Short Test Performance of Nitrogen Removal by Anammox Bacteria from Lake Koto Baru, Indonesia, Using Pumice as a Carrier

Zulkarnaini Zulkarnaini; Reri  Afrianita; Mahdiah Zulfa

doi:10.22146/jtbb.14204

Zulkarnaini Zulkarnaini Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia, 25163
Reri Afrianita Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia, 25163
Mahdiah Zulfa Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia, 25163

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22146/jtbb.14204

Keywords: Anammox, Lake Koto Baru, Pumice, Tropical ambient temperature

Abstract

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) removes ammonium under anaerobic conditions into nitrogen gas using nitrite as an electron acceptor by anammox bacteria belonging to the phylum Planctomycetota. The performance of nitrogen removal depends on the species and operating conditions. The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of anammox bacteria from Lake Koto Baru, Indonesia, in nitrogen removal with Candidatus Brocadia sinica at tropical ambient temperature using pumice as a carrier. This experiment utilized two up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors with artificial wastewater containing ammonium and nitrite concentrations of 100 mg-N L^-1 and a hydraulic retention time of 12 hours for 31 days. Run 1 inoculated with Candidatus Brocadia sinica; Run 2 used enriched anammox bacteria from Lake Koto Baru, Indonesia. The concentrations of ammonium, nitrite, and nitrate were analyzed twice a week using Nessler's method, spectrophotometry, and screening UV spectrophotometry, respectively. The best nitrogen removal performance occurs in Run 2 using anammox bacteria from Lake Koto Baru, where the maximum nitrogen removal rate, ammonium conversion efficiency, and nitrogen removal efficiency were 0.395 kg-N m^-³ d^-1, 98.12 %, and 92.6 % of 0.341 kg-N m^-³ d^-1, 87 %, 79.8 % of Run 1. These results suggest that anammox bacteria from Lake Koto Baru are highly effective for nitrogen removal in tropical climates and are applicable for wastewater treatment systems in similar regions.

References

Ahn, Y.H., 2006. Sustainable nitrogen elimination biotechnologies: A review. Process Biochemistry, 41(8), pp.1709–1721. doi: 10.1016/j.procbio.2006.03.033

Ali, M., Oshiki, M. & Okabe, S., 2014a. Simple, Rapid and Effective Preservation and Reactivation of Anaerobic Ammonium Oxidizing Bacterium ‘Candidatus Brocadia sinica’. Water Research, 57, pp.215–222. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2014.03.036.

Ali, M., Oshiki, M. & Okabe, S., 2014b. Simple, Rapid and Effective Preservation and Reactivation of Anaerobic Ammonium Oxidizing Bacterium ‘Candidatus Brocadia sinica’. Water Research, 57, pp.215–222. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2014.03.036.

Chen, C-jun. et al., 2012. Improving Anammox Start-up with Bamboo Charcoal. Chemosphere, 89(10), pp.1224–1229. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2012.07.045.

Chen, H. et al., 2016. Successful Start-up of The Anammox Process: Influence of The Seeding Strategy on Performance and Granule Properties. Bioresource Technology, 211, pp.594–602. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2016.03.139.

Edwin, T. et al., 2023. Impact of Pyrolysis Temperature on the Removal of Nutrients Using Coarse Rice-Husk Biochar. Journal of Ecological Engineering, 24(12), pp.247–257. doi: 10.12911/22998993/173379.

Feng, X. et al., 2019. Nitrogen removal from iron oxide red wastewater via partial nitritation-Anammox based on two-stage zeolite biological aerated filter. Bioresource Technology, 279, pp.17–24. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2019.01.113.

Van De Graaf, A.A. et al., 1996. Autotrophic growth of anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing microorganisms in a fluidized bed reactor. Microbiology, 142(8), pp.2187–2196. doi: 10.1099/13500872-142-8-2187.

Heibati, B. et al., 2014. Uptake of Reactive Black 5 by pumice and walnut activated carbon: Chemistry and adsorption mechanisms. Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 20(5), pp.2939–2947. doi: 10.1016/j.jiec.2013.10.063.

Helard, D., Indah, S. & Kiflia, D.P., 2020. Removal of nitrate from groundwater by column using pumice as adsorbent as an effort for water resources conservation. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 846, 012059. doi: 10.1088/1757-899X/846/1/012059.

Indah, S. et al., 2021. Removal of nitrate using modified pumice as adsorbent for reducing groundwater pollution. E3S Web of Conferences, 331, 02012. doi: 10.1051/e3sconf/202133102012.

Komala, P.S. et al., 2024. The effect of anthropogenic activities on the spatial distribution of total nitrogen and total phosphate in Lake Maninjau. Journal of Water and Land Development 60(I-III), pp.71–78. doi: 10.24425/jwld.2024.149109.

Kumar, M. et al., 2017. Anammox Processes. In Current Developments in Biotechnology and Bioengineering. Elsevier, pp.381-407. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-63665-2.00015-1.

Le, L.T. et al., 2022. Influence of temperature on anammox reaction and microbial diversity in a bio-carriers reactor under mainstream conditions. Environmental Technology and Innovation, 25, 102178. doi: 10.1016/j.eti.2021.102178.

Lin, Y.M. et al., 2013. Apatite accumulation enhances the mechanical property of anammox granules. Water Research, 47(13), pp.4556–4566. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2013.04.061.

Lotti, T. et al., 2014a. Simultaneous Partial Nitritation and Anammox at Low Temperature With Granular Sludge. Water Research, 66, pp.111–121. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2014.07.047.

Lotti, T. et al., 2014b. Physiological and Kinetic Characterization of A Suspended Cell Anammox Culture. Water Research, 60, pp.1–14. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2014.04.017.

Lulrahman, F., Silvia, S. & Zulkarnaini, Z., 2022. Nitrogen Removal by Anammox Process Using Sludge from Muara Penjalinan of Padang City as Inoculum. Jurnal Teknologi Lingkungan, 23(2), pp.143–150. doi: 10.29122/jtl.v23i2.5284.

Mulder, A. et al., 1995. Anaerobic ammonium oxidation discovered in a denitrifying fluidized bed reactor. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 16(3), pp.177–183. doi: 10.1016/0168-6496(94)00081-7.

Oshiki, M. et al., 2013. Cultivation of planktonic anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) bacteria using membrane bioreactor. Microbes and Environments, 28(4), pp.436–443. doi: 10.1264/jsme2.ME13077.

Oshiki, M. et al., 2011. Physiological characteristics of the anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacterium ‘Candidatus Brocadia sinica’. Microbiology, 157(6), pp.1706–1713. doi: 10.1099/mic.0.048595-0.

Pratiwi, N.I. et al., 2019. Adsorption and Regeneration of Sungai Pasak Pumice as an Adsorbent for Ammonium Removal in Water. Jurnal Riset Teknologi Pencegahan Pencemaran Industri 10(1), pp.38–46. doi: 10.21771/jrtppi.2019.v10.no1.p38-46

Pungrasmi, W., Phinitthanaphak, P. & Powtongsook, S., 2016. Nitrogen removal from a recirculating aquaculture system using a pumice bottom substrate nitrification-denitrification tank. Ecological Engineering, 95, pp.357–363. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoleng.2016.06.094.

Putra, R.P. et al., 2020. Start-Up Anammox Process Using Sludge from Koto Baru Lake as Inoculum. Teknologi Lingkungan, 21(2), pp.138–146.

Ridha, M. & Darminto, D., 2016. Analisis Densitas, Porositas, dan Struktur Mikro Batu Apung Lombok dengan Variasi Lokasi dan Kedalaman. Jurnal Fisika dan Aplikasinya, 12(3), pp.124–130. doi: 10.12962/j24604682.v12i3.1403.

Strous, M. et al., 1997. Ammonium removal from concentrated waste streams with the anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) process in different reactor configurations. Water Research, 31(8), pp.1955–1962. doi: 10.1016/S0043-1354(97)00055-9.

Strous, M., Kuenen, J.G. & Jetten, M.S.M., 1999. Key Physiology of Anaerobic Ammonium Oxidation. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 65, pp.3248–3250. doi: 10.1128%2Faem.65.7.3248-3250.1999.

Wijaya, I.M.W. & Soedjono, E.S., 2018. Domestic wastewater in Indonesia: Challenge in the future related to nitrogen content. International Journal of GEOMATE, 15(47), pp.32–41. doi: 10.21660/2018.47.06582.

Yang, S. et al., 2019. Improving nitrogen removal in an IFAS nitritation–anammox reactor treating lagoon supernatant by manipulating biocarrier filling ratio and hydraulic retention time. Biochemical Engineering Journal, 152, 107365. doi: 10.1016/j.bej.2019.107365.

Zulkarnaini, Afrianita, R. & Putra, I.H., 2020. Application of Anammox Process in Nitrogen Removal Using Up-Flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor. Jurnal Teknologi Lingkungan 21(1), pp.31–39.

Zulkarnaini, Z., 2024. Sistem Bioreaktor untuk Pengayaan Bakteri Anaerobic Ammonium Oxidation (Anammox) IDP000096776 [Patent].

Zulkarnaini, Z. et al., 2025. Cultivation of anammox bacteria from a tropical lake in Indonesia using a novel filter bioreactor to enhance nitrogen removal efficiency. Water science and technology, 91(7), pp.811–826. doi: 10.2166/wst.2025.050.

Zulkarnaini, Z. et al., 2024. Diversity of Anammox Bacteria from Landfill Treatment Plant Sludge in Tropical Area. Applied Science and Engineering Progress, 17(2), 7299. doi: 10.14416/j.asep.2024.01.003

Zulkarnaini, Z., Komala, P.S. & Almi, A., 2021. Anammox biofilm process using sugarcane bagasse as an organic carrier. Indonesian Journal of Biotechnology, 26(1), 25. doi: 10.22146/IJBIOTECH.58554.

Zulkarnaini, Z., Nur, A. & Ermaliza, W., 2019. Nitrogen Removal in the Anammox Biofilm Reactor using Palm Fiber as Carrier in Tropical Temperature Operation. Jurnal Riset Teknologi Pencegahan Pencemaran Industri, 10(2), pp.7–15. doi: 10.21771/jrtppi.2019.v10.no2.p7-15.

Zulkarnaini, Z., Rasyidah, A.A. & Ridwan., 2023. Utilization of Waste Plastic Straws as Carrier in the Anammox Process. Jurnal Teknologi Lingkungan, 24(1), pp.73–80.

Zulkarnaini, Z. & Silvia, S., 2021. Performance of Nitrogen Removal in Ceramic Anammox Reactor with Two-Inflow. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 1041, 012037. doi: 10.1088/1757-899X/1041/1/012037.