The effect of heterotrophic yield on the assessment of the correction factor for anoxic growth

For single-sludge denitrification systems, modelling of anoxic reactors currently uses the kinetics of aerobic heterotrophic growth together with a correction factor for anoxic conditions. This coefficient is computed on the basis of respirometric measurements with the assumption that the heterotrophic yield remains the same under aerobic and anoxic coditions. The paper provides the conceptual proof that the yield coefficient is significantly lower for the anoxic growth on the basis of the energetics of the related metabolic processes. This is used for the interpretation of the very high values for the correction factor experimentally determined for a number of industrial wastewaters. A default value for the anoxic heterotrophic yield coefficient is calculated for domestic sewage and compatible wastewaters and proposed for similar evaluations.