Unveiling the optimal ammonia-oxidising bacterial consortium for polishing low ammonia-contaminated wastewater

• Published in: Journal of water process engineering Vol. 47; p. 102753
• Main Authors: Buhari, Junaidah, Hasan, Hassimi Abu, Rahim, Nurul Farhana Mohd, Kurniawan, Setyo Budi, Abdullah, Siti Rozaimah Sheikh, Othman, Ahmad Razi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2022
• Subjects: Ammonia removal; Ammonia-oxidising bacteria; Burkholderia latens; Wastewater polishing; Wastewater reclamation; Ammonia-oxidising bacteria; Wastewater reclamation; Burkholderia latens; Wastewater polishing; Ammonia removal
• ISSN: 2214-7144; 2214-7144
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jwpe.2022.102753

Ammonia-oxidising bacteria (AOB) consortium has attracted attention considering the cost savings in wastewater treatment. The study aims to optimise the composition of the AOB consortium for ammonia removal. AOB bacteria were isolated from the activated sludge of a coffee effluent bioreactor. All isolates were cultivated in a mineral salt medium containing carbon and ammonia sources in the screening test. The three effective isolates denoted as NS2, NB1 and PS were identified as Burkholderia latens (MW485434), Paenibacillus sp. (MW485433), and Providencia rettgeri (MW485435) respectively. The results showed that isolate NS2 (88.4%), NB1 (62.7%), and PS (63.3%) produced the highest ammonia removal among other isolates of their distinctive agar media. The composition of the AOB consortium (NS2, NB1, and PS) were optimised using Simplex Lattice Mixture Design. The optimised consortium ratio of these effective isolates achieved 85% and 78% of ammonia and COD removal efficiency respectively. This consortium has a great potential as a bioremediation agent for ammonia removal in wastewater reclamation. [Display omitted] •AOB were isolated from activated sludge of coffee wastewater treatment bioreactor.•AOB were identified as Burkholderia latens, Providencia rettgeri, and Paenibacillus sp.•Optimisation of AOB consortium were conducted using Simplex Lattice Mixture Design method.•The optimised consortium achieved 85% removal of ammonia.