In a significant development under the direction of Professor Kannan Pakshirajan, a research team from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG) has created a novel technique for extracting ammonium from wastewater by combining bacteria and microalgae. Compared to conventional wastewater treatment techniques, this system not only provides a sustainable solution but also significantly reduces energy usage.
IITG researchers develop innovative Ammonium Removal Method
A photo-sequencing batch reactor (PSBR) was designed by Prof. Pakshirajan’s team. In this reactor, microalgae produce oxygen during photosynthesis, which is then used by nitrifying bacteria to convert ammonium into nitrate. The final product, nitrogen, is then formed by denitrification under anoxic conditions using denitrifying bacteria. This greatly increases the process’s energy efficiency by doing away with the requirement for external oxygen aeration.
Prof. Kannan Pakshirajan of the Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering at IIT Guwahati emphasized the significance of this study by stating, “Our system offers a sustainable solution for treating wastewater while cutting down on energy costs.” We can increase the process’s efficiency and reduce its cost by using the oxygen that microalgae naturally create. The researchers integrate real-world data with scientific simulation.
To guarantee high ammonium removal rates under varied circumstances, the researchers integrate real-world data with scientific modeling. According to a press release, the system proved to be an economical and environmentally beneficial substitute for traditional aeration techniques used in wastewater treatment facilities, exhibiting energy savings of up to 91.33%.
About the study
Published in the esteemed Chemical Engineering Journal, the study was funded by the Department of Science & Technology—Fund for Improvement of S&T Infrastructure (DST-FIST) program. Professor G. Pugazhenthi from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Professor Kannan Pakshirajan from the Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering co-authored the study with post-doctoral and Guwahati IITG researchers develop new method to remove ammonium from wastewater research scholars Dr. Arun Sakthivel, Dr. Surjith Ramasamy, and Sumeet Kheria at IIT Guwahati.
Process of ammonium removal
There are major environmental hazards associated with ammonium in wastewater, which comes from sources such as landfills, industrial waste, home sewage, and agricultural runoff. It can cause aquatic habitats to lose oxygen, experience toxic algal blooms, and have more acidic water. Up to 90% of a treatment plant’s energy is used in the oxygenation process used in traditional ammonium removal techniques.
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