Biological Nitrogen Removal from Low Carbon Wastewater

Deep nitrogen removal is a critical way to control eutrophication globally. In the conventional process, the deep nitrogen removal was realized by adding external organic carbon, leading to a higher cost, excessive sludge production, and greenhouse gas emissions. Under the background of carbon neutrality worldwide, it is indispensable to develop an innovative process for biological nitrogen removal from wastewater with a low carbon profile. Therefore, biological nitrogen removal from low carbon wastewater has been becoming a pressing issue in wastewater treatment. Many scholars have carried out relevant studies on comprehensive utilization of carbon sources, autotrophic nitrogen removal, and other aspects in recent years. For example, the Strass sewage plant in Austria, the Changi sewage plant in Singapore, and the new concept sewage plant in Yixing, China, have all tried to achieve high-efficiency biological nitrogen removal from low carbon wastewater in the field. However, more important research has been achieved in nitrogen removal with low carbon wastewater. This special issue focuses on biological nitrogen removal from low carbon wastewater, which would provide upgrading concepts and technologies to achieve the goals of energy-efficient and carbon-neutral wastewater treatment for maximizing both environmental and economic sustainability.

This Research Topic will focus on removing nitrogen for low carbon wastewater. For example, what pathways and processes exist in nitrogen removal for low carbon wastewater? What challenges, barriers exist, and solutions in these pathways and processes? This topic intends to summarize the latest research progress in the biological nitrogen removal of low carbon wastewater, reveal the principles, control factors and microbial mechanisms of nitrogen removal processes such as anaerobic ammonia oxidation, sulfur autotrophic nitrogen removal process, etc., and provide technical support for the low-cost nitrogen removal process in wastewater.

This Research Topic contains the latest research articles and reviews on biological nitrogen removal for low carbon wastewater, including, but not limited to the following themes:
• Low carbon wastewater treatment
• Biological nitrogen removal
• Autotrophic nitrogen removal
• Anaerobic ammonia oxidation (Anammox)
• Innovative nitrogen removal biotechnology
• Energy-carbon nexus analysis