Concurrent Mainstream Deammonification and Phosphorus Removal Using the ANITA Mox Process: A Pilot-Scale Evaluation at the Joint Water Pollution Control Plant (JWPCP)

Deammonification is an alternative pathway for removing nitrogen from wastewater and offers reduced carbon and energy requirements compared to conventional nitrification/denitrification (NDN). These attributes can translate into substantial O&M cost savings and help facilities achieve energy-neutrality. While the application for deammonification to treat sidestreams (e.g., centrate) is considered mature and has experienced rapid growth, its application to treat the mainstream has lagged. Some success has been reported (Thomson et al., 2016; Lotti et al., 2015); however, difficulties in growing and retaining the key anaerobic ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AnAOB) and repressing the competing nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB), especially at lower process temperatures, remain major barriers. Kruger recently developed a mainstream deammonification process based on the Integrated Fixed-film Activated Sludge (IFAS) variant of its ANITA Mox process.