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Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering

ISSN 2095-2201

ISSN 2095-221X(Online)

CN 10-1013/X

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Front. Environ. Sci. Eng.    2021, Vol. 15 Issue (4) : 66    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-020-1358-2
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Scrap Iron Filings assisted nitrate and phosphate removal in low C/N waters using mixed microbial culture
Sanjena Narayanasamydamodaran1, Jian’e Zuo1(), Haiteng Ren1, Nawnit Kumar2
1. State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
2. State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Hydraulic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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Abstract

• Microbes enhance denitrification under varying DO concentrations and SIF dosages.

• Abiotic nitrate reduction rates are proportional to SIF age and dosage.

• Over 80% of the simultaneously loaded NO3−-N and PO43− is removed biologically.

This study focuses on identifying the factors under which mixed microbial seeds assist bio-chemical denitrification when Scrap Iron Filings (SIF) are used as electron donors and adsorbents in low C/N ratio waters. Batch studies were conducted in abiotic and biotic reactors containing fresh and aged SIF under different dissolved oxygen concentrations with NO3−-N and/or PO43- influent(s) and their nitrate/phosphate removal and by-product formations were studied. Batch reactors were seeded with a homogenized mixed microbial inoculum procured from natural sludges which were enriched over 6 months under denitrifying conditions in the presence of SIF. Results indicated that when influent containing 40 mg/L of NO3−-N was treated with 5 g SIF, 79.9% nitrate reduction was observed in 8 days abiotically and 100% removal was accomplished in 20 days when the reactor was seeded. Both abiotic and seeded reactors removed more than 92% PO43− under high DO conditions in 12 days. Abiotic and biochemical removal of NO3−-N and abiotic removal of PO43− were higher under independent NO3−-N/PO43− loading, while 99% PO43- was removed biochemically under combined NO3−-N and PO43− loading. This study furthers the understandings of nitrate and phosphate removal in Zero Valent Iron (ZVI) assisted mixed microbial systems to encourage the application of SIF-supported bio-chemical processes in the simultaneous removals of these pollutants.
Keywords Scrap iron filing      Nitrate removal      Phosphate removal      Mixed culture denitrification      Zero valent iron     
Corresponding Author(s): Jian’e Zuo   
Issue Date: 10 November 2020
 Cite this article:   
Sanjena Narayanasamydamodaran,Jian’e Zuo,Haiteng Ren, et al. Scrap Iron Filings assisted nitrate and phosphate removal in low C/N waters using mixed microbial culture[J]. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng., 2021, 15(4): 66.
 URL:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/10.1007/s11783-020-1358-2
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/Y2021/V15/I4/66
Batch No. Influent (mg/L) Operational period (d) SIF
dosage (g)		 SIF’s age (d) DO condition Reactors
1 40 [NO3−-N] 8 5 F AO B.C/SIF/S/(SIF+S)*
40 [NO3−-N] 8 5 10 AO B.C/SIF/S/(SIF+S)*
2 40 [NO3−-N] 7 5 F LDO SIF (A)/(SIF+S) (B)*
40 [NO3−-N] 7 5 F HDO SIF (A)/(SIF+S) (B)*
3 9 [PO43−] 60 0.5 F AO SIF/(SIF+S)*
9 [PO43−] 60 1 F AO SIF/(SIF+S)*
9 [PO43−] 30 5 F AO SIF/(SIF+S)*
4 40 [NO3−-N] 12 0.5 F AO/LDO/HDO* SIF/(SIF+S)*
40 [NO3−-N] 12 1 F AO/ LDO/HDO* SIF/(SIF+S)*
40 [NO3−-N] 12 5 F/10* AO/LDO/HDO* SIF/(SIF+S)*
5 40 [NO3−-N] + 9 [PO43−] 12 0.5 F AO SIF/(SIF+S)*
40 [NO3−-N] + 9 [PO43−] 12 1 F AO SIF/(SIF+S)*
40 [NO3−-N] + 9 [PO43−] 12 5 F AO SIF/(SIF+S)*
Tab.1  Experimental details and operational parameters
Fig.1  Comparison of nitrate reduction in reactors containing (a) fresh iron and (b) 10 days aged iron.
Fig.2  SEM-EDS analysis of fresh iron and aged iron: (a) SEM imagery of fresh iron; (b) SEM imagery of aged iron; (c) energy spectrum of fresh iron in frame 4; (d) energy spectrum of aged iron in frame 9; (e) elemental composition of fresh iron in frame 4; (f) elemental composition of aged iron in frame 9.
Fig.3  By-product formation in abiotic and biological nitrate reduction by fresh iron (I) and 10 days aged iron (II).
Fig.4  Nitrate reduction under low dissolved oxygen (LDO) and high dissolved oxygen (HDO) conditions.
Fig.5  By-product formation in low dissolved oxygen (LDO) and high dissolved oxygen (HDO) conditions
Fig.6  Abiotic and biological nitrate reduction and by-product formation under varying SIF dosage: (a) 0.5 g SIF; (b) 1.0 g SIF; (c) 5.0 g SIF.
Fig.7  Phosphate removal under low dissolved oxygen (LDO) and high dissolved oxygen (HDO) conditions.
Fig.8  Comparison of abiotic phosphate removal between fresh SIF and 10 days aged SIF.
Influent contents Sample NO3−-N reduction efficiency (%) under varying iron dosages
0.5 (g) 1.0 (g) 5.0 (g)
NO3− + PO43− Abiotic 0.3 0.85 21.52
Biotic 15.69 25.4 79.93
NO3− only Abiotic 14 19 29
Biotic 27 35 80
Tab.2  NO3−-N reduction efficiency (%) under varying iron dosages (g) on day 12 when the influent contained both NO3−-N (40 mg/L) and PO43− (9 mg/L) versus only NO3−-N (40 mg/L)
Influent Contents Sample PO43− removal efficiency (%) under varying iron dosages
0.5 (g) 1.0 (g) 5.0 (g)
NO3−+ PO43− Abiotic 1.25 0.625 36.4
Biotic 96.09 95.023 99.1
PO43− only Abiotic 6.922 10.84 56
Biotic 98.1 98.6 99.1
Tab.3  PO43− removal efficiency (%) under varying iron dosages (g) on day 12 when the influent contained both NO3−-N (40 mg/L) and PO43− (9 mg/L) versus only PO43− (40 mg/L)
Parameter Value
Sample Id. A1
Seq. No. 52033
OTU No. 400
Shannon Index 3.6
ACE Index 505.54
Chao1 Index 483.08
Coverage 1
Simpson 0.06
Tab.4  Diversity indices of the microbial inoculum
Fig.9  Pie plot representing the relative abundance of inoculated genera.
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