Abstract
The Fe/N ratio is an important control on nitrate-reducing Fe(II) oxidation processes that occur both in the aquatic environment and in wastewater treatment systems. The response of nitrate reduction, Fe oxidation, and mineral production to different initial Fe/N molar ratios in the presence of Paracoccus denitrificans was investigated in 132 h incubation experiments. A decrease in the nitrate reduction rate at 12 h occurred as the Fe/N ratio increased. Accumulated nitrite concentration at Fe/N ratios of 2–10 peaked at 12–84 h, and then decreased continuously to less than 0.1 mmol/L at the end of incubation. N2O emission was promoted by high Fe/N ratios. Maximum production of N2 occurred at a Fe/N ratio of 6, in parallel with the highest mole proportion of N2 resulting from the reduction of nitrate (81.2%). XRD analysis and sequential extraction demonstrated that the main Fe minerals obtained from Fe(II) oxidation were easily reducible oxides such as ferrihydrite (at Fe/N ratios of 1–2), and easily reducible oxides and reducible oxides (at Fe/N ratios of 3–10). The results suggest that Fe/N ratio potentially plays a critical role in regulating N2, N2O emissions and Fe mineral formation in nitrate-reducing Fe (II) oxidation processes.
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This work was supported by the National Key R & D Program of China (No. 2017YFC0505305) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 2662018JC053).
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Highlights
• Bacterially-mediated coupled N and Fe processes examined in incubation experiments.
• NO3− reduction was considerably inhibited as initial Fe/N ratio increased.
• The maximum production of N2 occurred at an initial Fe/N molar ratio of 6.
• Fe minerals produced at Fe/N ratios of 1–2 were mainly easily reducible oxides.
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The performance of nitrate-reducing Fe(II) oxidation processes under variable initial Fe/N ratios: The fate of nitrogen and iron species
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Cheng, B., Wang, Y., Hua, Y. et al. The performance of nitrate-reducing Fe(II) oxidation processes under variable initial Fe/N ratios: The fate of nitrogen and iron species. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng. 15, 73 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-020-1366-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-020-1366-2