Starvation resilience in anammox-based bioreactors: A stable nitrogen removal route on partial denitrification/anammox (PD/A)

This study investigates the performance, resilience and microbial community dynamics of two anaerobic processes, i.e. pure anammox (R1) and partial denitrification/anammox (PD/A) (R2), following a 30-day starvation period. The tolerance to starvation was assessed by comparing nitrogen removal efficiency and microbial activity across both reactors. Results show that the PD/A process recovery to pre-starvation performance levels within just one day, as compared to the pure anammox process. Notably, although the activity of anammox bacteria decreased in both processes during starvation, the decay rate in R1 was 69.59 % higher than in R2, potentially explaining the quicker recovery of R2. Furthermore, enhanced secretion of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) during starvation served as a protective mechanism. The potential functions and genes in microorganisms, as well as the pathway of nitrogen cycling, were demonstrated through analyses using the KEGG database. This research reveals essential mechanistic insights and strategic guidance for the effective implementation of anammox-based biological nitrogen removal processes.