Proceedings

Abstract

N2O production is a complex and variable process because the range of prokaryote genotypes and phenotypes that drive it are selected for by the microenvironmental conditions in the treatment system in which it occurs. As such it is best defined by complex systems analytics. This paper continues the systems analyses of N2O production presented to the 2023 EWWM by focusing on solution selection.

The paper starts with a case study of variation in N2O production from UK water utilities. That variation is mapped to how prokaryotes phenotypes vary in response to operational conditions affecting the microenvironment of biotreatment technologies. In 2012 Desloover et al identified minimizing aerobic N2O emissions and maximising anoxic N2O consumption as key elements in any strategy for managing N2O emissions from biotreatment. We use systems analysis to confirm that strategy and identify close-coupling of nitritation to denitrification as the critical element in applying it.

The differences in N2O emissions between biotreatment technologies is reported.