Development of nitrogen-removal bioreactor using poly(lactic acid) as an energy source.
To control nitrogen such as ammonia in a rearing water of aquatic animals, we developed new bioreactor capable of both nitrification and denitrification. It was consisted of gel-plate immobilized microorganisms and a biodegradable plastic plate composed of three kind of poly(lactic acid) as an energy source of denitrification. When batch treatment experiment by the bioreactor was continuously carried out with an artificial rearing water containing ammonia, nitrogen-removal rate of the bioreactor was approximately 3 g-N/d/m2-gel surface and the activity was maintained for over 3 month without additional energy source. Therefore, the bioreactor would be effective to control nitrogen concentration in rearing water of a closed water circulating system for aquatic animals.