for biological filtration. The results indicated that the BOD removal nitrification rate were superior to those of conventional ceramic media, reached at 95.3% and 87.4%, respectively. The introduction of iron electrolysis resulted in high treatment performance achieving BOD levels of 10 mg L(-1) or less, T-N of 10 mg L(-1) or less and T-P of 1 mg L(-1) or less.

Cell Adhesion↗
PubMed2005

Biomass characteristics in three sequencing batch reactors treating a wastewater containing synthetic organic chemicals.

The physical and biochemical characteristics of the biomass in three lab-scale sequencing batch reactors (SBR) treating a synthetic wastewater at a 20-day target solids retention time (SRT) were investigated. The synthetic wastewater feed contained biogenic compounds and 22 organic priming compounds, chosen to represent a wide variety of chemical structures with different N, P and S functional groups. At a two-day hydraulic retention time (HRT), the oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) cycled between -100 (anoxic) and 100 mV (aerobic) in the anoxic/aerobic SBR, while it remained in a range of 126+/-18 and 249+/-18 mV in the aerobic sequencing batch biofilm reactor (SBBR) and the aerobic SBR reactor, respectively. A granular activated sludge with excellent settleability (SVI=98+/-31 L mg(-1)) developed only in the anoxic/aerobic SBR, compared to a bulky sludge with poor settling characteristics in the aerobic SBR and SBBR. While all reactors had very good COD removal (>90%) and displayed nitrification, substantial nitrogen removal (74%) was only achieved in the anoxic/aerobic SBR. During the entire operational period, benzoate, theophylline and 4-chlorophenol were completely removed in all reactors. In contrast, effluent 3-nitrobenzoate was recorded when its influent concentration was increased to 5 mg L(-1) and dropped only to below 1 mg L(-1) after 300 days of operation. The competent (active) biomass fractions for these compounds were between 0.04% and 5.52% of the total biomass inferred from substrate-specific microbial enumerations. The measured competent biomass fractions for 4-chlorophenol and 3-nitrobenzoate degradation were significantly lower than the influent COD fractions of these compounds. Correspondent to the highest competent biomass fraction for benzoate degradation among the test SOCs, benzoate oxidation could be quantified with an extant respirometric technique, with the highest specific oxygen uptake rate (SOUR(benzoate), 0.026 g O2 h(-1) g(-1) XCOD) in the anoxic/aerobic SBR. These combined results suggest that operating SBRs with alternative anoxic/aerobic cycles might facilitate the formation of granular sludge with good settleability, and retain comparable removal of nitrogen and synthetic organic compounds. Hence, the practice of anoxic/aerobic cycling should be considered in wastewater treatment systems whenever possible.

Bacteria, Anaerobic↗
PubMed2005

Membrane bioreactor operation at short solids retention times: performance and biomass characteristics.

This study investigated the performance and biomass characteristics of a membrane bioreactor (MBR) and a completely mixed activated sludge (CMAS) system operated at short solids retention times (SRT) ranging from 0.25 to 5 d and hydraulic retention times of 3 and 6 h. The lab-scale reactors were fed with synthetic wastewater to ensure consistency in feed composition. Results show the MBR was capable of achieving excellent quality effluent regardless of the extremely short SRT. The MBR removal efficiencies ranged from approximately 97.3-98.4% (TCOD) in the MBR, compared to 77.5-93.8% (TCOD) and 94.1-97.0% (SCOD) in the CMAS. Nitrification completely ceased when SRT was < 2.5 d. The MBR biomass was composed of small, weak and uniform-sized flocs with large mass of short filamentous organisms and mainly dispersed microorganisms at SRT of 5 and 0.25 d, respectively. In contrast, the CMAS sludge was composed of large flocs with filamentous organisms as a backbone at SRT > 2.5 d. The CMAS flocs were smaller and weaker at shorter SRT. The MBR sludge contained a much higher fraction of non-flocculating microorganisms. This fraction increased significantly with decreasing SRT. It was found that the concentrations of protein and carbohydrates in the exocellular polymeric substances for both the MBR and the CMAS decreased with increasing F/M ratio or decreasing SRT. The combination of increasing amounts of non-flocculating microorganisms and a reduction of EPS at shorter SRT in both reactors contributed to deteriorating sludge settling properties. A significant presence of dispersed biomass and small flocs in MBR contributed to better reactor performance probably due to less mass transfer resistance.

Biomass↗
PubMed2005

Integrated anaerobic-aerobic fixed-film reactor for slaughterhouse wastewater treatment.

An integrated anaerobic-aerobic fixed-film pilot-scale reactor with arranged media was fed during 166 days with slaughterhouse wastewater. Operation temperature was 25 degrees C and the anaerobic-aerobic volume ratio was decreased from 4:1 to 3:2 and finally to 2:3. Overall organic matter removal efficiencies of 93% were achieved for an average organic loading rate of 0.77 kg COD/m3 d, and nitrogen removal efficiencies of 67% were achieved for nitrogen loading rates of 0.084 kg N/m3 d. The high internal recirculation associated to the air-lift effect linked to the aeration of a part of the reactor section caused high mixing between the anaerobic and aerobic zones, so that most organic matter was removed aerobically. The nitrification process achieved an efficiency of 91% for nitrogen loads of 0.15 kg N/m3 d when the anaerobic-aerobic volume ratio was 2:3 and was limited by dissolved oxygen concentration below 3 mg/l. The influence of the heterotrophic biomass growing in the outer biofilm was checked. Denitrification only implied the 12-34% of the total nitrogen removal and was limited by dissolved oxygen concentration in the anaerobic zone above 0.5 mg/l caused by the mixing regime. Most removed nitrogen was employed in synthesis of heterotrophic bacteria.

Bacteria, Aerobic↗
PubMed2005

Disinfectant efficacy of chlorite and chlorine dioxide in drinking water biofilms.

The drinking water industry is closely examining options to maintain disinfection in distribution systems. In particular this research compared the relative efficiency of the chlorite ion (ClO2-) to chlorine dioxide (ClO2) for biofilm control. Chlorite levels were selected for monitoring since they are typically observed in the distribution system as a by-product whenever chlorine dioxide is applied for primary or secondary disinfection. Previous research has reported the chlorite ion to be effective in mitigating nitrification in distribution systems. Annular reactors (ARs) containing polycarbonate and cast iron coupons were used to simulate water quality conditions in a distribution system. Following a 4 week acclimation period, individual ARs operated in parallel were dosed with high (0.25mg/l) and low (0.1mg/l) chlorite concentrations and with high (0.5 mg/l) and low (0.25mg/l) chlorine dioxide concentrations, as measured in the effluent of the AR. Another set of ARs that contained cast iron and polycarbonate coupons served as controls and did not receive any disinfection. The data presented herein show that the presence of chlorite at low concentration levels was not effective at reducing heterotrophic bacteria. Log reductions of attached heterotrophic bacteria for low and high chlorite ranged between 0.20 and 0.34. Chlorine dioxide had greater log reductions for attached heterotrophic bacteria ranging from 0.52 to 1.36 at the higher dose. The greatest log reduction in suspended heterotrophic bacteria was for high dose of ClO2 on either cast iron or polycarbonate coupons (1.77 and 1.55). These data indicate that it would be necessary to maintain a chlorine dioxide residual concentration in distribution systems for control of microbiological regrowth.

Bacteria↗
PubMed2005

Combined nitrification/denitrification in a membrane reactor.

An ever stricter legislation regulating wastewater leads to an increasing demand for biological treatment plants which are able to selectively eliminate nitrogen from wastewaters with a high influent concentration, even when operating in partial influent mode. A membrane-tube-module (MSM) reactor (Membran-Schlauch-Modul-Reaktor) was constructed and realized in the IUV at the University of Bremen. The present approach makes use of all the various layers of the whole biofilm, enabling nitrification and denitrification processes to run simultaneously in one and the same biofilm under optimized conditions. The biological degradation capacity of the system was first successfully tested with synthetic wastewater, and subsequently in a real application with effluents from a recycling of animal carcasses plant and from a coke-oven plant. A mathematical model was devised which describes this biofilm system. The resulting equations were solved by means of the simulation software AQUASIM.

Bacteria↗
PubMed2005

Long-term aeration management for improved N-removal via SND in a sequencing batch reactor.

Management of the aeration length in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) can improve N-removal by minimising the amount of organic substrate that is oxidised aerobically. This study investigates the long-term effect of aeration control on N-removal via simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) by a mixed culture in a 2L acetate-fed SBR, using PHB as the electron donor for denitrification. The reactor was operated continuously with automated termination of the aerobic phase after ammonium depletion, using the specific oxygen uptake rate (SOUR) as the control parameter. This resulted in an increase of the organic loading rate (OLR) from 0.33 to 0.59 g BOD g(-1)d(-1). Over the first 12 cycles of operation, the PHB content of the biomass increased three-fold and resulted in a progressively increasing SOUR, which allowed an increased amount of nitrogen removal via SND from 34% to 52%. After one month of continuous operation with controlled aeration, the settling efficiency of the biomass had significantly improved (SVI 70 mL g(-1) X). Long-term oxygen management resulted in biomass with a higher capacity for N-removal via SND and improved settling characteristics. Our results may help to explain long-term historical effects of N-removal capabilities in WWTPs and assist design engineers in choosing an appropriate aeration length and OLR.

Aerobiosis↗