Removing Nitrate With a Methylotrophic Fluidized Bed: Technology and Operating Performance

Abstract

A pilot biological fluidized‐bed plant with a capacity of 40 m3/h has been in operation since January 1988 at De Blankaart drinking water production center for removing nitrate from surface water. Methanol is used as the reductant. With a nitrate removal efficiency of 9.0 kg NO3−/m3 reactor.day at 3.5°C, the system has shown superior performance compared with conventional fixed‐bed biofilm reactors. With an influent concentration of 75 mg NO3−/L, complete nitrate removal was achieved at an empty bed contact time of 15 min. Nitrite was not detected in the effluent, provided there was a slight excess of methanol (1–2 mg/L). Residual methanol was easily removed by the existing downstream drinking water treatment processes.

Nitrate removal efficiency of bacterial consortium (Pseudomonas sp. KW1 and Bacillus sp. YW4) in synthetic nitrate-rich water

“…From the results of the above study conducted with various carbon sources (glucose, starch, acetic acid, cellulose and sucrose) inoculated with KW1 and YW4, the maximum concentration of nitrate was removed in synthetic medium supplemented with 1% starch as carbon source when compared to other carbon sources. Methanol, ethanol and acetic acid were commonly used as organic substrates to provide the reducing power for nitrate elimination [35][36][37][38] have studied nitrate removal at higher concentrations from industrial wastewater supplemented with double nutrient source such as sucrose and glycerol by Klebsiella oxytoca. Nitrate removal in synthetic wastewater with 50 mg/L of nitrate amended with various carbon sources like glucose, sucrose, cellulose and acetic acid by microbial consortium under aerobic and anaerobic conditions and found that acetic acid was the suitable carbon sources for bacterial consortium (Alcaligenes sp.…”

Perchlorate reduction in a HYDROGEN‐BASED MEMBRANE–BIOFILM REACTOR

“…Thermodynamics for perchlorate and selected environmental acceptors donors often require posttreatment in order to produce safe and biologically stable water (Liessens et al, 1993). Autotrophic denitrification.…”

Biological nitrate removal processes from drinking water supply-a review

“…Use of a semi industrial biological fluidized bed system has been investigated by Liessens et al [61] with a capacity of 40  m 3 /h and methanol as a carbon source at De Blankaart in Belgium for removing nitrate from surface water. The plant achieved a nitrate removal of 9 Kg N03 /m 3 .d at 3.5°C.…”