Comparison on biological nutrient removal and microbial community between full-scale anaerobic/anoxic/aerobic process and its upgrading processes

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 374; p. 128757
• Main Authors: Wang, Kun, Zhou, Chuanting, Zhou, Hua, Jiang, Ming, Chen, Guang, Wang, Cong, Zhang, Zhenjian, Zhao, Xiaodan, Jiang, Lu-Man, Zhou, Zhen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2023
• Subjects: Anaerobic/anoxic/aerobic; Anaerobiosis; Bacteria - metabolism; Bardenpho; Biofilms; Biological nutrient removal; Bioreactors; Denitrification; Microbial community; Microbiota; Moving bed bioreactor; Nitrogen - metabolism; Nutrients; Phosphorus - metabolism; Sewage; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Biological nutrient removal; Moving bed bioreactor; Bardenpho; Anaerobic/anoxic/aerobic; Microbial community
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.128757

[Display omitted] •We compared AAO, five-stage Bardenpho and AAO coupling MBBR processes at full scale.•MBBR only moderately improved nitrification and shock load resistance at full scale.•AAO + MBBR and Bardenpho both had higher microbial richness and diversity than AAO.•AAO + MBBR preferentially enriched denitrifying phosphorus-accumulating bacteria.•Bardenpho was more suitable for AAO upgrading due to its efficient pollutant removal. A comparative study was conducted for the anaerobic/anoxic/aerobic (AAO) process and its two upgrading processes, five-stage Bardenpho and AAO coupling moving bed bioreactors (AAO + MBBR), using long-term operation data of six full-scale wastewater treatment plants. The three processes all had good COD and phosphorus removal performance. The reinforcing effects of carriers on nitrification were moderate at full-scale applications, while the Bardenpho was advantageous in nitrogen removal. The AAO + MBBR and Bardenpho processes both had higher microbial richness and diversity than the AAO. The AAO + MBBR favored bacteria to degrade complex organics (Ottowia and Mycobacterium) and to form biofilms (Novosphingobium), and preferentially enriched denitrifying phosphorus-accumulating bacteria (DPB) (norank_o__Run-SP154) with the highest anoxic to aerobic phosphorus uptake rates of 65.3 % − 83.9 %. The Bardenpho enriched bacteria tolerant to varied environments (Norank_f__Blastocatellaceae, norank_o__Saccharimonadales, and norank_o__SBR103), and was more suitable for the upgrading of the AAO because of its excellent pollutant removal performance and flexible operation mode.