Breakthrough in Wastewater Treatment: New Technology Shows Promising Results

Strategic Insights -

Researchers from the Beijing University of Technology have made a significant breakthrough in wastewater treatment by developing a novel technology that can efficiently remove carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus from wastewater. The partial denitrifying phosphorus removal coupled with anammox (PDPRA) technology has shown remarkable removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total inorganic nitrogen (TIN), and orthophosphate (PO-P).

Key Takeaways:

  • The PDPRA technology utilizes Tetrasphaera, a novel fermentative DPAO, to drive the stable and efficient nitrite accumulation, leading to a contribution of 82.64% to total nitrogen removal through anammox.
  • The system achieved remarkable removal efficiency of COD (84.8 ± 0.8%), TIN (92.3 ± 0.9%), and PO-P (92.0 ± 1.5%).
  • Microbial community analysis and metagenomic sequencing revealed the high abundance of Tetrasphaera and Candidatus Brocadia, with their high contribution to key functional genes confirming the co-existence and co-prosperity metabolic relationship between DPAO and AnAOB.
  • The findings of this study contribute to the broader application of the PDPRA process and provide a new approach for treating wastewater containing complex organic matter.
  • The research was conducted by Jiayu Zhang, Wei Zeng, Qingan Meng, Hongjun Liu, Yao Lu, Shuangshuang Li, and Yongzhen Peng from the National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Beijing University of Technology.

Statistics:

  • 82.64% contribution to total nitrogen removal through anammox
  • 84.8 ± 0.8% removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD)
  • 92.3 ± 0.9% removal efficiency of total inorganic nitrogen (TIN)
  • 92.0 ± 1.5% removal efficiency of orthophosphate (PO-P)

Sources:

  • Insights into synergistic metabolism mechanisms of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in Tetrasphaera-dominated partial denitrifying phosphorus removal and anammox (PDPRA) process. Water Research, 2025;284:123901.
  • Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, England. (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; Water Research - www.journals.elsevier.com/water-research/)