Biotechnique for nitrogen and phosphorus removal: a possible insight

ABSTRACT

The increasing concentration of nutrient compounds such as nitrogen and phosphorus in effluents causes eutrophication results in rapid growing algae that encouraged a simultaneously decrease in the amount of dissolved O₂ and causes harmful effects on the aquatic ecosystem, which leads to the killing of fish, depletion of flora and fauna to water bodies. Nitrogen and Phosphorus work like a hazardous nutrient compound causing acidification of the soil, acid rainfall, eutrophication, and toxicity. The abundance of nitrogen decreases the level of other minerals and imbalances toxic elements such as aluminium which can spread and cause harm to plants and also fish in rivers. The primary mechanisms of removal, treatment and process are described elaborately in this work. This paper highlighting the different techniques, such as whole cells-based removal, immobilisation-based methods, photobioreactor, Bio-CAST-based technology, pilot-scale biological nutrient removal technology, bio-electrochemical system, membrane bioreactor, enhanced allure-type biological system, fresh and marine water microalgae biomass, hetero-photoautotrophic two-stage cultivation, sequential adaptation, deceleration-stat technique and their removal efficiency, are discussed in detail separately. Therefore, suitable economical and optimized methods are needed globally to maintain a balanced nutrient level. This work describes the key issues related to the nitrogen and phosphorus recovery.

KEYWORDS:

• Biological nitrogen removal
• nitrogen
• phosphorus
• technology: environmental pollution
• microorganism

Acknowledgement

The authors are thankful to Sardar Bhagwan Singh University, (Sardar Bhagwan Singh PG Institute of Biomedical Science & Research) Balawala, Dehradun, India for providing space and facility for the work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributors

Anne Bhambri Completed M. Sc. Biochemistry from the Department of Biochemistry & Biotechnology, S.B.S. University, Dehradun and recently she registered for Ph.D. She received Best P.G. thesis award at National conference (CTTABMMB-2019) organized by Department of Biotechnology & Microbiology, KALP Laboratories Mathura in association with Koshambi Foundation India. She is working on biological nutrient removal by using a specific microbe under the guidance of Dr. S. K. Karn, Department of Biochemistry & Biotechnology, S.B.S. University, Dehradun, India

Dr. Santosh Kumar Karn, Ph.D. in Biotechnology at Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Patiala, India and completed Post-Doctorate at the Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China. Dr. Karn has published more than 50 original research papers as a first or corresponding author in leading International Journals. Currently he reviewed about 135 original research papers of high impact journals in the field of Industrial, Environmental Biotechnology and investigated many research projects. Dr. Karn has broad research interest in Biotechnology, Biofilm, Enzyme and Energy, Bioremediation, Extremophiles and related area.