Efficiency of using a commensalism-based bacterial consortium for the treatment of urea-containing wastewater

Summary

The results of studying biological treatment of industrial wastewater containing ammonium nitrogen, urea and methanol with free-floating activated sludge under anaerobic conditions are presented. Urobacteria use urea as a source of nitrogen. Building cell substance needs organic carbon; however, they cannot use either methanol, or urea as a carbon source. Methylotrophs use methanol as a carbon substrate and produce organic substances in the process of metabolism. Analysis of the specificity of the urobacteria metabolism and methylotrophs provides for assuming the capability of forming a consortium with establishing a specific type of relationship between them, i. e. commensalism. In practice, the assumption has been confirmed that biological treatment of industrial wastewater of a complex composition, containing urea, methanol and ammonium, is possible and feasible which makes the disposal of these pollutants an environmentally friendly and economically advantageous process.

Key words

ammonia nitrogen , industrial wastewater , redox potential , methanol , aeration tanks , urea , commensalism , stand unit for laboratory research , urobacteria , methylotrophs