Does intermittent aeration and/or an influent distributary affect nitrogen removal and nitrous oxide emission of an ecological soil wastewater infiltration system?

The effect of intermittent aeration and an influent distributary on NH4 +-N removal, total nitrogen (TN) removal, nitrous oxide (N2O) emission and the abundances of nitrogen removal and N2O emission functional genes in four types of ecological soil wastewater infiltration systems (ESWISs) (which were conventional ESWIS 1 (operated without aeration and influent distributary), ESWIS 2 (operated with intermittent aeration), ESWIS 3 (operated with influent distributary) and ESWIS 4 (operated with intermittent aeration and influent distributary)) were studied. Intermittent aeration in ESWIS 2 and 4 created aerobic conditions above 50 cm depth of the matrix and anoxic or anaerobic conditions in the lower matrix (below 80 cm depth). ESWIS 4 improved NH4 +-N (to 90.1%) and TN (to 87.8%) removal efficiencies and increased the abundances of eight nitrogen removal and N2O emission functional genes (amoA, nxrA, narG, napA, nirS, nirK, qnorB and nosZ) in contrast with other ESWISs. The combination of intermittent aeration and influent distributary achieved the lowest N2O emission rate of 34.7 mg/(m2 d) in ESWIS 4. Intermittent aeration combined with influent distributary was recommended for ESWISs to enhance nitrogen removal and reduce N2O emission.

Effect of aeration and hydraulic loading rate on nitrogen removal by subsurface infiltration systems.

This study investigated the effect of hydraulic loading rate (HLR) on matrix dissolved oxygen (DO), organic matter removal, nitrogen removal, N2 O emissions, and the abundances of functional genes participating in nitrogen removal in intermittent aerated mode (IAM) and nonaerated mode (NAM) subsurface infiltration systems (SISs). In contrast to NAM SISs, IAM SISs were able to create aerobic conditions in the upper matrix (above 50 cm depth) and anoxic or anaerobic conditions in the lower matrix (below 80 cm depth). Subsequently, this enhanced the abundance of functional genes related to nitrogen removal. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) and nitrogen removal performance were significantly higher under IAM SISs than with NAM SISs. Under a HLR of 0.3 m3 /(m2  d), the IAM SIS was able to achieve low N2 O emissions (12.6 mg/[m2  d]) along with removal efficiencies of 90.5%, 91.4%, and 85.7% for COD, ammonia nitrogen ( NH 4 + -N), and total nitrogen (TN), respectively. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Intermittent aeration successfully realized sequential aerobic and anaerobic conditions at 50 cm depth and at 80 and 110 cm depths of a subsurface infiltration system. Intermittent aeration reduced N2 O emissions and improved hydraulic loading rate and organic matter, nitrogen removal efficiencies. Intermittent aeration enhanced the abundances of amoA, nxrA, napA, narG, nirS, nirK, qnorB, and nosZ.

Nitrogen Removal and N2O Emission in Biochar-Sludge Subsurface Wastewater Infiltration Systems.

Nitrogen removal and N2O emission of biochar-sludge amended subsurface wastewater infiltration systems (SWISs) with/without intermittent aeration under different organic surface loading rates (OSLRs) were investigated. Under OSLR, between 8.5 and 54.6 g COD/(m2 d), average chemical oxygen demand (COD), , and total nitrogen (TN) removal rates decreased with OSLR increasing in non-aerated SWISs amended with/without biochar-sludge; increasing OSLR hardly affected COD and removal in biochar-sludge amended SWIS with intermittent aeration; N2O emission rate decreased with influent OSLR increasing in the SWISs. Biochar-sludge amended SWIS with intermittent aeration obtained higher removal rates for COD (94.9 to 95.5%), (90.5 to 93.7%), TN (86.5 to 89.9%) and lower N2O emission rates [13.4 to 14.7 mg/(m2 d)] under high influent OSLR of 36.2 and 54.6 g COD/(m2 d) were compared with non-aerated SWISs with/without biochar-sludge. Furthermore, the abundances of amoA, nxrA, napA, narG, nirS, nirK, qnorB, and nosZ genes involved in nitrogen removal were enhanced under high influent OSLR in biochar-sludge amended SWIS with intermittent aeration.

Nitrogen removal and N2O emission by shunt distributing wastewater in aerated or non-aerated subsurface wastewater infiltration systems under different shunt ratios.

This study investigated matrix oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), nitrogen removal, N2O emission and nitrogen removal functional gene abundance in three subsurface wastewater infiltration systems (SWISs), named SWIS A (without aeration or shunt distributing wastewater), SWIS B (with shunt distributing wastewater) and SWIS C (with intermittent aeration and shunt distributing wastewater) under different shunt ratios. Aerobic conditions were produced at a depth of 50 cm and anoxic or anaerobic conditions were not changed at depths of 80 and 110 cm by aeration in SWIS C. High average removal rates of chemical oxygen demand (COD) (83.1% for SWIS B, 90.9% for SWIS C), NH3-N (74.3% for SWIS B, 90.8% for SWIS C) and total nitrogen (TN) (61.1% for SWIS B, 87.9% for SWIS C) were obtained under shunt ratios of 1:3 and 1:2 for SWIS B and C, respectively. The lowest N2O emission rate (28.4 mg/(m2 d)) and highest nitrogen removal functional gene abundances were achieved in SWIS C under a 1:2 shunt ratio. The results suggested intermittent aeration and shunt distributing wastewater combined strategy would enhance nitrogen removal and reduce N2O emission for SWISs.

Does influent COD/N ratio affect nitrogen removal and N2O emission in a novel biochar-sludge amended soil wastewater infiltration system (SWIS)?

Nitrogen removal and N2O emission of a biochar-sludge amended soil wastewater infiltration system (SWIS) with/without intermittent aeration under different influent COD/N ratios was investigated. Nitrogen removal and N2O emission were affected by influent COD/N ratio. Under a COD/N ratio between 1:1 and 15:1, average chemical oxygen demand (COD), NH4 +-N and total nitrogen (TN) removal rates decreased with COD/N ratio increase in non-aerated SWISs amended with/without biochar-sludge; an increasing COD/N ratio hardly affected COD and NH4 +-N removal in a biochar-sludge amended SWIS with intermittent aeration; the N2O emission rate decreased with COD/N ratio increase in the studied SWISs. The biochar-sludge amended SWIS with intermittent aeration achieved high COD (92.2%), NH4 +-N (96.8%), and TN (92.7%) removal rates and a low N2O emission rate (10.6 mg/(m2 d)) under a COD/N ratio of 15:1, which was higher than those in non-aerated SWISs amended with/without biochar-sludge. Combining the biochar-sludge amended SWIS with intermittent aeration enhanced the number of nitrifying bacteria, denitrifying bacteria, nitrate reductase activities, nitrite reductase activities, and improved the abundance of nitrogen removal functional genes under a high influent COD/N ratio. The results suggested that the joint use of intermittent aeration and biochar-sludge in a SWIS could be an effective and appropriate strategy for improving nitrogen removal and reducing N2O emissions in treating high COD/N ratio wastewater.