Traditional process of autotrophic nitrification-anaerobic denitrification usually has problems of long procedure and low efficiency. To overcome these problems, a heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification bacterium YL was isolated from a domesticated mature SBR reactor with efficient simultaneous nitrification and denitrification ability, and was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa YL. Meanwhile, the characteristics of the nitrogen removal of strain YL was investigated through single-factor experiments and an orthogonal experiment. The results showed that the preferred conditions were: succinate as the carbon source, C/N ratio of 10, pH of 7.0, temperature of 30°C, and the shaking speed of 160-200 r · min(-1), while the removal rate of ammonia oxidation was 5. 05 mg · (g · h)(-1), the transformation rate of TOC was 45.95 mg · (g · h)(-1), and the removal rates of nitrogen and TOC were 100% and 90.8%, respectively. Nitrite, nitrate and hydroxylamine could also be metabolized by strain YL, and the removal rates were 92.7%, 93.6% and 94.8%, respectively. The most important influencing factor on aerobic denitrification of strain YL was C/N ratio. Under the optimal conditions (C/N = 10, T = 30°C , r = 200 r · min(-1), pH = 7), the removal rates of nitrate and total nitrogen were 94.6% and 76.3%, respectively. Hence, strain YL could remove nitrogen by heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification independently, quickly, and effectively.