Research advancements in free nitrous acid-mediated strategies for partial nitrification regulation

LÜ Xueer; LI Yue; TANG Rui; WU Jun; ZHOU Zhen

doi:10.13205/j.hjgc.202512005

Volume 43 Issue 12

Dec. 2025

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Article Navigation > ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING > 2025 > 43(12): 38-47

LÜ Xueer, LI Yue, TANG Rui, WU Jun, ZHOU Zhen. Research advancements in free nitrous acid-mediated strategies for partial nitrification regulation[J]. ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING , 2025, 43(12): 38-47. doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202512005

Citation:

LÜ Xueer, LI Yue, TANG Rui, WU Jun, ZHOU Zhen. Research advancements in free nitrous acid-mediated strategies for partial nitrification regulation[J]. ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING , 2025, 43(12): 38-47. doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202512005

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Research advancements in free nitrous acid-mediated strategies for partial nitrification regulation

doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202512005

LÜ Xueer¹,
LI Yue²,
TANG Rui^{1
,
,},
WU Jun²,
ZHOU Zhen¹

1. College of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University of Electric Power, Shanghai 200090, China;
2. Shanghai Chengtou Wastewater Treatment Co. Ltd., Shanghai 201203, China

Received Date: 2025-01-01
Accepted Date: 2025-04-23
Rev Recd Date: 2025-03-23

Available Online: 2026-01-09

Abstract

Abstract

Partial nitrification （PN） is an important avenue to achieve low-carbon and efficient nitrogen removal under the Dual-Carbon goals， and increasingly stringent wastewater discharge requirements. This paper reviews and summarizes studies on achieving PN through the inhibition of free nitrous acid （FNA）. The antibacterial mechanisms of FNA， which primarily include reducing intracellular pH and decomposing into active species with strong antibacterial effects， are analysed. The differential responses of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria （AOB） and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria （NOB） are summarized， with emphasis on the enrichment of FNA-tolerant NOB （Candidatus Nitrotoga）， as a key factor causing a failure in FNA-mediated PN. Challenges in achieving long-term stable operation of PN under FNA inhibition are analysed， and combining FNA inhibition with acid-tolerant AOB to construct acidic PN， or integrating FNA with other inhibitory factors with different mechanisms are identified as effective approaches to counteract NOB adaptability. FNA inhibition strategies， including mainstream in-situ inhibition and sidestream sludge pretreatment， are comprehensively analysed， highlighting their technical characteristics and applicable scopes. Finally， the future development of FNA-driven PN regulation strategies is discussed. This paper can provide a valuable reference for the research and application of low-carbon and efficient nitrogen removal technologies regulated by FNA.
- free nitrous acid,
- partial nitrification,
- NOB inhibition,
- acid-tolerant AOB,
- combined strategy

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References(75)

References

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