The Effect of Influent Characteristics and Operational Conditions over the Performance and Microbial Community Structure of Partial Nitritation Reactors
Alejandro Rodriguez-Sanchez,
Alejandro Gonzalez-Martinez,
Maria Victoria Martinez-Toledo,
Maria Jesus Garcia-Ruiz,
Francisco Osorio,
Jesus Gonzalez-Lopez
Affiliations
Alejandro Rodriguez-Sanchez
Institute of Water Research, University of Granada, C/Ramón y Cajal, 4, Granada 18071, Spain
Alejandro Gonzalez-Martinez
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Granada, Campus de Fuentenueva, s/n, Granada 18071, Spain
Maria Victoria Martinez-Toledo
Institute of Water Research, University of Granada, C/Ramón y Cajal, 4, Granada 18071, Spain
Maria Jesus Garcia-Ruiz
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Granada, Campus de Fuentenueva, s/n, Granada 18071, Spain
Francisco Osorio
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Granada, Campus de Fuentenueva, s/n, Granada 18071, Spain
Jesus Gonzalez-Lopez
Institute of Water Research, University of Granada, C/Ramón y Cajal, 4, Granada 18071, Spain
Nitrogen is a main contaminant of wastewater worldwide. Novel processes for nitrogen removal have been developed over the last several decades. One of these is the partial nitritation process. This process includes the oxidation of ammonium to nitrite without the generation of nitrate. The partial nitritation process has several advantages over traditional nitrification-denitrification processes for nitrogen removal from wastewaters. In addition, partial nitritation is required for anammox elimination of nitrogen from wastewater. Partial nitritation is affected by operational conditions and substances present in the influent, such as quinolone antibiotics. In this review, the impact that several operational conditions, such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen concentration, hydraulic retention time and solids retention time, have over the partial nitritation process is covered. The effect of quinolone antibiotics and other emerging contaminants are discussed. Finally, future perspectives for the partial nitritation process are commented upon.
