Organic carbon and nitrogen removal in anoxic/oxic‐membrane bioreactor treating high‐strength wastewater

The performance of an anoxic/oxic membrane bioreactor system for the simultaneous removal of nitrogen and chemical oxygen demand (COD) was investigated. This process removed up to 87% of total nitrogen (TN) and 94% of COD, with the influent concentrations of 200 mg NH 4 + ‐N/L and 4000 mg COD/L and a recycle ratio ( R ) of 200%. Biological assimilation and simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) were considered on nitrogen removal process. The TN removal efficiency was above 87.5%, while the nitrogen being removed through SND was above 75.5% and nitrogen assimilated into the biomass was below 24.5%, with influent concentration below 200 mg NH 4 + ‐N/L. Increasing the influent concentration to 400 mg NH 4 + ‐N/L, TN removal efficiency decreased significantly to 37.5%, of which 49.5% was provided by microorganism growth. Batch experiments provided evidence for the phenomena of SND. Furthermore, the SND removal efficiency increased gradually from 26.8 to 90.0%. © 2008 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2009