Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal – Who's Doing The Work?

By Jordan Schmidt

Enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) was first documented in the early 1970’s. Traditionally it has been understood that EBPR requires a first stage anaerobic zone that is free of nitrate and nitrite. In the anaerobic zone, phosphorus accumulating organisms (PAO) utilize energy from stored polyphosphate to assimilate volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and produce polyhydroxybutyrate storage products.