The role of microorganism immobilization in the biotechnology of nitrogen compound removal

In recent years, technologies employing immobilized microorganisms have demonstrated significant potential for improving wastewater treatment methods, offering substantial advantages. Aim. To analyze current biotechnologies for nitrogen compound removal from wastewater and their modifications incorporating immobilized microorganisms, substantiating the necessity of implementing immobilization methods to enhance wastewater treatment technologies. Methods. The study employed structural-logical and bibliosemantic analysis to examine the role of immobilization in improving nitrogen compound removal technologies. Publications from Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases were analyzed. Results. Current approaches to nitrogen compound removal from wastewater were analyzed, including MLE, A2/O, UCT, and ANAMMOX technologies combined with immobilized microorganisms. It was established that immobilization enhances treatment efficiency through process stability, reduced energy consumption, and system compactness. Key factors requiring further investigation include the optimization of carriers, their materials, and application conditions to ensure maximum system performance. Conclusions. Microorganism immobilization effectively enhances the stability, productivity, and energy efficiency of nitrogen compound removal technologies; however, further research is required to optimize carriers.