Static magnetic field increases aerobic nitrogen removal from hypersaline wastewater in activated sludge with coexistence of fungi and bacteria.

ABSTRACT

Fungi have been found to exist in activated sludge treating saline wastewater, but their role in removing pollution has been neglected. This study explored the aerobic removal of total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) from saline wastewater under static magnetic fields (SMFs) with several strengths. Compared to the control, the aerobic removal of TIN was significantly increased by 1.47 times in 50 mT SMF, due to the increased dissimilation nitrogen removal by fungi and bacteria. Under SMF, fungal nitrogen dissimilation removal was significantly increased by 3.65 times. The fungal population size decreased, and its community composition changed significantly under SMF. In contrast, bacterial community composition and population remained relatively stable. Under SMFs, heterotrophic nitrification - aerobic denitrification bacteria Paracoccus and the fungi denitrifying Candida formed a synergistic interaction. This study elucidates the fungal role in aerobic TIN removal and provides an efficient solution to improve TIN removal from saline wastewater by SMF.