Biofilm population diversity and distribution in Anammox MBBR Pilot at 26th Ward WWTP in Brooklyn, New York: Molecular analysis and mathematical modelling.

New York City Environmental Protection (NYCEP) in conjunction with City College of New York (CCNY) assessed the application of the anammox process in the treatment of centrate using a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) located at the 26th Ward wastewater treatment plant, in Brooklyn, NY. In this work, the population diversity of ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB), Nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) and anammox was determined using qPCR analysis as well as evaluation of microbial interaction of such bacteria with modeling approach. During six months of operation, qPCR data showed an increase in Nitrospira abundance in continuous aeration mode. Different strategies such as lowering dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration and prolonged anoxic period did not suppress NOB activity. The model predictions matched fairly well the experimental observations of reactor operation. Moreover, Modeling in agreement with qPCR showed that higher nitrogen loading resulted in higher anammox growth and a decrease in NOB population.