Domestic environmental protection standards require total nitrogen control for the first time
Many companies are still unaware of the importance of total nitrogen, even though it is often mixed with ammonia nitrogen in monitoring. Recently, Jiangsu Province issued new discharge standards for major water pollutants in the Taihu Lake Basin, marking the first time that total nitrogen has been included as a regulated parameter. The regulation sets specific limits: 15 mg/L for total nitrogen from petrochemical (including petroleum refining) enterprises, 25 mg/L for ammonia producers, and 15 mg/L for other chemical companies.
Experts from Nanjing University’s Institute of Environmental Sciences, who were involved in drafting the standard, emphasized that total nitrogen is a key indicator for assessing eutrophication in water bodies. The frequent pollution incidents in Taihu Lake have prompted regulatory authorities to recognize the serious impact of total nitrogen. Controlling its emissions is crucial for preventing water eutrophication and improving overall water quality.
Huang Huayao, director of the Xuzhou Institute of Water Treatment, explained that total nitrogen includes nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, and organic nitrogen. Many chemical companies currently focus on treating ammonia nitrogen through nitrification, converting it into nitrate and discharging it. However, this approach merely changes the form of pollutants without reducing total nitrogen levels, leaving environmental risks unchanged. As a result, there's a growing need to treat total nitrogen as a binding control measure.
This shift presents a new challenge for chemical companies, as the old ammonia nitrogen-focused standards are no longer sufficient under Jiangsu’s new regulations. The impact on these companies could be significant, but many remain unaware or unprepared. During an interview, a manager from a well-known Sichuan-based chemical company mistakenly referred to total nitrogen as just another term for ammonia nitrogen. Another official from a Sinopec-affiliated plant admitted they had not yet started controlling total nitrogen, citing the lack of national-level requirements outside of Jiangsu.
Despite this, the central government has already begun paying attention to total nitrogen control. The "National Total Pollutant Emission Control Plan for the 11th Five-Year Period" issued in 2006 included total nitrogen as a target for specific basins. At a recent symposium on pollution prevention in Taihu, Chaohu, and Dianchi, officials highlighted the ongoing challenges in controlling total nitrogen and phosphorus in these regions.
The inclusion of total nitrogen in Jiangsu’s standards is just the beginning. Environmental bureaus in Henan, Shandong, and other provinces are now considering implementing similar measures. Some forward-thinking companies, like Shandong Deqilong Chemical Industry Group, have already taken action. They recently launched a 15,000 tons/day wastewater treatment plant using advanced short-cut nitrification and denitrification technology, allowing them to control both ammonia and total nitrogen effectively.
According to the company, integrating total nitrogen control from the design stage can achieve compliance without additional costs. Otherwise, retrofitting would require millions in investment. Experts agree that current technologies like A/O systems can only remove about 50% of nitrate and nitrite nitrogen, making full compliance difficult.
With the upcoming inclusion of total nitrogen in more standards, many chemical companies are still unprepared. This gap could lead to costly upgrades and potential operational bottlenecks. Industry sources advise that companies should consider total nitrogen control when building new facilities, as early integration is more cost-effective. For existing plants, planning ahead and incorporating total nitrogen reduction systems is essential for long-term compliance and sustainable development.
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