biostudies-literatureLu GNatural Science Foundation of Shandong Province10625-10634https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8695589biostudies-literatureUnknown11(18)In this study, granular activated carbon (GAC) and Fe-modified granular activated carbon (FeGAC) prepared by ultrasonic impregnation method were added into respective up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors to explore their effects on the anammox process start-up. The results showed that the time of anammox system start-up could be reduced from 108 d in R1 (control group) to 94 d in R2 (GAC reactor) and to 83 d in R3 (FeGAC reactor). After 120 days of operation, the nitrogen removal rates (NRR) of all reactors could reach more than 0.8 kg-N m^-3 d^-1. Extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) amount, heme c content and the anammox bacterial functional gene copy numbers gradually increased in all reactors with the passage of culture time, and manifested the superiRSC advancesEffects of granular activated carbon and Fe-modified granular activated carbon on anammox process start-up.PMC8695589ZR2019BD050Zang LLu GXue RYu FMa YSun YfalseEffects of granular activated carbon and Fe-modified granular activated carbon on anammox process start-up.In this study, granular activated carbon (GAC) and Fe-modified granular activated carbon (FeGAC) prepared by ultrasonic impregnation method were added into respective up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors to explore their effects on the anammox process start-up. The results showed that the time of anammox system start-up could be reduced from 108 d in R1 (control group) to 94 d in R2 (GAC reactor) and to 83 d in R3 (FeGAC reactor). After 120 days of operation, the nitrogen removal rates (NRR) of all reactors could reach more than 0.8 kg-N m^-3 d^-1. Extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) amount, heme c content and the anammox bacterial functional gene copy numbers gradually increased in all reactors with the passage of culture time, and manifested the superi2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Mar2026-03-27T16:30:22.553Z2025-04-06T03:56:29.715ZS-EPMC86955893542356810.1039/d1ra00384d