A novel technology was developed to achieve partial nitrification at moderately low DO and short HRT, which would save the aeration cost and have the capacity to treat a wide range of low-strength real wastewater. The process enables a relatively stable whereas nitrite accumulation rate (NO2-AR) was stabilized over 94% in the last aerobic basin on average of each phase through a combination of short HRT and low DO level. Low DO did not produce sludge with poorer settleability. The morphology and internal structure of the granular sludge was observed by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis during a long-term operation. The images indicated that thick clusters of spherical cells and small rod-shaped cells (NOB and AOB are rod-shaped to spherical cells) were the dominant population structure, rather than filamentous and other bacteria under a combination of low DO and short HRT, which gives a good indication of nitrite accumulation achievement. MPN method was used to correlate AOB numbers with nutrient removal. It showed that an ammonia-oxidizing bacterium (AOB) was the dominant nitrifying bacteria, whereas high NO2-AR was achieved at AOB number of 5.33×108 cell/g MLSS. Higher pollutant removal efficiency of 86.2%, 98% and 96.1%, for TN, NH4+-N, and TP, respectively, was achieved by a novel six basin activated sludge process (SBASP) at low DO_x000D_ level and low C/N ratio which were approximately equal to the complete nitrification-denitrification with the addition of sodium acetate (NaAc) at normal DO level of (1.5-2.5 mg/L).

SBASP N-P Removal Nitrite Accumulation Rate NO2-AR SEM Analysis

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