Optimization and investigation of anammox process using mathematical modeling and experimental approaches

Anammox bacteria employ nitrite as the electron acceptor and ammonium as the electron donor to convert ammonium and nitrite to nitrogen gas directly under anaerobic conditions. This research aims to reach the steps towards the optimization and investigation of the anammox process by combining the practical observation and mathematical model based evaluation. For this propose the optimal operational conditions will be studied using batch test experiments and long term operation of a lab-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) and the ten years’ application-based survey of a full-scale anammox plan. The effect of inhibitory effects will also be assessed during this analysis. In the mathematical modelling part, several approaches and numerical techniques will be tested to verify the general behavior and efficiency of the model for various calibration and validation scenario compared available measured data. The model was describing the simultaneous anammox, partial nitrification and denitrification (SNAD) process. The initial model verifies the short-term batch assays. The model will be extended and a mixed-species biofilm model will be developed for the long-term prediction of effluent quality, microbial consortia dynamics, microbial interaction, soluble microbial products, spatial distribution of bacterial community as well as greenhouse gases emission from anammox reactors. Besides a variety of molecular techniques such as DNA sequencing will be applied to survey the performance and microbial community analysis of different studied plants. The context of this PhD project is divided to:

1. Application surveys, long-term statistical analysis stochastic risk assessment and microbial community analysis
2. II.  Multispecies biofilm modelling for simultaneous anammox and denitrification for batch-operated systems
3. Modelling of microbial consortia and soluble microbial produc
4. Modeling of nitrous oxide emission
5. Optimization of partial nitritation-anammox SBR
6. DNA and RNA Sequencing on anammox samples from WWTPs in Germanu