In this study, gel-immobilized fillers were used to conduct partial nitrification experiments, including a small-scale experiment in the laboratory and a pilot experiment in a leather factory. The performance of the filler for partial nitrification was investigated by the small-scale experiment under the reactor start-up condition with low initial ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) relative abundance. Then pilot experiment was carried out for the application of the filler in leather wastewater treatment. Broadening the direction for the application of gel-immobilized fillers. Provide technical parameter reference and optimization basis for the application of gel-immobilized fillers in leather wastewater treatment. The partial nitrification in the small-scale reactor (SR) achieved an ammonia nitrogen oxidation rate (AOR) of 27 - 29 mg·(L·h)-1 and a nitrite nitrogen accumulation rate (NAR) of more than 94%. After an 82-day shutdown period, SR recovered its performance and continued to improve. High-throughput sequencing confirmed that AOB was enriched with a relative abundance of 32% and the percentage of nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) was less than 0.01%. A pilot reactor (PR) was built using real leather wastewater as raw water. The experimental results showed that the normal performance of gel-immobilized fillers for partial nitrification was affected against the background of an average influent water quality of 537 mg·L-1 ammonia nitrogen concentration and 2990 mg·L-1 chemical oxygen demand (COD). Leather wastewater organics persistently affected PR nitrification. The growth of AOB was inhibited. Organics removal should be emphasized prior to nitrification, and the addition of an advanced oxidation process for organics is essential.
References
[1]
Wang, X., Yang, H. and Wang, J. (2023) Gel-Immobilized Partial Nitritation/Anammox Achieves Reliable Nitrogen Removal at Different Concentrations of Nitrogen and Reactivation Processes. Bioresource Technology, 370, Article ID: 128561. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2022.128561
[2]
Liu, Y., Tie, B., Peng, O., Luo, H., Li, D., Liu, S., et al. (2020) Inoculation of Cd-Contaminated Paddy Soil with Biochar-Supported Microbial Cell Composite: A Novel Approach to Reducing Cadmium Accumulation in Rice Grains. Chemosphere, 247, Article ID: 125850. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.125850
[3]
Hu, X., Yang, H., Fang, X., Liu, X., Bai, Y., Su, B., et al. (2024) High Efficiency and Stable Partial Nitration Achieved via Gel Immobilization. Bioresource Technology, 394, Article ID: 130262. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2023.130262
[4]
Hu, X., Yang, H., Fang, X., Liu, X., Wang, J., Wang, X., et al. (2025) Stable Partial Nitrification Was Achieved for Nitrogen Removal from Municipal Wastewater by Gel Immobilization: A Pilot-Scale Study. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 151, 529-539. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jes.2024.04.020
[5]
Zou, Z., Yang, H., Zhang, S., Chi, W., Wang, X. and Liu, Z. (2022) Nitrogen Removal Performance and Microbial Community Analysis of Immobilized Biological Fillers in Rare Earth Mine Wastewater. Biochemical Engineering Journal, 186, Article ID: 108559. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bej.2022.108559
[6]
Kanagaraj, J., Chandra Babu, N.K. and Mandal, A.B. (2008) Recovery and Reuse of Chromium from Chrome Tanning Waste Water Aiming towards Zero Discharge of Pollution. Journal of Cleaner Production, 16, 1807-1813. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2007.12.005
[7]
Patel, K., Munir, D. and Santos, R.M. (2021) Beneficial Use of Animal Hides for Abattoir and Tannery Waste Management: A Review of Unconventional, Innovative, and Sustainable Approaches. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29, 1807-1823. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-17101-5
[8]
Di Iaconi, C., Del Moro, G., De Sanctis, M. and Rossetti, S. (2010) A Chemically Enhanced Biological Process for Lowering Operative Costs and Solid Residues of Industrial Recalcitrant Wastewater Treatment. Water Research, 44, 3635-3644. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2010.04.017
[9]
Akyol, Ç., Demirel, B. and Onay, T.T. (2014) Recovery of Methane from Tannery Sludge: The Effect of Inoculum to Substrate Ratio and Solids Content. Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management, 17, 808-815.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-014-0306-2
[10]
Krishnamoorthy, G., Sadulla, S., Sehgal, P.K. and Mandal, A.B. (2012) Green Chemistry Approaches to Leather Tanning Process for Making Chrome-Free Leather by Unnatural Amino Acids. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 215, 173-182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2012.02.046
[11]
Rice, E.W. and Association, A.P.H. (2012) Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater.
[12]
Wang, B., Yang, H., Xu, H., Liu, Z. and Zang, L. (2022) Study of Nitrosation-Embedded Immobilized Biological Fillers in a High Ammonia Nitrogen Environment. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4058884
[13]
Zang, L., Yang, H., Wang, J., Wang, X., Li, S. and Liu, X. (2023) Performance of Rotating Cage Biological Contactors Based on the Partial Nitrification of Immobilized Bioactive Fillers. Journal of Water Process Engineering, 53, Article ID: 103671. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2023.103671
[14]
Wang, J., Yang, H., Zhang, F., Su, Y. and Wang, S. (2020) Activated Sludge under Free Ammonia Treatment Using Gel Immobilization Technology for Long-Term Partial Nitrification with Different Initial Biomass. Process Biochemistry, 99, 282-289. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procbio.2020.07.025
Picioreanu, C., van Loosdrecht, M.C.M. and Heijnen, J.J. (1997) Modelling the Effect of Oxygen Concentration on Nitrite Accumulation in a Biofilm Airlift Suspension Reactor. Water Science and Technology, 36, 147-156. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.1997.0034
[17]
Rongsayamanont, C., Khan, E. and Limpiyakorn, T. (2019) Dissolved Oxygen/Free Ammonia (DO/FA) Ratio Manipulation to Gain Distinct Proportions of Nitrogen Species in Effluent of Entrapped-Cell-Based Reactors. Journal of Environmental Management, 251, Article ID: 109541. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109541
[18]
Choi, D. and Jung, J. (2022) Application of Two-Stage Nitritation/Anammox Using Activated Sludge Immobilized on Polyvinyl Alcohol/Alginate with Addition of Foaming Agent: Pilot-Scale Study. Journal of Water Process Engineering, 48, Article ID: 102921. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2022.102921
[19]
Liu, X., Yang, H., Fang, X., Wang, X. and Su, Y. (2021) Performance Study and Population Structure Analysis of Hydrolytic Acidification Immobilized Fillers Using Municipal Wastewater. Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 146, 126-135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psep.2020.08.011
[20]
Vadivelu, V.M., Keller, J. and Yuan, Z. (2007) Free Ammonia and Free Nitrous Acid Inhibition on the Anabolic and Catabolic Processes of Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter. Water Science and Technology, 56, 89-97. https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2007.612
[21]
Pasciucco, E., Pasciucco, F., Iannelli, R. and Pecorini, I. (2024) A Fenton-Based Approach at Neutral and Un-Conditioned Ph for Recalcitrant COD Removal in Tannery Wastewater: Experimental Test and Sludge Characterization. Science of the Total Environment, 926, Article ID: 172070. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172070
[22]
Cheng, Y., Chon, K., Ren, X., Kou, Y., Hwang, M. and Chae, K. (2021) Bioaugmentation Treatment of a Novel Microbial Consortium for Degradation of Organic Pollutants in Tannery Wastewater under a Full-Scale Oxic Process. Biochemical Engineering Journal, 175, Article ID: 108131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bej.2021.108131
