Red-Mud Biochar Boosts Anammox Nitrogen Removal Efficiency

Red-mud biochar enhances nitrogen removal in the Anammox process. By improving electron transfer and supporting microbial symbiosis, RM biochar boosts nitrogen removal efficiency, making it a promising, eco-friendly solution for wastewater treatment with reduced energy consumption.

October 1, 2024

1–2 minutes

Liu, et al (2024) The impact of red-mud biocharBiochar is a carbon-rich material created from biomass decomposition in low-oxygen conditions. It has important applications in environmental remediation, soil improvement, agriculture, carbon sequestration, energy storage, and sustainable materials, promoting efficiency and reducing waste in various contexts while addressing climate change challenges. More on anammox: Insight into short-term test, microbial interaction and electron transfer capacity. *Journal of Water Process Engineering*. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2024.106226

A recent study published in the Journal of Water Process Engineering investigates the role of red-mud (RM) biochar in enhancing the anaerobic ammonia oxidation (Anammox) process for nitrogen removal from wastewater. The research focuses on the physicochemical properties of RM biochar and its impact on microbial interactions and electron transfer.

RM biochar, produced through impregnation-pyrolysis at 700°C, showed excellent structural and magnetic characteristics. When added to the Anammox process, it significantly improved nitrogen removal efficiency (NRE). Compared to a control setup without biochar, RM biochar boosted ammonia removal by up to 3.9% and total nitrogen removal by as much as 15.7%. This improvement was attributed to RM biochar’s ability to enhance electron transfer, acting as a conductor, and enriching anammox bacteria like Candidatus Brocadia and Candidatus Jettenia.

The study concludes that the excellent electron transfer capacity of RM biochar supports microbial symbiosis, offering a promising strategy to improve the efficiency and sustainability of Anammox in wastewater treatment, while reducing energy costs and environmental impacts.

These findings suggest RM biochar could be a key component in optimizing biological nitrogen removal processes, especially in large-scale applications.