Ammonium oxidation via nitrite accumulation under limited oxygen concentration in sequencing batch reactors

In this study, the effects of sludge retention time (SRT) on NH4–N oxidation and NOx–N accumulation in the nitritation reactors were studied. The gradually decrease of SRT also caused long reaction time to achieve 99% NH4–N removal. Although the target NH4–N removal was achieved in a short reaction time at 40 days of SRT, decreasing of SRT from 40 to 30, 25, 20 days, increase the reaction time from 168 to 240 and 265 h, respectively. The inlet NH4–N was almost oxidized and the concentration of NO2–N accumulated to a high level of 177 mg/l, while NO2–N/(NO3–N + NO2–N) ratio was about 0.9 at SRT of 40 days. However, the concentration of NO3–N increased slightly and NO2–N/(NOx–N) ratio dropped to 0.8 when the SRT was lower than 40 days. During the operation in a cycle, free ammonia concentration in the SBR was decreased from 2.8 to 0.7 mg/l which is below the lowest concentration causing inhibition of nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB). It was assumed that combined dissolved oxygen limitation and NH3–N inhibition on NOB caused NO2–N accumulation under the experimental conditions.