Performance of Membrane Bioreactor in Nitrogen Removal using Anammox Bacteria Cultivated from Lake Koto Baru

Authors

Zulkarnaini Zulkarnaini, Department of Environmental Engineering, Universitas Andalas Limau Manis, Padang 25163, IndonesiaFollow
Tiffany Azhra Amanda, Department of Environmental Engineering, Universitas Andalas Limau Manis, Padang 25163, Indonesia
Alqadri Asri Putra, Department of Environmental Engineering, Universitas Andalas Limau Manis, Padang 25163, Indonesia
Puti Sri Komala, Department of Environmental Engineering, Universitas Andalas Limau Manis, Padang 25163, Indonesia
Dewi Nilawati, Research Center for Environmental and Clean Technology, National Research and Innovation Agency, Tangerang 15314, Indonesia
Widyarani Widyarani, Research Center for Environmental and Clean Technology, National Research and Innovation Agency, Tangerang 15314, Indonesia
Tarzan Sembiring, Research Center for Environmental and Clean Technology, National Research and Innovation Agency, Tangerang 15314, Indonesia
Panji Cahya Mawarda, Research Center for Environmental and Clean Technology, National Research and Innovation Agency, Tangerang 15314, Indonesia
Athanasia Amanda Septevani, Research Center for Environmental and Clean Technology, National Research and Innovation Agency, Tangerang 15314, Indonesia
Mia Miranti Rustama, Research Center for Environmental and Clean Technology, National Research and Innovation Agency, Tangerang 15314, Indonesia
Rina Andriyani, Research Center for Environmental and Clean Technology, National Research and Innovation Agency, Tangerang 15314, Indonesia

Abstract

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) is the biological conversion of ammonium to nitrogen gas (N₂) using nitrite as an electron acceptor. This study evaluated the performance of a membrane bioreactor (MBR) in nitrogen removal at room temperature using Candidatus Brocadia fulgida, an anammox bacterium previously cultivated from Lake Koto Baru, Tanah Datar, Indonesia. The MBR was operated for 48 days with a hydraulic retention time of 24 h under a continuous supply of ammonium and nitrite, with both substrates provided at influent concentrations of 70, 150, and 250 mg-N/L. Samples were collected twice a week and analyzed via UV–Vis spectrophotometry. The stoichiometric ratios of ∆NO₂⁻-N/∆NH₄⁺-N and ∆NO₃⁻-N/∆NH₄⁺-N were 1.13 and 0.15, respectively, which were consistent with the anammox reaction. The maximum nitrogen removal performance, including nitrogen removal rate, ammonium conversion efficiency, and nitrogen removal efficiency (NRE), reached 0.515 kg-N/m³∙d, 92.76%, and 91.27%, respectively, at a nitrogen loading rate of 0.566 kg-N/m³∙d. Anammox bacteria from Koto Baru Lake showed high NRE at room temperature using MBR.

Recommended Citation

Zulkarnaini, Zulkarnaini; Amanda, Tiffany Azhra; Putra, Alqadri Asri; Komala, Puti Sri; Nilawati, Dewi; Widyarani, Widyarani; Sembiring, Tarzan; Mawarda, Panji Cahya; Septevani, Athanasia Amanda; Rustama, Mia Miranti; and Andriyani, Rina (2026) "Performance of Membrane Bioreactor in Nitrogen Removal using Anammox Bacteria Cultivated from Lake Koto Baru," Makara Journal of Science: Vol. 30: Iss. 1, Article 2.
DOI: 10.7454/mss.v30i1.2513
Available at: https://scholarhub.ui.ac.id/science/vol30/iss1/2