The increasing urbanization and industrialization have significantly heightened the challenge of managing nitrogen discharge in wastewater. Excessive nitrogen, particularly in the form of ammonium, poses severe environmental risks, including eutrophication, toxicity to aquatic life, and detrimental changes in water quality. Traditional wastewater treatment methods often fall short in efficiently removing ammonium, necessitating the development of more advanced and cost-effective solutions.
Our innovative technology uses composite biofilm carriers made from polyvinyl alcohol-sodium alginate (PVA-SA) hydrogels encapsulating chabazite zeolite to significantly enhance ammonium removal from wastewater. Chabazite, a type of zeolite known for its high cation exchange capacity and cost-effectiveness, facilitates the ion exchange process by effectively adsorbing ammonium ions. The PVA-SA hydrogel creates an optimal environment for the growth of ammonium-oxidizing microorganisms (AOM), allowing continuous bioregeneration of the chabazite. This dual-function system accelerates ammonium removal rates, as evidenced by batch tests where our carriers achieved the fastest removal rate of 3 days, compared to 5 days in traditional systems. This integrated approach not only improves treatment efficiency but also reduces operational costs, positioning our technology as a superior alternative to existing wastewater treatment solutions.
Comparison of ammonium removal in batch test