Characteristics of denitrification in a vertical baffled bioreactor

A vertical baffled bioreactor (VBBR) was employed for tertiary denitrification. Its features were designed to minimize the demand for externally supplied electron donor by minimizing net biomass synthesis and oxygen respiration. Over a two-year period, complete denitrification was realized routinely in the VBBR. The nitrate-removal rate was proportion to the influent COD/N ratio, with complete denitrification possible for COD/N ratios >3 gCOD/gN. Batch kinetic tests carried out at the end of years 1 and 2 documented that supplied electron donor was oxidized in the first 1–2 h, but nitrate and nitrite reductions occurred predominantly after 2 h and were driven by internally stored electron donor. Measurements confirmed that the VBBR minimized the demand of added electron donor: The observed yield was only 0.05 mgVSS/mgCOD, and the COD demand for O₂ respiration was only 1–6.7% of the COD demand for N reductions. Biofilm samples taken from the upper and lower ports in cylinder of VBBR had similarly high alpha diversity and dominant genera, but the upper biofilm had a denitrification rate about 70% greater than the lower biofilm. The higher denitrification rate in the upper biofilm correlated its higher content of active biomass.