Volatile fatty acids as organic carbon sources in denitrification

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Abstract
We have evaluated the possibilities of waste water denitrification using volatile fatty acids (VFA) as the sole carbon and electron source in an activated sludge culture continuously fed with a mixture of acetate, propionate, butyrate and valerate. All the VFA were biodegraded in denitrification conditions by a mixed adapted bacterial population with 5 predominant different bacterial strains (Ochrobactrum anthropi, Moraxella lacunata, Pseudomonas testosteroni, Paracoccus denitrificans, and Pasteurella gr. EF4). The denitrification (20 mg N‐NOX g‐1 MES h‐1) and carbon consumption rates (60 mg Cg‐1 MES h‐1) obtained in batch conditions were the same for acetate, butyrate, valerate used alone or for a mixture of the 4. Propionate was almost not metabolized (3 mg N‐NOx g‐l MESh‐1 and 8 mg Cg‐l MESh‐1).