Anaerobic ammonium oxidation discovered in a denitrifying fluidized bed reactor

TLDR

Until now, ammonium oxidation was known only under aerobic conditions. The evidence for anaerobic ammonium oxidation was derived from nitrogen and redox balances in continuous‑flow experiments. In a denitrifying fluidized‑bed reactor, ammonium was removed at up to 0.4 kg N m⁻³ d⁻¹ with nitrate consumption following a 5:3 stoichiometry, producing dinitrogen gas, confirming a nitrate‑dependent anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox) process that was patented.

Abstract

Until now, oxidation of ammonium has only been known to proceed under aerobic conditions. Recently, we observed that NH4+ was disappearing from a denitrifying fluidized bed reactor treating effluent from a methanogenic reactor. Both nitrate and ammonium consumption increased with concomitant gas production. A maximum ammonium removal rate of 0.4 kg N · m−3 · d−1 (1.2 mM/h) was observed. The evidence for this anaerobic ammonium oxidation was based on nitrogen and redox balances in continuous-flow experiments. It was shown that for the oxidation of 5 mol ammonium, 3 mol nitrate were required, resulting in the formation of 4 mol dinitrogen gas. Subsequent batch experiments confirmed that the NH4+ conversion was nitrate dependent. It was concluded that anaerobic ammonium oxidation is a new process in which ammonium is oxidized with nitrate serving as the electron acceptor under anaerobic conditions, producing dinitrogen gas. This biological process has been given the name ‘Anammox” (anaerobic ammonium oxidation), and has been patented.