Abstract
The simultaneous removal of formaldehyde and ammonium in aerobic cultures and the inhibitory effect of formaldehyde on ammonium oxidation were investigated. The influence of a co‐substrate, methanol, on formaldehyde biodegradation and on the nitrification process was also evaluated. Formaldehyde was completely removed at all concentrations tested (30–3890 mg dm^−3^) in assays with that compound as the single carbon source and in the presence of methanol as co‐substrate. An initial formaldehyde biodegradation rate of 4.6 g CH~2~O g^−1^ VSS d^−1^ was obtained for 2000 mg CH~2~O dm^−3^ as single carbon source compared with a rate of 7.3 g CH~2~O g^−1^ VSS d^−1^ when methanol was added. Formaldehyde was inhibitory to the nitrification process at initial concentrations higher than 350 mg dm^−3^. Increasing the initial formaldehyde concentration or adding a co‐substrate such as methanol resulted in a longer lag phase before ammonium oxidation and caused a decrease in the degree of nitrification. Nitrification was completely inhibited at initial formaldehyde concentrations higher than 1500 mg dm^−3^. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry