Archaea Improves Ammonia Removal

Ammonia removal is an important aspect of biological nutrient removal in wastewater treatment processes. However, due to process constraints, inhibiting compounds or more stringent discharge standards the ammonia removal rate can be insufficient. Subsequently, there is an increased need to optimize the functioning of existing treatment facilities. Addition of Archaea bio-systems to wastewater systems has been shown to increase ammonia removal. The impacts are increased oxygen utilization and higher microbial metabolic rates, which increase ammonia removal. Presentation Objectives This presentation has three objectives: 1. Briefly present ArchaeaSolutions’ definition of increasing ammonia removal and the criteria we use to define successful treatment. 2. Review application experiences. 3. Examine the scientific basis for Archaea bio-systems’ success in increasing ammonia removal. Copyright 2003. ArchaeaSolutions, Inc. All rights reserved. page 1 of 9 ArchaeaSolutions, Inc. Increasing Ammonia Removal Ammonia is an essential nutrient and is consumed by organisms for the synthesis of new biomass. However, the main removal mechanism for ammonia removal is nitrification. Nitrifier bacteria convert the excess ammonia to nitrate under oxygen sufficient conditions. When oxygen becomes limiting or residence time is too short they cannot survive and wash out of the system. In order to overcome these constraints process modifications are typically required. Alternatively, the microbial population metabolism can be accelerated that effects ammonia removal. ArchaeaSolutions, Inc. defines success in increasing ammonia removal as: “The ability to continue to efficiently improve ammonia removal. This is measured by graphing the actual data when Archaea bio-systems are present compared to the historical data.” The graph below illustrates the criteria for success. Success Criteria Definition