Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Denitrification of High Strength Nitrate Waste from a Nuclear Industry Using Acclimatized Biomass in a Pilot Scale Reactor

  • Published:
Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This work investigates the performance of acclimatized biomass for denitrification of high strength nitrate waste (10,000 mg/L NO3) from a nuclear industry in a continuous laboratory scale (32 L) and pilot scale reactor (330 L) operated over a period of 4 and 5 months, respectively. Effect of substrate fluctuations (mainly C/NO3-N) on denitrification was studied in a laboratory scale reactor. Incomplete denitrification (95–96 %) was observed at low C/NO3-N (≤2), whereas at high C/NO3-N (≥2.25) led to ammonia formation. Ammonia production increased from 1 to 9 % with an increase in C/NO3-N from 2.25 to 6. Complete denitrification and no ammonia formation were observed at an optimum C/NO3-N of 2.0. Microbiological studies showed decrease in denitrifiers and increase in nitrite-oxidizing bacteria and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria at high C/NO3-N (≥2.25). Pilot scale studies were carried out with optimum C/NO3-N, and sustainability of the process was checked on the pilot scale for 5 months.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Glass, C., & Silverstien, J. (1999). Water Research, 33, 223–229.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Glass, C., & Silverstein, J. (1998). Water Research, 32, 831–839.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Dhamole, P.B. (2006). PhD Thesis, University of Mumbai.

  4. Kapoor, A., & Viraraghavan, T. (1997). Journal of Environmental Engineering, 123, 371–380.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Foglar, L., & Briski, F. (2003). Process Biochemistry, 39, 95–103.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Dhamole, P. B., Nair, R. R., D’Souza, S. F., & Lele, S. S. (2007). Bioresource Technology, 98, 247–252.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Nair, R. R., Dhamole, P. B., Lele, S. S., & D’Souza, S. F. (2007). Chemosphere, 97, 1612–1617.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Biradar, P. M., Dhamole, P. B., Nair, R. R., Roy, S. B., Satpati, S. B., D’Souza, S. F., Lele, S. S., & Pandit, A. B. (2008). Environmental Progress, 27, 365–372.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Dhamole, P. B., Nair, R. R., D’Souza, S. F., & Lele, S. S. (2009). Bioresource Technology, 100, 1082–1086.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Dhamole, P. B., Nair, R. R., D’Souza, S. F., & Lele, S. S. (2008). Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 151, 433–440.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Nair, R. R., Dhamole, P. B., Lele, S. S., & D’Souza, S. F. (2008). Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 151, 193–200.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Shahabi, Z. A., & Naeimpoor, F. (2014). Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 73, 741–752.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. APHA, AWWA, WEF. (1992). Washington, DC: APHA.

  14. APHA, AWWA, WEF. (1997). Washington, DC: APHA.

  15. Yin, S. X., Chen, D., Chen, L. M., & Edis, R. (2002). Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 34, 1131–1137.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Ma, H., & Aelion, C. M. (2005). Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 37, 1869–1878.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Tiedje, J. M. (1988). In A. J. B. Zehnder (Ed.), Biology of anaerobic microorganisms. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India, for funding this work and Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers (RCF), Mumbai, India, for providing the sludge for the experiments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, Hyderabad, 500078, India

    Pradip B. Dhamole

  2. Nuclear Agriculture and Biotechnology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 400085, India

    Rashmi R. Nair & Stanislaus F. D’Souza

  3. Institute of Chemical Technology, Matunga, Mumbai, 400019, India

    Aniruddha B. Pandit & S. S. Lele

Authors
  1. Pradip B. Dhamole
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Rashmi R. Nair
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Stanislaus F. D’Souza
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Aniruddha B. Pandit
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. S. S. Lele
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pradip B. Dhamole.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Dhamole, P.B., Nair, R.R., D’Souza, S.F. et al. Denitrification of High Strength Nitrate Waste from a Nuclear Industry Using Acclimatized Biomass in a Pilot Scale Reactor. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 175, 748–756 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-014-1317-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-014-1317-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation