Two-stage sequencing batch reactors with added iron shavings for nutrient removal and aerobic sludge granulation treating real wastewater with low carbon to nitrogen ratios

Abstract

In response to the challenges of limited nutrient removal and the difficulty in forming aerobic granular sludge (AGS) with low carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratios, a novel two-stage sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) (R1 and R2) system with added iron shavings was proposed and established. The results showed that AGS was developed and nitrogen (82.8 %) and phosphorus (94.7 %) were effectively removed under a C/N ratio at 1.7 ± 0.5. The average size of R1 and R2 increased from 45.3 μm to 138.7 μm and 132.8 μm. Under high biological selective pressure, phosphorus accumulating organisms like Comamonadaceae (14.8 %) and Chitinophagales (5.7 %) experienced enrichment in R1. Furthermore, R2 exhibited an increased abundance of nitrifying bacteria (2.3 %) and a higher proportion of nitrogen removal through autotrophic denitrification (＞17.5 %). Overall, this study introduces an innovative two-stage SBRs with added iron shavings, offering a novel approach for the treatment of low C/N ratios wastewater.

Keywords: Aerobic granular sludge; Iron shavings; Low carbon to nitrogen ratios; Nutrient removal; Sequencing batch reactor.