Both Annamox bacteria and nitrifiers are slow growers and they both grow on ammonium as their energy source, nitrification is aerobic and annamox is anaerobic , shouldn't the yield in nitrification be higher than in annamox?
these growth yields are in accordance with thermodynamic logic:
the anammox reaction is more exergonic (yields more energy) than oxidation of ammonia in nitrification (-363 kJ/mol versus -270 kJ/mol respectively under standard conditions at pH 7).
So, the idea that aerobic reactions (with oxygen as electron acceptor) always yield the most energy is a misconception. Nitrite is a good electron acceptor too. In fact it is even better (yields more energy).
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/8623_2015_109
these growth yields are in accordance with thermodynamic logic:
the anammox reaction is more exergonic (yields more energy) than oxidation of ammonia in nitrification (-363 kJ/mol versus -270 kJ/mol respectively under standard conditions at pH 7).
So, the idea that aerobic reactions (with oxygen as electron acceptor) always yield the most energy is a misconception. Nitrite is a good electron acceptor too. In fact it is even better (yields more energy).
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/8623_2015_109
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