to remove ammonia from influent wastewater via
nitrification. Several factors impacting efficient ammonia
and nitrite oxidation in wastewater treatment include,
temperature, and abundance of carbonaceous and
nitrogenous biological oxygen demand (cBOD & nBOD)
degrading microorganisms. The optimal temperature
for wastewater nitrification is above 59°F.1
Additionally, bacteria that quickly degrade cBOD help
to increase the time available for nitrifying bacteria
to oxidize ammonia and nitrite. Nitrification is often
the rate-limiting reaction in wastewater treatment,
so having a high abundance of nitrifying organisms is
essential for efficient ammonia and nitrite removal.
Augmenting a treatment system with concentrated
populations of nitrifying and cBOD metabolizing biota
can help improve nitrification. BioLynceus® ProBiotic
Scrubber® N (PBN) is a live culture bioaugmentation
product designed to increase the abundance of the
above organisms. The following case study summarizes
the application of PBN at a 0.2 MGD activated sludge
plant (ASP) in Arizona.
The ASP was having problems with excess ammonia in
their effluent. Nitrification was not occurring properly
in the system which caused issues with meeting total
nitrogen limits. Restoring a nitrifying biomass in the
treatment process was very important to avoid permit
violations.
1 Gerardi, M. (2016). Wastewater Bioaugmentation and Biostimulation.
Lancaster, Pennsylvania: DEStech Publications, Inc. Pp. 20, 64.
The facility had success using BioLynceus® products in
the past, so the Operations Manager decided to use
PBN to improve ammonia conversion in their system.
Daily doses of PBN were administered to the lift
station ahead of the primary treatment process.
Figure 1. Monthly percent ammonia as nitrogen (NH3-N) removed
from the aeration basin at an ASP for a year with (blue) and
without (grey) PBN treatment.
Within days, concentrations were lowered, and total
nitrogen levels were comfortably below permit limits.
Continual treatment with PBN also improved ammonia
removal by an annual average of 3% (Figure 1). The
greatest ammonia removal increase was 4% in July,
and the least was 0% in August. Using the BioLynceus®
bioaugmentation program improved ammonia
removal at the ASP. The client continues to experience
the efficacy of PBN for improving nitrification in their
ASP systems.
BioLynceus® ProBiotic Scrubber® N promotes nitrification in activated sludge processes.