The increase in agriculture and agro-industrial scale production brings the necessity for alternatives to mitigate environmental impacts. The animal protein production chains (e.g. swine, cattle and poultry) produce effluents with high concentration of nitrogen compounds. In this context, the ANAMMOX (Anaerobic Ammonium Oxidation) process is a new strategy for nitrogen removal in a high rate from agricultural and agro-industrial wastewaters under chemolithoautotrophic conditions. This paper presents a literature review of papers published in the last 15 years about the ANAMMOX process, discussing their metabolic pathway, microorganisms, main control parameters as well as studies conducted in Brazil and application possibilities.
wastewater; animal manure; biological treatment
