Sulfate reducing ammonium oxidation (SULFAMMOX) process under anaerobic conditions

Sulfate (SO 4 2 − ) can be an electron acceptor for ammonium nitrogen (NH 4 + ) oxidation under anaerobic conditions. The process is known as sulfammox and can be a viable alternative to conventional, nitrite (NO 2 − ) dependent, anammox. Two bacterial species, including Bacillus Benzoevorans and Brocadia Anammoxoglobus Sulfate , can perform that process. With sulfammox, an economically inefficient pre-nitration step (due to aeration) is not required. There are more than 10 different systems in which sulfammox has been studied, including suspended growth, biofilm, granular and hybrid reactors. A combination of anammox and sulfur related processes (sulfammox and autotrophic denitrification) would especially be appropriate for specific industrial wastewater with high content of nitrogen compounds and SO 4 2 − . The results of recent studies suggest that very high removal efficiencies could simultaneously be achieved with respect to both NH 4 + (92%–99%) and SO 4 2 − (53%–60%). • Sulfate may be an additional electron acceptor in the anaerobic ammonium oxidation. • Bacillus Benzoevorans and Brocadia Anammoxoglobus Sulfate can perform sulfammox. • The optimal conditions for the sulfammox is 25 °C –35 °C and pH - 7.0 – 8. • Sulfammox is a viable option for specific industrial wastewater with high NH 4 + and SO 4 2 − . • Sulfammox has been studied in suspended growth, biofilm, granular and hybrid reactors.