Biostimulation of a marine anammox bacteria-dominated bioprocess by Co(II) to treat nitrogen-rich, saline wastewater

The biostimulation of a marine anammox bacteria (MAB)-dominated bioprocess with Co(II) was studied in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) treating nitrogen-rich saline wastewater at 15 °C. The low Co(II) load of 0.0015 kgCo²⁺_added/(m^3.d) had little effect on the removal of nitrogen. The nitrite removal rate (NRR), ammonia removal rate (ARR), and specific anammox activity (SAA) reached 0.73 kg/(m³·d), 0.59 kg/(m³·d), and 0.23 kg/(kg·d), respectively, under the Co(II) load of 0.009 kgCo²⁺_added/(m^3.d). However, the loadings of Co(II) at 0.024–0.03 kgCo²⁺_added/(m^3.d) negatively affected the activity of MAB. Besides, the values of ΔNO₂⁻-N/ΔNH₄⁺-N (1.15–1.29) were lower than the theoretical ratio values (around 1.32) likely because of the marine commamox process. The removal of nitrogen from nitrogen-rich saline wastewater was achieved by the synergy between Candidatus Scalindua (27.11%) and Candidatus Kuenenia (9.55%). The nitrogen removal with Co(II) addition could be well described by a modified Logistic model.