NC STUDIES 1-3
TERTIARY 2 DENITE FILTER
SECONDARY
X
TERTIARY 5
CA STUDIES 1-2
Secondary
SIDESTREAM Post Anoxic SBR Studies conducted in 2012 / Research published from 2013 - 2020 NY STUDIES (6)
X
TERTIARY 2
NC STUDY 4
DENITE 1 Studies conducted from 2018 - 2019 / Research published from 2018 - 2021 NC STUDIES (4)
TERTIARY 1
SECONDARY Post Anoxic SBR Studies conducted in 2012 / Research published from 2013 - 2020 NY STUDIES (4)
X
MBBR 2
This study investigated methanol- and glycerol-driven PANDA in continuous flow systems, achieving carbon savings of up to 36% under optimized methanol-fed conditions. Stable nitrite accumulation and efficient nitrogen removal depended on precise control of nitrate loading, carbon dosing, and HRT, while mechanistic insights revealed distinct electron competition dynamics and kinetic behavior between methanol- and glycerol-driven PANDA.
VA STUDIES 1-4
A pilot SBR treating dewatering centrate achieved up to 80% ammonia and 64% TIN removal via glycerol-driven PANDA in aerobic/anoxic cycles. It operated stably at full-scale loading, reduced aeration and carbon by 50–85%, and avoided NOB suppression, offering a simpler, cost-effective sidestream alternative.
DENITE 2 Studies conducted from 2018 - 2019 / Research published from 2018 - 2021 NC STUDIES (4)
POST ANOXIC SBR
TERTIARY 3 MBBR
HRAS+MBBR
DENITE FILTER 1
Bench-scale SBRs treating primary effluent achieved 45–91% TIN removal via optimized COD/N dosing and ammonia-to-nitrite balance. The process confirmed anammox activity without retention aids, reduced carbon demand by ~75%, and validated PANDA for mainstream use.
Sidestream
NY STUDIES 3/5/7/8
HRAS+MBBR Studies conducted in 2022 / Research published from 2023 - 2024 CA STUDIES (2)
MBBR 1 Studies conducted from 2020 - 2022 / Research published from 2022 - 2025 VA STUDIES (4)
SECONDARY Post- Ax SBR
MBBR 1
This study demonstrated carbon-efficient nutrient removal from real municipal wastewater, achieving impressive effluent TN without external carbon additions, enabling simultaneous shortcut nitrogen and phosphorous removal by alternating feast and famine phases, and offering a sustainable strategy with minimal energy input.
COD/N = Chemical Oxygen Demand to Nitrogen HRAS = High-Rate Activated Sludge  HRT = Hydraulic Retention Time NOB = Nitrite-Oxidizing Bacteria  MBBR = Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor  PE = Primary Effluent SBR = Sequencing Batch Reactor  TIN = Total Inorganic Nitrogen  TN = Total Nitrogen
Tertiary
TERTIARY 4 MBBR
ACRONYMS LIST PANDA= Partial Nitrification-Denitrification-Anammox
This pilot-scale study demonstrated that existing tertiary denitrification filters can be successfully converted into mainstream PANDA filters, achieving TIN effluent levels below 2.0 mg/L at realistic HRTs (as low as 37.5 minutes). The system showed strong performance, resilience to diurnal loading, and operational benefits including reduced carbon and oxygen demand.
PANDA Research: An Overview  Dive into the results uncovered from 20 Hazen studies across treatment stages and configurations, conducted at facilities across the country since 2012.
DENITE FILTER 2
MBBR 2 Studies conducted in 2021 / Research published from 2022 - 2024 WA STUDIES (2)
TERTIARY 1 DENITE FILTER
This study demonstrated that tertiary PANDA can be stably driven by both PE carbon and glycerol in a pilot-scale MBBR treating HRAS effluent, achieving 63–74% PE carbon savings, 70% supplemental carbon savings, and 18% energy reduction. Mechanistic insights revealed that PE-driven PANDA relied on an anammox-mediated nitrite sink.
NY STUDIES 1-6
TERTIARY 5 HRAS + MBBR
WA STUDIES 1-2
This study evaluated the use of glycerin-driven PANDA in tertiary filters for advanced nitrogen removal through both full-scale data analysis and pilot-scale experimentation. Results demonstrated that stable PANDA performance can be achieved by optimizing nitrate loading and contact time, enabling efficient nitrogen removal with reduced carbon and energy requirements.
HRAS-MBBR
POST ANOXIC SBR
Studies conducted in 2012 / Research published from 2013 - 2020
X
POST ANOXIC SBR
DENITE FILTER 2
DENITE FILTER 1
PANDA Research: An Overview  Dive into the results uncovered from 20 Hazen studies across treatment stages and configurations, conducted at facilities across the country since 2012.
MBBR 1
MBBR 2
HRAS+MBBR
NY STUDIES 3/5/7/8
SIDESTREAM Post Anoxic SBR Studies conducted in 2012 / Research published from 2013 - 2020 NY STUDIES (6)
SECONDARY Post Anoxic SBR Studies conducted in 2012 / Research published from 2013 - 2020 NY STUDIES (4)
DENITE 2 Studies conducted from 2018 - 2019 / Research published from 2018 - 2021 NC STUDIES (4)
MBBR 1 Studies conducted from 2020 - 2022 / Research published from 2022 - 2025 VA STUDIES (4)
MBBR 2 Studies conducted in 2021 / Research published from 2022 - 2024 WA STUDIES (2)
HRAS+MBBR Studies conducted in 2022 / Research published from 2023 - 2025 CA STUDIES (2)
SIDESTREAM: Post Anoxic SBR   |   SECONDARY: Post Anoxic SBR
2015
2
HOME
2014
Studies conducted from 2018 - 2019/ Research published from 2018 - 2021
2013
3
Washington
2
8
4
SIDESTREAM: Post Anoxic SBR
“Proof of Principle and Process Development of the Anammox BNR process”EndFragment     MANHATTAN  COLLEGE THESIS
Studies conducted in 2012 / Research published from 2013 - 2020
1
2021
Virginia
“Kinetics of Glycerol Acclimated Biomass: Implications on Plant Operations and Performance”EndFragment     IWA  NUTRIENT RECOVERY AND REMOVAL
2020
California
Studies conducted in 2022 / Research published from 2023 - 2025
2019
Studies conducted from 2020 - 2022/ Research published from 2022 - 2025
2018
2025
“Demonstration of a Separate Centrate Deammonification (SCAD) Process at the 26th Ward Wastewater Treatment Plant”EndFragment    
Sidestream
2017
5
“Nitrogen  Removal from Water Resource Recovery Facilities Using Partial Nitrification, Denitratation-Anaerobic  Ammonia Oxidation (PANDA)”EndFragment    
3
Six papers published from studies conducted in 2012
7
Eight papers published from studies conducted in 2012
“Demonstration of a Separate Centrate  Deammonification (SCAD) Process at the 26th Ward Wastewater Treatment Plant”EndFragment    
NYSERDA  GRANT ALSO A WEFTEC PRESENTATION (2017)
WERF LIFT PROGRAM PRESENTATION AND TECHNOLOGY ENTRY ALSO IN SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT (2020)
WEFTEC PRESENTATION ALSO A NYSERDA GRANT (2013)
5
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT ALSO A WERF LIFT PROGRAM PRESENTATION AND TECHNOLOGY ENTRY (2015)
4
7
North Carolina
6
8
2024
1
2023
“Implications of Glycerol Addition on Nitrogen Removal Mechanisms”EndFragment     WEFTEC PROCEEDINGS
6
2022
“Development of a Novel Deammonification Process for Cost Effective Separate Centrate  and Main Plant Nitrogen Removal”EndFragment     INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING
8
“Nitrogen Removal from Water Resource Recovery Facilities Using Partial Nitrification, Denitratation-Anaerobic Ammonia Oxidation (PANDA)”EndFragment    
Studies conducted in 2021 / Research published from 2022 - 2024
2016
PANDA research papers published based on studies at facilities across the country since 2012.
HOME
1
TERTIARY: DENITE FILTER
Four papers published from studies conducted in 2018-2019
New York
4
“Tertiary Partial Denitrification-Annamox (PdNA) Filters for Sustainable Nitrogen Removal”EndFragment     NC STATE MASTER THESIS (YOUNG, ANTHONY THOMAS)
“Testing  of Novel Denitratation/Deammonification Process for Mainstream Total Nitrogen Removal”EndFragment     WEF NUTRIENT REMOVAL AND RECOVERY PROCEEDINGS
7
“Nitrogen Removal from Water Resource Recovery Facilities Using Partial Nitrification, Denitratation-Anaerobic Ammonia Oxidation (PANDA)”EndFragment     SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
“Exploring the Conversion of Tertiary Denitrification to Mainstream Deammonification: Pilot Scale Filter Results and Challenges”EndFragment     IWA  WEF NUTRIENT REMOVAL AND RECOVERY PROCEEDINGS
2
“Nitrogen  Removal from Water Resource Recovery Facilities Using Partial Nitrification, Denitratation-Anaerobic  Ammonia Oxidation (PANDA)”EndFragment     WERF LIFT PROGRAM PRESENTATION AND TECHNOLOGY ENTRY
3
“Exploring the Conversion of Tertiary Denitrification to Mainstream Deammonification: Pilot Scale Filter Results and Challenges”EndFragment     NC STATE MASTER THESIS (POLLI, ERIC W)
Tertiary
8
Four papers published from studies conducted in 2018-19
“Demonstration of a Separate Centrate  Deammonification (SCAD) Process at the 26th Ward Wastewater Treatment Plant”EndFragment     WEFTEC PRESENTATION
6
5
“Full-scale Mainstream Deammonification via Partial Nitrification-Denitrification-Anammox”EndFragment     WEFTEC PROCEEDINGS
Four papers published from studies conducted in 2020 & 2022
“Polishing Tertiary Effluent Nitrogen Via The Synergy Between Methanol-Driven Partial Denitrification and Anaerobic Ammonia Oxidation In Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors”EndFragment     WEFTEC PROCEEDINGS
4
“Mechanistic understanding of the performance difference between methanol-and glycerol-fed partial denitrification anammox in tertiary moving bed biofilm reactors treating real secondary effluent”EndFragment     WATER RESEARCH
Four papers published from studies conducted in 2020 & 2022
“Kinetic mechanism of methanol-fed partial denitrification anammox in tertiary moving bed biofilm reactors fed with real secondary effluent”EndFragment     CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
TERTIARY: MBBR
3
Two papers published from studies conducted in 2021 & 2022
“Carbon-efficient nutrients removal from real municipal wastewater under conditions of highly variable influent quality and low temperature”EndFragment     CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
Two papers published from studies conducted in 2021
“Nitrogen Reduction Solutions for Ocean Discharges - EBPR, Endogenous Denitrification, and PANDA”EndFragment  WRF GRANT
Two papers published from studies conducted in 2023 & 2025
TERTIARY: HRAS+MBBR
4
TERTIARY: HRAS+MBBR
Two papers published from studies conducted in 2023 & 2025
“Leveraging Primary Effluent-and Glycerol-Driven Partial Denitrification-Anammox within a Pilot-Scale Tertiary Step-feed Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor Treating High-Rate Activated Sludge Systems Effluent”EndFragment     WATER RESEARCH
3
“Leveraging Densified Activated Sludge and Partial Nitrification/Denitrification/Anammox   within an Integrated Advanced Water Treatment Facility for Large-Scale Potable Reuse”EndFragment     WEFTEC PROCEEDINGS
PANDA research papers (2013 – 2025) by type of research used for each. Sidestream Secondary Tertiary
i
2
1
“Demonstration of a Separate Centrate Deammonification (SCAD) Process at the 26th Ward Wastewater Treatment Plant”EndFragment     NYSERDA  GRANT
Small research in a lab using minimal materials. Provides preliminary insights. 
8 papers published from studies conducted in 2012
Tests and optimizes processes at commercial scale in real-world conditions. 
TYPES OF STUDIES
Mimics commercial operations but smaller. Focuses on optimizing and testing feasibility.
Lab Scale
Pilot Scale
FullScale
Small research in a lab using minimal materials. Provides preliminary insights. 
Tests and optimizes processes at commercial scale in real-world conditions. 
Four papers published from studies conducted in 2012
SIDESTREAM: Post Anoxic SBR   |   SECONDARY: Post Anoxic SBR
4
1
Secondary
3
Four papers published from studies conducted in 2012
2