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PHARMA NH₄-N REMOVAL CASE STUDY
How a Pharma ETP Achieved 98% Ammoniacal Nitrogen Removal
Industry: Pharmaceutical Manufacturing / Hard Shell Capsule Production (Integrated Supplier to 138 Countries)
Location: Pune, Maharashtra, India
Primary Solution: BactaServe Nutrient Removal (Nitrifying & Denitrifying Consortium)
98.26%
Ammonia Removal (708 → 12.31 ppm)
7 Days
80% Ammonia Drop (708 → 137 ppm)
RO Ready
Protected MBR & RO Membranes
This pharmaceutical ETP case study explains how a Pune-based pharma plant reduced ammoniacal nitrogen (NH₄-N) from 708 ppm to 12.31 ppm using BactaServe Nutrient Removal. The biological treatment achieved 98.3% reduction through nitrification in aeration tanks and denitrification in anoxic tanks, effectively controlling the increase in ammoniacal nitrogen generated during anaerobic digestion.
Background & Technical Challenge
Plant Overview
A leading global manufacturer of hard-shell capsules operates a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Pune, Maharashtra, serving customers across 138 countries. The plant generates complex industrial wastewater with characteristics that vary according to the chemicals and products manufactured each day.
The wastewater is treated through an ETP incorporating an Expanded Granular Sludge Bed Reactor (EGSBR) followed by anoxic tanks, aeration tanks, MBR and RO treatment. During anaerobic digestion in the EGSBR, ammoniacal nitrogen (NH₄-N) concentrations increased significantly, creating a major nitrogen removal challenge for the downstream biological treatment process.
To address the elevated NH₄-N concentration, BactaServe Nutrient Removal was introduced into the aeration and anoxic tanks to support biological nitrification and denitrification, ultimately reducing ammoniacal nitrogen from 708 ppm to 12.31 ppm.
The Technical Challenge & Risk
Ammoniacal Nitrogen Spike: Anaerobic digestion increased NH₄-N concentration to 708 ppm at the EGSBR outlet.
Variable Wastewater Characteristics: Daily variations in pharmaceutical manufacturing resulted in fluctuating wastewater composition and treatment conditions.
Complex Nitrogen Conversion: Effective treatment required nitrifying bacteria in the aeration tanks and denitrifying bacteria in the anoxic tanks.
Need for Stable Biological Treatment: The plant required a strong bacterial culture capable of maintaining nitrogen removal under variable pharmaceutical wastewater conditions.
High NH₄-N Reduction Requirement: The treatment programme needed to substantially reduce the elevated ammoniacal nitrogen concentration generated during anaerobic digestion.
Treatment Process Flow Diagram
Treatment process flow diagram of the pharmaceutical effluent treatment plant showing the wastewater treatment sequence and key biological and membrane treatment units.
The integrated treatment process combines anaerobic treatment, anoxic and aerobic biological treatment, followed by membrane polishing for final effluent treatment.
Process units mapped based on actual plant flow:
Raw Effluent → Collection Tank → Equalisation Tank → Buffer Tank → EGSBR → Anoxic Tank 1 → Anoxic Tank 2 → Aeration Tank 1 → Aeration Tank 2 → MBR Tank → RO Unit → Outlet
Process Overview
Collection & Equalisation: Collects the raw pharmaceutical effluent and balances wastewater characteristics before downstream treatment.
Buffer Tank: Provides regulated wastewater feed to the EGSBR for anaerobic treatment.
EGSBR: Anaerobically treats the wastewater, during which the conversion of complex compounds contributes to increased ammoniacal nitrogen (NH₄-N).
Anoxic Treatment: Denitrifying bacteria convert nitrate (NO₃⁻) into nitrogen gas (N₂) under anoxic conditions.
Aerobic Treatment: Nitrifying bacteria convert ammoniacal nitrogen (NH₄-N) into nitrate (NO₃⁻) in the presence of oxygen.
MBR & RO: Provide downstream membrane treatment before the final treated water outlet.
Bio-Augmentation Strategy & Dosing
Why BactaServe™ Nutrient Removal Was Selected
To reduce elevated ammoniacal nitrogen (NH₄-N) after anaerobic digestion, Amalgam Biotech implemented BactaServe Nutrient Removal, containing nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria/enzymes for biological nitrogen removal. The solution supports two-stage nitrogen conversion across the aeration and anoxic tanks, converting ammoniacal nitrogen into nitrate and subsequently into nitrogen gas.
This biological treatment reduced NH₄-N from 708 ppm to 12.31 ppm, demonstrating effective ammoniacal nitrogen removal under the plant's variable pharmaceutical wastewater conditions.
Key Benefits
Effective biological ammoniacal nitrogen removal
Supports nitrification and denitrification
Converts NH₄-N into nitrogen gas through two-stage treatment
Supports treatment of variable pharmaceutical wastewater
Integrates with existing aeration and anoxic tanks
Achieved 98.3% NH₄-N reduction
4-Part Biological Nitrogen Removal Process
BactaServe Nutrient Removal supports biological nitrogen removal through ammoniacal nitrogen formation, nitrification, denitrification, and final nitrogen removal across the ETP treatment process.
1. NH₄-N Formation
Anaerobic digestion increases ammoniacal nitrogen.
2. Nitrification
Nitrifying bacteria convert NH₄-N into nitrate (NO₃⁻).
3. Denitrification
Denitrifying bacteria convert nitrate (NO₃⁻) into nitrogen gas (N₂).
4. Nitrogen Removal
Nitrogen gas is released from the treatment system.
Dosing Protocol (Pune Pharma Facility)
Date Range | Anoxic 1 (kg/day) | Anoxic 2 (kg/day) | Aeration 1 (kg/day) | Aeration 2 (kg/day) | Daily Total (kg) |
26-10-2023 | 1.0 kg | 1.0 kg | 1.5 kg | 1.5 kg | 5.0 kg |
27-10 to 28-10-2023 | 0.0 kg | 0.0 kg | 1.5 kg | 1.0 kg | 2.5 kg/day |
29-10-2023 | 0.5 kg | 0.5 kg | 0.8 kg | 0.7 kg | 2.5 kg |
30-10 to 31-10-2023 | 0.0 kg | 0.0 kg | 1.5 kg | 1.0 kg | 2.5 kg/day |
01-11-2023 (Booster) | 1.5 kg | 1.5 kg | 2.5 kg | 2.5 kg | 8.0 kg |
02-11 to 07-11-2023 | 0.0 kg | 0.0 kg | 0.0 kg | 0.0 kg | 0.0 kg (Stabilization) |
08-11-2023 | 0.0 kg | 0.0 kg | 1.5 kg | 1.0 kg | 2.5 kg |
09-11 to 17-11-2023 | 0.0 kg | 0.0 kg | 1.0 kg | 0.5 kg | 1.5 kg/day |
*Dosing schedule is based on this plant case study and may vary depending on plant operating conditions and site-specific factors.
Performance Results & Analytics
Key Metrics Achieved
98.3% Ammoniacal Nitrogen Reduction: NH₄-N concentration decreased from 708 ppm to 12.31 ppm, demonstrating effective biological nitrogen removal.
Rapid Initial Reduction: Ammoniacal nitrogen decreased from 708 ppm to 137.2 ppm, an approximately 80.6% reduction, during the early treatment period.
Effective Nitrification: Nitrifying bacteria converted ammoniacal nitrogen (NH₄-N) into nitrate (NO₃⁻) under aerobic conditions in the aeration tanks.
Effective Denitrification: Denitrifying bacteria converted nitrate (NO₃⁻) into nitrogen gas (N₂) under anoxic conditions, completing the biological nitrogen removal process.
Monitoring data confirmed progressive, permanent ammoniacal nitrogen degradation following culture establishment:
Verified Progression Milestones
Milestone Stage | Date | Ammoniacal Nitrogen Level | Status |
Baseline (Pre-Dosing) | 29-10-2023 | 708.00 ppm | EGSBR Peak Spike |
Day 3 | 31-10-2023 | 582.39 ppm | Initial Acclimatization |
Day 5 | 02-11-2023 | 330.40 ppm | Rapid Nitrification Active |
Day 7 | 04-11-2023 | 137.20 ppm | Major Degradation Phase |
Day 23 | 20-11-2023 | 81.20 ppm | Culture Stabilization |
Day 30 | 28-11-2023 | 16.80 ppm | Target Limit Reached |
Day 45 (Final State) | 14-12-2023 | 12.31 ppm | Steady State Compliance |
Hard-shell capsules manufactured at the pharmaceutical facility where BactaServe Nutrient Removal was used to reduce ammoniacal nitrogen in the ETP.
Client Feedback: High Ammoniacal Nitrogen Removal
“Gelatin breakdown in our EGSBR caused ammoniacal nitrogen levels to rise above 700 ppm, putting our downstream treatment process and RO membranes at risk. After using BactaServe Nutrient Removal, the nitrifying bacteria recovered and ammoniacal nitrogen dropped to 12.31 ppm within weeks, without any production downtime.”
Plant General Manager, ETP Operations
Global Capsule Facility, Pune
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Facing High Ammonia Spikes or Nitrogen Compliance Issues in Your ETP?
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Step 1: Share your process details and treatment objectives.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: How did BactaServe Nutrient Removal reduce ammoniacal nitrogen by 98% in a pharma ETP?
BactaServe Nutrient Removal used a dual-action nitrifying and denitrifying microbial consortium across two aeration and two anoxic tanks in Pune, Maharashtra. It converted high ammoniacal nitrogen (NH₄-N) generated by an EGSBR reactor from 708 ppm to 12.31 ppm, achieving a 98% reduction.
Performance Highlights:
Target Waste Stream: High-ammonia pharmaceutical wastewater from hard-shell capsule manufacturing.
Rapid Initial Reduction: Reduced ammoniacal nitrogen by 80.6%, from 708 ppm to 137.2 ppm, within the first 7 days.
Final Quality: Reduced NH₄-N to 12.31 ppm, helping protect downstream MBR and RO membranes from scaling and biofouling.
Q2: Why does anaerobic digestion in EGSBR reactors increase ammoniacal nitrogen (NH₄-N) concentrations?
Expanded Granular Sludge Bed Reactors (EGSBR) anaerobically break down complex nitrogen-containing pharmaceutical compounds, gelatin, and proteins. During this process, deamination converts bound organic nitrogen into free ammoniacal nitrogen (NH₄-N), creating high downstream nitrogen loads that require aerobic nitrification and anoxic denitrification.
Biochemical Conversion:
Deamination Stage: Organic Nitrogen (Proteins/Amines) → Anaerobic Digestion → Ammonia (NH₄⁺ / NH₃)
Downstream Load: The process increases dissolved inorganic nitrogen, which can overload aerobic basins without bio-augmentation.
Q3: What is the two-stage biological mechanism used by BactaServe Nutrient Removal?
The process uses two biological stages. Nitrification takes place in aerobic aeration tanks, where Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter bacteria oxidise ammonia (NH₄⁺) into nitrate (NO₃⁻). Denitrification then takes place in anoxic tanks, where specialised denitrifying bacteria convert nitrate into harmless nitrogen gas (N₂).
Process Equations:
Stage 1 (Aerobic Nitrification):
NH₄⁺ + 2O₂ → Nitrifying Strains → NO₃⁻ + 2H⁺ + H₂OStage 2 (Anoxic Denitrification):
2NO₃⁻ + Organic Carbon → Denitrifying Strains → N₂↑ + CO₂ + H₂O
Q4: What was the dosing schedule used to stabilise nitrogen levels in this Pune pharma facility?
The bio-augmentation programme used phased dosing across four biological tanks, Anoxic 1 & 2 and Aeration 1 & 2. Dosing started at 5 kg/day, followed by an 8 kg booster dose on Day 7, before reducing to a 1.5 kg/day maintenance dose.
Dosing Progression:
Initial Seeding (Days 1 to 5): Dosing reduced from 5.0 kg/day to 2.5 kg/day to quickly establish microbial populations in the aerobic and anoxic tanks.
Booster Dose (Day 7): A single 8.0 kg booster dose was used to increase nitrification capacity during peak nitrogen loading.
Maintenance Protocol (Days 14 to 23): 1.5 kg/day was split between Aeration 1 (1.0 kg) and Aeration 2 (0.5 kg) to maintain stable biomass under changing pharmaceutical wastewater loads.
Q5: How does controlling ammoniacal nitrogen protect downstream MBR and RO systems?
High ammoniacal nitrogen (NH₄-N) levels can affect downstream treatment performance and contribute to unstable operating conditions in Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) and Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems. Effective nitrification and denitrification reduce the nitrogen load before membrane treatment, helping maintain stable performance and treated water quality.
Downstream Protection Benefits:
RO Permeate Quality: Helps maintain treated water quality for recycling and Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) applications.
Reduced Treatment Load: Lower nitrogen levels reduce the treatment burden on downstream MBR and RO systems and support more stable plant operation.
Q6: What process flow diagram (PFD) sequence treated this high-ammonia pharmaceutical effluent?
The Pune pharmaceutical plant treated wastewater through a Collection Tank, Equalisation Tank, Buffer Tank, EGSBR, Anoxic Tank 1, Anoxic Tank 2, Aeration Tank 1, Aeration Tank 2, MBR Tank, RO Unit, and final treated water outlet.
System Integration: Nitrate-rich mixed liquor is recirculated from the aeration tanks back to the anoxic tanks, supporting denitrification and the conversion of nitrate into nitrogen gas (N₂) before the wastewater reaches the MBR polishing stage.
Written by Ashutosh Vadanagekar
Technical Director, Amalgam Biotech
Ashutosh Vadanagekar has over 22 years of experience in water and wastewater treatment, with expertise in process design and bioculture technology. He develops and implements eco-friendly biological treatment solutions for ETPs and STPs across industries, addressing challenges such as high COD and BOD, ammonia, FOG, odour and biological process instability. He also contributes technical expertise and practical insights to Amalgam Biotech’s wastewater treatment case studies. Connect on LinkedIn