Nitrification & Denitrification in wastewater treatment

Nitrification and denitrification are crucial biological processes in wastewater treatment. They remove harmful nitrogen compounds such as ammonia and nitrate, allowing water to be safely returned to the environment from the wastewater treatment plant. Nitrification converts ammonia to nitrate, while denitrification converts nitrate to nitrogen gas, which is safely released into the atmosphere. Together, nitrification and denitrification contribute to a cleaner environment and prevent problems such as water pollution and eutrophication.

Nitrification

However, nitrification is particularly sensitive to environmental factors in the wastewater treatment plant. The bacteria that carry out this process function optimally within a specific pH range (6.5-8.5) and at temperatures between 15 and 30 degrees Celsius. Deviations in these conditions can seriously slow down or stop the process. The presence of chemical substances, such as heavy metals or toxic compounds, can also inhibit bacterial activity in wastewater treatment plants, which affects the efficiency of the wastewater treatment. Since nitrifying strains such as Nitrosomonas sp. and Nitrobacter sp. are sensitive to this, they quickly disappear from the treatment system.

QM Environmental International supplies nitrifying strains that have proven themselves in hundreds of biological wastewater treatment plants. In this way, the nitrification process can be quickly restored in the event of calamities or maintained when it is under pressure due to low temperatures or the structural presence of toxic substances in the wastewater.

Denitrification

The final step to remove nitrogen from the wastewater is denitrification. In this process, the nitrate formed in nitrification is used by denitrifying bacterial strains as an electron acceptor to oxidize organic material. The nitrate is converted into nitrogen gas that escapes into the atmosphere. It is essential that there is sufficient biologically degradable organic matter, also known as B.O.D., present in the wastewater to allow this process to proceed.

QM also supplies seeding material for denitrification to quickly introduce denitrification, and QM also supplies various organic substrates that provide the necessary BOD to maintain the denitrification process.

Nitrification in wastewater treatment
Denitrification in wastewater treatment
Wastewater Treatment

Natural & Harmless

MicroCat®

Nitrificatie biocultuur

MicroCat®-XNL

Nirtifying bioformula for stimulation of nitrification in wastewater treatment plants

MicroCat®-XNL is a liquid suspension of selected, adapted nitrosomonas and nitrobacter strains for use in biological wastewater treatment plants receiving ammonium containing wastewater. MicroCat®-XNL is a non-refrigerated liquid. MicroCat®-XNL is also available with salt tolerant strains for brackish and seawater treatment.

Applications:

  • Activated sludge installations
  • Biorotors
  • Membrane Bio Reactors (MBRs)
  • Moving Bed Bio Reactors (MBBRs)
  • Other fixed film systems

MicroCat®-XNL is added directly to the aeration tank of the wastewater treatment system.

MicroCat®-XNL is available in :

  • 1 L bottles
  • 5 & 20 L jerry cans
  • 200 L barrels
MicroCat-XRX, nitrification bacteria

MicroCat®-XRX

Nirtifying bioformula for stimulation of nitrification in wastewater treatment plants

MicroCat®-XRX is a microbial slurry of pre-selected, customized Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter microbial strains for use in biological wastewater treatment plants receiving effluents containing ammonia. MicroCat®-XRX is a gelatinous paste packaged in a unique plastic packet.

Under toxic and/or cold weather conditions, the growth rate of natural nitrifying populations tends to slow significantly, allowing ammonia to flow through the system untreated. MicroCat®-XRX synergistically combines the capabilities of several natural ammonia-oxidizing microbial strains to re-inoculate nitrifying systems and enhance performance under toxic, inhibitive or cold weather conditions. When used on a preventative maintenance basis, MicroCat®-XRX can improve the consistency of ongoing nitrification and enhance overall system performance.

Applications

MicroCat®-XRX is specially formulated for use by in the;

  • Chemical industry
  • Food processing industry
  • Petroleum refining
  • Primary metal industry
  • Textile industry
  • Sewage treatment plants (STPs)

MicroCat®-XRX is added directly to the aeration tank of the wastewater treatment system.

MicroCat®-XRX is available in plastic bags with a resealable cap:

  • 1 unit packages (113 grams)
  • 5 unit packs (565 grams)
Denitrificatie biocultuur

MicroCat®-DEN

Denitrifying bioformula for wastewater treatment

MicroCat®-DEN is a synergistic blend of selected, naturally occurring microorganisms for denitrification (the removal of nitrate and nitrite) of wastewater under anoxic conditions.

MicroCat®-DEN can help with:

  • Improving denitrification rate – higher nitrogen removal – improved performance at low temperatures
  • More complete BOD removal – facultative organisms work in both aerobic and anoxic zones
  • Removal of some difficult to degrade organic compounds (e.g. amines)

Applications:

  • Activated sludge installations
  • Biorotors
  • Membrane Bio Reactors (MBRs)
  • Moving Bed Bio Reactors (MBBRs)
  • Other fixed film systems

MicroCat®-DEN is added directly to the anoxic denitrification tank of the wastewater treatment system.

MicroCat®-DEN is available in:

  • 11,3 Kg pails
Dentrificatie booster

QM-CarboBWB-60

GLYCERINE BASED CARBON SOURCE FOR DENITRIFICATION IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS

QM-CARBO BWB-60 is a liquid bio-substrate with a high COD content, which can be used as a carbon source in the denitrification step of biological wastewater treatment plants. The use of QM-CARBO BWB-60 also supports the removal of organic phosphate.

QM-CARBO BWB-60 can be used as a cost-effective source of carbon to replace alternative chemicals such as glycols, alcohols and in particular acetic acid, where the pH neutral nature and relative harmlessness of the product are important advantages.

QM-CARBO BWB-60 is optimized for rapid and complete biological nutrient availability/degradability and promotes anaerobic digestion and improves gas production yield.

Applications:

  • Biological wastewater treatment plants deficient in B.Z.V. for denitrification

Composition:

  • Methanol : < 0,3%
  • Glycerin : 60%
  • Sodium : 2%
  • Fatty acids from rapeseed oil : 25%
  • Water : 35%

pH: 6-8

COD concentration: 950.000 mg O2/l

Shelf life: 2 years

QM-CARBO BWB-60 is available in 1200 Kg IBCs

Dentrificatie booster

QM-CarboBWB-ST-HC-C

GLYCERINE BASED CARBON SOURCE FOR DENITRIFICATION IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS

QM-CARBO ST-HC-C is a liquid biosubstrate with a high COD content, which can be used as a carbon source in the denitrification step of biological treatments, also supporting the removal of organic phosphate.

QM-CARBO ST-HC-C can be used as a cost-effective carbon source to replace alternative chemicals such as glycols, alcohols and especially acetic acid, where the pH neutral nature and relative harmlessness of the product are important advantages.

QM-CARBO ST-HC-C is optimized for rapid and complete biological nutrient availability/degradability, promotes fermentation and improves gas efficiency

Applications:

  • Biological wastewater treatment plants deficient in B.Z.V. for denitrification

Composition:

  • Methanol : < 0,5%
  • Glycerin : >80%
  • MONG : <4%
  • Water : <18%

pH: 6-8

COD concentration: 1.450.000 or 1.160.00 mg O2/l

Shelf life: 2 years

QM-CARBO ST-HC-C is available in 1200 Kg IBCs

Denitrificatie booster

QM-DeNitriBoost

Nitrite and Nitrate Elimination in Fish Ponds

Fish ponds and especially koi carp ponds regularly have to deal with an accumulation of nitrite in the pond water. Nitrite is toxic to fish and therefore very undesirable. Accumulation of nitrite is caused by a stagnation of the ammonium removal process. Ammonium, which is released during the breakdown of fish excrement and fish food that is not eaten, is oxidized under optimal conditions in the pond filter to nitrite and nitrate, this process is called nitrification. The nitrate is used in zones with little to no dissolved oxygen in the last part of the pond filter by denitrifying bacteria to break down organic material. Since koi carp pond filters are sometimes very efficient in removing biodegradable material, there is insufficient to no organic material left for the denitrification process to use up all the nitrate. The accumulation of nitrate causes the nitrifying bacteria that convert nitrite to nitrate to be inhibited and this in turn causes a build-up of nitrite in the water that leaves the pond filter and ends up in the pond.

QM-DeNitriBoost is a special formula based on natural organic substances to promote nitrite removal through denitrification in Koi carp ponds.

Applications:

  • Koi carp ponds
  • Fish & shrimp farming tanks

Composition:

  • 30% Sodium acetate
  • 30% Diethylene glycol

pH: ~7

Shelf life: 2 years

QM-DeNitriBoost is available in 1 Liter bottles, 20 Kg Jerrycans or 1100 Kg IBC’s

Would you like more information about how MicroCat® products can help with your nitrification/denitrification?