Anammox – an advanced technology of nitrogen removal from wastewater

Summary

The first in Russia Anammox-type technology has been developed in «Mosvodokanal» JSC in cooperation with «Fundamental Principles of Biotechnology» Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The technology is designed for the treatment of filtrate of centrifuges for digested wastewater sludge dewatering. The technology is based on the microbiological process of ammonium oxidation with nitrite under anoxic conditions. Since this process does not require organics Anammox can be considered as the most economical technology for processing industrial effluents in which organic matter is absent or in deficiency, for example, effluents of nitrogen-fertilizer plants, livestock or poultry production farms etc. Besides, studies are carried out and Anammox technologies are being developed for wastewater treatment at low temperatures (cold Anammox) as well as for using this process in common wastewater (not nitrogen-concentrated) treatment (Anammox in the main process line). Since anammox-bacteria are easily separated from liquid (being a part of immobilized biofilms or granules) and can be adapted to a wide range of operating conditions, Anammox technology without any doubt is a promising technology of removing nitrogen from different wastewater.

Key words

wastewater , pilot plant , anammox , ammonium removal technology , dewatering centrifuge filtrate , livestock production wastes , chemical plant effluents , low temperature