A remediation system for the removal of nitrogen from landfill leachate by a mixed algae-bacteria culture was investigated. This system was designed to treat leachate with minimal inputs and maintenance requirements, and was operated as an open semi-batch reactor in an urban greenhouse. The results of this study showed a maximum nitrogen removal rate of 9.18 mg N/(L·day) and maximum biomass density of 480 mg biomass/L. The ammonia removal rates of this culture increased with increasing initial ammonia concentration; maximum nitrogen removal occurred at an ammonia concentration of 80 mg N-NH3/L. At starting ammonia concentrations above 80 mg N-NH3/L a reduction in nitrogen removal was seen; this inhibition is hypothesized to be caused by ammonia toxicity. This inhibiting concentration is considerably higher than that of many other published studies.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Sniffen et al. (2015) studied this question.