This document describes a nitrifying bioreactor technology developed by Oriental Aquamarine Biotech India Pvt. Ltd for removing ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate from wastewater. The technology uses a consortium of nitrifying bacteria immobilized on plastic beads to drive the nitrification process. Laboratory experiments show the bioreactor can reduce ammonia levels from 30 ppm to 0 ppm within 24 hours for aquaculture and domestic wastewater. It also effectively treats wastewater from metal industries containing heavy metals. The technology has been patented and is currently used for aquaculture wastewater treatment but has potential for wider municipal and industrial wastewater applications.

1. Oriental Aquamarine Biotech
India Private Limited
Coimbatore
1

2. Nitrifying Bioreactor Technology
Biological Filtration System
Live activated bacterial consortium
For Removal of Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate
Research program initiated by Govt. of India in 1995
Cumulative result of 16 years of R & D
Technology developed and validated at NCAAH, CUSAT
Technology licensed to Oriental Aquamarine Biotech.

3. Nitrifying Bacterial Consortium
ß ammonia oxidizer Cysts in
AMONPCU
NIT2
Nitrobacter sps
Ntspa 712
Nitrospira
Nitrosomonas
AMONPCU
NmV Nitrococcus mobilis
linage
DAPI EUBB 338 Bacteria

4. Molecular Characterization of
Bacterial Consortium

5. Nitrifying Bacterial Consortium
Nitrifying bacterial consortium contains different beneficial
bacteria
Ammonia oxidizing bacteria
Nitrosomonas, Nitrosococcus, and Nitrosospira
Nitrite oxidizing bacteria
Nitrobacter, Nitrococcus, and Nitrospira
Aerobic de-nitrifiers
Pseudomonas denitrificans and Paracoccus denitrificans
Perform de-nitrification by using NO3 as electron acceptor in
place of oxygen

6.  Low Density Poly Ethylene beads of 5 mm diameter with
active surface area 0.785 sq.cm
 Bacterial Consortium grow as biofilm on beads
Media

7. Stringed Bed Suspended Bioreactor
(SBSBR)

8. Packed Bed Bioreactor (PBBR)

9. System Hydraulics
Max flow rate - 50 Lpm
Capacity: 60000 litres /day
Bioreactor design is modular.
Can be customized as per requirements
Design of Reactor completed for 1 million litres per day

10. Progress Of Nitrification In Aquaculture System
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
1 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 31 34 37 40 43 46 49 52 55 58 61 64 67 70
Days
Concentration
(mg/L)
TAN NO2-N NO3-N

11. 11
Comparison
OAM Others
Specific bacterial consortium
Onsite activation 2 – 3 days 6 – 8 weeks
Nitrification and de-nitrification One reactor Two reactors
Nitrate removal

12. IP Status
Patented in India :
Patent No 241648
PCT :
International Publication No-WO02/30835A1
International patent classification : C02f 3/13
International application No. PCT/IN00/00097
Patented in South East Asian countries
 Thailand
 Japan
 Philippines
 Indonesia and
 South Korea.

13. Waste Water Treatment
System currently operational in Aquaculture sector.
Has potential for tertiary treatment of domestic and
industrial waste water.
Lab Scale Experiments completed.

14. Lab Scale Experiments
Samples collected after primary and secondary treatments
Ammonia load : 30ppm
Trial with Activated Stringed Bed Suspended Bioreactor
(SBSBR).
30 ppm TAN converted within 24 hours
1 ppm reduction of Ammonia, results in reduction in 7 ppm of
Alkalinity (carbonate/bicarbonate)
Addition of Base required to balance pH and maintain at 7.8

15. Domestic Sewage Waste Water
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
Conc-ppm
Days
SBSBR-WWT
NH4Cl Feeding (ppm) NH3 (ppm) NO2 (ppm) NO3 (ppm)

16. Metal Industry Waste Water
Treatment
1st tube-NH3
2nd tube-NO2
3rd tube-NO3
1st tube-NH3
2nd tube-NO2
3rd tube-NO3
1st tube-NH3
2nd tube-NO2
3rd tube-NO3
1st tube-NH3
2nd tube-NO2
3rd tube-NO3

17. Results
 NH3 reduced to 0 ppm within 24 hours.
 Presence of heavy metals like Cadmium, Nickel,
Lead, Copper does not affect the nitrification
efficiency of the bioreactor

18. Trials with 150 ppm Ammonia loading
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
feeding ammonia reduction

19. Treatment with 150 PPM of Ammonia
 Gradual Increase in Reactor efficiency
pH monitored and optimized to 8.5
Initial Removal Rate : 60 ppm per day
Current Removal Rate: 80 ppm - 100 ppm per day.
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20. Optimum condition for Operation
S.NO Particulars Minimum Maximum
1 Temperature 27 C 30 C
2 pH 7.5 8.5
3 Alkalinity 100 200
4 Dissolved oxygen 3 PPM 6 PPM
5 Salinity 0 PPT 5PPT
6 Turbidity 0 PPM 50 PPM

21. System operational in lab scale.
Process can be scaled up to treat high
volume of effluent.
Can be used for Tertiary Treatment of Water
for removal of Nitrogenous Compounds
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Nitrifying Bioreactor Technology

22. Thank you
Mohan Kandaswamy,
Oriental Aquamarine Biotech India Pvt. Ltd
U-7, Kovaipudur
Coimbatore-42
www.nitrifying-bioreactor.com
0422-2608943