Achieving rapid start-up and efficient nitrogen removal of partial-denitrification/anammox process using organic matter in brewery wastewater as carbon source.

To find a cost-efficient carbon source for the partial denitrification/anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) (PD/A) process, the practicability of using the organic matter contained in brewery wastewater as carbon source was investigated. Quick self-enrichment of denitrifying bacteria was achieved by supplying brewery wastewater as organic carbon source and using the mature anammox sludge as the seeding sludge. The PD/A process was successfully established after 33-day operation and then the average total nitrogen removal efficiency reached 92.29% when the influent COD: NO-N: NH-N ratio was around 2.5: 1.0: 0.67. The relative abundance of increased from 0.03% in the seeding sludge to 54.29% on day 110, whereas decreased from 30.66% to 2.08%. The metagenomic analysis indicated that the sludge on day 110 contained more and A (total of 41.24%) than K and S (total of 11.93%). Thus NO-N was accumulated efficiently in the process of denitrification and sufficient NO-N was supplied for anammox bacteria in the PD/A process. Using brewery wastewater as carbon source not only saved the cost of nitrogen removal but also converted waste into resource and reduced the treatment expense of brewery wastewater.