Aerobic granules can be used for not only carbon removal but also nitrogen removal and phosphorus removal. After several years of studies on operation conditions for granule formation and characterization of granule properties with synthetic wastewater, some studies are currently focused on the application of this technology to real wastewater with different types such as dairy wastewater, livestock wastewater and industrial wastewater. Acetate-fed granules cultivated can be successfully applied to start-up reactor operation for treating low-strength domestic wastewater with COD removal and nitrification at moderate and high temperature (Liu et al., 2007). 

 

High-strength organic wastewater treatment

 

Simultaneous organic and nitrogen removal

 

Phosphorous removal

 

Phenolic wastewater treatment Tay et al. (2004) demonstrated that their granules degraded phenol at a specific rate exceeding 1 g phenol g^-1 VSS d^-1 at 500 mg l^-1 of phenol, or at a reduced rate of 0.53 g phenol g^-1 VSS d^-1 at 1900 mg l^-1 of phenol.

 

 Biosorption of heavy metals by aerobic granules. Soluble Cd²⁺, Cu²⁺ and Ni²⁺ ions could be removed by aerobic granules through three mechanisms, i.e., ion exchange, binding to extracellular polymers and chemical precipitation