Nitrogen from wastewater treatment plants isn’t a threat to human health, but it can reduce oxygen levels in water bodies and promote excess algae growth that can harm the ecosystem.
As part of efforts to restore Jamaica Bay, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is taking steps to cut nitrogen discharges. One of those projects was a test of glycerol for reducing nitrogen in effluent.
A $2 million research and development project was completed and the new system put online in December 2011 at 26th Ward Wastewater Treatment Plant. The technology, the first of its kind in the world,
