NP BioPellet Denitrator As A Substrate?

[ScooterTDI]

I was considering trying NP Biopellets as a substrate in a denitrator. It seems the main advantage of sulfur denitrators over conventional denitrators is that they don't need to be fed. Theoretically, you could substitute a solid carbon source for the solid sulfur source in a sulfur denitrator and retain this advantage. I'd rather have carbonic acid/carbonate than sulfuric acid/sulfate in the effluent.

I don't have any direct experience with denitrators, so does anyone see any problems with this?

Scott

[bertoni]

I'd ask the manufacturer how the pellets might do in that environment. I don't think they'll take the place of sulfur. This article shows the basic conversion in a sulfur reactor:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/august2003/chem.htm

The result might be more similar to a carbon-driven reactor, also mentioned in the article.

[ScooterTDI]

Well, the idea is that the carbon in the NP Biopellets takes the place of sulfur as an electron donor in the nitrate reducing reactions. You are correct that the theoretical metabolic reactions occuring would be similar to those in a conventional carbon-fed denitrator, but I am hoping that the device operation/maintainance would be more similar to that of a sulfur denitrator.

I am not sure if the polymer used in the biopellets would be usuable by typical denitrifying bacteria though. It might be that aerobic heterotrophic bacteria are needed to break down the polymer. In which case, the denitrifier wouldn't work all that well with biopellets as a substrate.

Scott

[aninjaatemyshoe]

It should be noted also that Aquamedic uses a solid carbon source for their brand of denitrators, Deniballs. http://www.aquacave.com/deniballs-media-for-nitrate-brreductors-by-aquamedic-427.html

I don't think there is any reason to believe using NP Biopellets in this application will have an advantage over using Sulfur or perhaps Deniballs. The advantage of the biopellets is supposed to come from the fact that they can be used outside of a Denitrator.