Inorganic carbon limitation decreases ammonium removal and N2O production in the algae-nitrifying bacteria symbiosis system

Ammonium removal by a symbiosis system of algae (Chlorella vulgaris) and nitrifying bacteria was evaluated in a long-term photo-sequencing batch reactor under varying influent inorganic carbon (IC) concentrations (15, 10, 5 and 2.5 mmol L−1) and different nitrogen loading rate (NLR) conditions (270 and 540 mg-N L−1 d−1). The IC/N ratios provided were 2.33, 1.56, 0.78 and 0.39, respectively, for an influent NH4+-N concentration of 90 mg-N L−1 (6.43 mmol L−1). The results confirmed that both ammonium removal and N2O production were positively related with IC concentration. Satisfactory ammonium removal efficiencies (>98 %) and rates (29–34 mg-N gVSS−1 h−1) were achieved regardless of NLR levels under sufficient IC of 10 and 15 mmol L−1, while insufficient IC at 2.5 mmol L−1 led to the lowest ammonium removal rates of 0 mg-N gVSS−1 h−1. The ammonia oxidation process by ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) played a predominant role over the algae assimilation process in ammonium removal. Long-time IC deficiency also resulted in the decrease in biomass and pigments of algae and nitrifying bacteria. IC limitation led to the decreasing N2O production, probably due to its negative effect on ammonia oxidation by AOB. The optimal IC concentration was determined to be 10 mmol L−1 (i.e., IC/N of 1.56, alkalinity of 500 mg CaCO3 L−1) in the algae-bacteria symbiosis reactor, corresponding to higher ammonia oxidation rate of ∼41 mg-N gVSS−1 h−1 and lower N2O emission factor of 0.13 %. This suggests regulating IC concentrations to achieve high ammonium removal and low carbon emission simultaneously in the algae-bacteria symbiosis wastewater treatment process. [Display omitted] •IC had positive correlations with NH+4 removal and N2O production by consortium.•Insufficient IC reduced ammonium removal in the algal-bacterial symbiotic reactor.•Ammonia oxidation by bacteria contributed more than algae assimilation.•IC limitation resulted in decreasing biomass and pigments of the consortium.•Optimal IC was confirmed for high ammonium removal and low carbon emission.