3 days
to meet the 5 mg/L ammonia limit
Petrochemical WWTP: effluent 8 to under 1 mg/L (AM)
See the case studies →
99%+
ammonia removed in 26 hours
Chengdu landfill leachate: 850 to 4 mg/L (AM)
See the case studies →
0.03 mg/L
AM ammonia at 24h vs 6+ for nitrifiers
Head-to-head petrochemical lab trial (AM)
See the case studies →

Ammonia Treat (AM) is a high-CFU Bacillus blend built for fast, biological ammonia removal from wastewater. Instead of relying on slow autotrophic nitrifiers, AM uses hyper-ammonia-utilizing strains that take up ammonia (NH₃/NH₄⁺) directly, paired with denitrifying strains that convert nitrite and nitrate to nitrogen gas. That heterotrophic, denitrification-based route is why AM holds effluent ammonia within permit even when conventional nitrifying bacteria stall under load, temperature swings, or high-strength influent.

The numbers above are real trial results. At a petrochemical wastewater plant that had failed with multiple domestic and imported nitrifier products, AM cut effluent ammonia from 8 to below 1 mg/L in 3 days and held the new 5 mg/L discharge limit. In high-strength landfill leachate, AM drove ammonia from 850 to 4 mg/L, over 99%, in 26 hours.

Key benefits:

  • Removes ammonia fast: hyper-ammonia-utilizing strains lower ammonia (NH₃/NH₄⁺), nitrite, and nitrate for cleaner effluent
  • Lowers total nitrogen: denitrifying strains convert nitrite and nitrate to nitrogen gas without relying on nitrification
  • Cuts BOD, COD, and sludge: heterotrophic strains consume carbon, reducing organic load and biomass yield
  • Improves solids separation: supports stable floc formation and settling for clearer effluent
  • Controls odor: mitigates ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, mercaptans, and volatile fatty acids at the source
  • Works across conditions: reliable in aerobic and anaerobic zones across wide pH and temperature ranges
  • Beyond wastewater: reduces ammonia in animal waste systems and lowers total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) in aquaculture

Biological ammonia removal from wastewater

Ammonia is one of the hardest loads for a wastewater plant to hold within permit. It drives compliance risk, odor complaints, and higher aeration and chemical costs, and a spike from variable flow, a shock load, or a seasonal temperature drop can overwhelm conventional treatment biology and push effluent out of spec. Ammonia Treat (AM) is a high-CFU Bacillus blend that removes ammonia biologically and keeps effluent stable across those swings.

How AM removes ammonia without nitrification

Most products lean on nitrification, where slow-growing autotrophic nitrifiers oxidize ammonia to nitrite and nitrate. Those organisms are sensitive: they need steady oxygen and alkalinity, grow slowly, and stall under cold, shock loads, or high-strength influent. AM takes a different route. Its hyper-ammonia-utilizing strains are heterotrophs that take up ammonia (NH₃/NH₄⁺) directly for growth, and its denitrifying strains convert nitrite and nitrate to nitrogen gas, lowering total nitrogen. Because these strains are heterotrophic, they also consume carbon, so COD falls alongside ammonia. The result is faster, more resilient ammonia removal than conventional nitrifier blends, without depending on nitrification.

Proven ammonia removal in the field

At a petrochemical wastewater plant treating 6,000 tons per day on a 6 hour retention time, effluent ammonia sat in the 5 to 8 mg/L range while a new standard required it below 5 mg/L, and the plant had tried multiple domestic and imported nitrifying bacteria products without success. Dosing about 1.06 kg of AM per day, effluent ammonia dropped to 2 mg/L within 3 days and then held below 1 mg/L, meeting the new limit, and COD fell as a secondary benefit. In a side-by-side lab test from the same trial, AM lowered ammonia to 0.029 mg/L at 24 hours while a conventional nitrifier product and the untreated control both stayed above 5 mg/L.

In a separate high-strength case, a rural landfill leachate in Chengdu, China started at 850 mg/L ammonia. After AM was applied with aeration, ammonia fell 93% to 60 mg/L within 10 hours and reached 4 mg/L, a reduction of more than 99%, in 26 hours, while leachate odor dropped sharply.

Where AM is used

  • Municipal wastewater: activated sludge, SBR, MBBR, oxidation ditches, clarifiers, and aerated or facultative lagoons
  • Industrial wastewater: petrochemical and refinery, food and protein processing, slaughterhouse and rendering, dairy and beverage, breweries and distilleries, pulp and paper, and pet food production
  • Landfill leachate and high-strength effluent: high-ammonia streams that overwhelm conventional biology
  • Infrastructure and odor control: lift stations, collection systems, grease traps, and headworks
  • Aquaculture: shrimp and fish ponds, hatcheries, and recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) for total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) control
  • Animal waste: manure pits, waste lagoons, and livestock barns

Accelerates ammonia reduction

AM focuses biology where it matters most: fast, stable ammonia conversion that keeps effluent in compliance. It reduces ammonia (NH₃/NH₄⁺), lowers nitrite and nitrate carryover through denitrification, and provides bioaugmentation for ammonia spikes during load, temperature, and flow swings.

Stabilizes plant performance and lowers cost

The same biology steadies day-to-day operation and shortens recovery after upsets. AM improves floc formation and settling for clearer effluent, works in aerobic and facultative zones across a wide pH and temperature range, and reduces the aeration, sludge handling, and chemical use tied to ammonia control. Heterotrophic carbon uptake also trims COD and organic load.

Ammonia odor control

AM mitigates the ammonia, amines, hydrogen sulfide, and volatile fatty acid odors that draw complaints around headworks, lift stations, collection systems, and lagoons, cutting nuisance gases at the source rather than masking them.

Ammonia removal in aquaculture and animal waste

Beyond municipal and industrial plants, AM lowers total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) in shrimp and fish ponds, hatcheries, and RAS to protect stock and water quality, and it reduces ammonia and odor in manure pits, lagoons, and barns. The strains are natural, non-GMO Bacillus and are safe for aquatic life when used as directed.

Made in the USA, available in bulk and private label

AM is a high-CFU, spore-forming Bacillus platform made in the USA with lot traceability and verified CFU counts. It ships in powder and liquid, in sample through bulk quantities, with wholesale, private label, and OEM options for distributors. Tell us your system, flow, and current ammonia levels, and we will recommend a starting dose and send a quote.

Specifications and application rates

Concentration (CFU/g):

  • Powder: 2, 50, or 100 billion CFU/g dry powder
  • Liquid: 13.5 billion CFU/ml liquid
  • Blocks: 4 billion CFU/g
  • Tabs: 2 billion CFU/g

Custom concentrations available upon request

Packaging Options:

  • Powder: 22 lb (10 kg) pails, 44 lb (20 kg) pails, 340 lb (155 kg) drums
  • Liquid: Quarts, liters, gallons and 55 gallon (208 liter) drums

Shelf-life:

  • 2 years at room temperature
  • 3 years refrigerated

Storage Recommendations:

  • Store in a cool, dry location away from direct sunlight.
  • Reseal container tightly after each use.

Application Guidelines:

Range Optimal
pH Range
Temperature
Application Rates

Powder
Wastewater Treatment Plant Application Rates for 50 billion CFU/g product
PPM Grams per million
liters/day
Grams per million
gallons/day
Notes
0.04 40 150 Starting Dose
0.08 80 300 After 2 weeks
Liquid
Wastewater Treatment Plant Application Rates for 13.5 billion CFU/ml product
PPM ml per million
liters/day
ml per million
gallons/day
Notes
0.04 150 570 Starting Dose
0.08 300 1140 After 2 weeks

Bio-Based Odor Neutralizers

Usage rates vary. Reference dose: 

  • 0.75 - 1.5 grams of 50B powder per liter of ready-to-use product
  • 2.75 - 5.5 grams of 50B powder per gallon of ready-to-use product.

Frequently asked questions

Product Basics

How do you remove ammonia from wastewater biologically?

Biological ammonia removal uses bacteria to take ammonia out of the water instead of dosing chemicals. Ammonia Treat (AM) is a high-CFU Bacillus blend whose hyper-ammonia-utilizing strains consume ammonia (NH₃/NH₄⁺) directly, while its denitrifying strains convert nitrite and nitrate to nitrogen gas. At a petrochemical plant, AM cut effluent ammonia from 8 to below 1 mg/L in 3 days.

Is Ammonia Treat (AM) a nitrifying bacteria?

No. AM removes ammonia without nitrification. Conventional nitrifiers are slow autotrophs that need steady oxygen and alkalinity and stall under shock loads or cold water. AM instead uses hyper-ammonia-utilizing heterotrophs that take up ammonia directly, plus denitrifiers that drive nitrite and nitrate to nitrogen gas. In a head-to-head petrochemical trial, AM reached 0.03 mg/L ammonia in 24 hours while a conventional nitrifier product showed no reduction.

What are ammonia reducing bacteria and how do they work?

Ammonia reducing bacteria lower ammonia in water through biology rather than chemistry. AM's strains metabolize ammonia and related nitrogen compounds directly and denitrify nitrite and nitrate to nitrogen gas, so plants meet effluent limits, cut odor, and lower aeration and chemical costs. They stay active across wide pH, temperature, and load ranges.


Technical Performance

How fast can ammonia reducing bacteria lower effluent ammonia to meet permit limits?

Often within days. At a petrochemical wastewater plant, AM lowered effluent ammonia from 8 to below 1 mg/L in 3 days and held the 5 mg/L discharge limit. In high-strength landfill leachate, AM cut ammonia from 850 to 4 mg/L, over 99%, in 26 hours. Actual timing depends on load, temperature, and dose, and we will size a starting dose for your system.

Do ammonia removal bacteria work better than conventional nitrifiers?

In many conditions, yes. Because AM's strains are heterotrophic, they resist the cold, low alkalinity, and shock loads that stall autotrophic nitrifiers, and they consume carbon so COD falls too. Its denitrifiers also lower total nitrogen by converting nitrite and nitrate to nitrogen gas. In a side-by-side petrochemical trial where domestic and imported nitrifier products had failed, AM drove ammonia to 0.03 mg/L in 24 hours while the nitrifier product and control stayed above 5 mg/L.

Can AM reduce ammonia in landfill leachate and other high-strength industrial wastewater?

Yes. AM is built for high-ammonia, high-strength streams. In rural landfill leachate starting at 850 mg/L ammonia, AM cut it 93% to 60 mg/L within 10 hours and to 4 mg/L, over 99%, in 26 hours, while sharply reducing odor. It is also used in petrochemical, refinery, food and protein, and other industrial effluents.


System Applications

What treatment systems can AM be used in?

AM performs in activated sludge, sequencing batch reactors (SBR), moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBR), oxidation ditches, clarifiers, and aerated or facultative lagoons. It also works in lift stations, headworks, and collection systems for ammonia and odor control, in both municipal and industrial plants.

Does AM reduce ammonia in aquaculture (TAN) and animal waste systems?

Yes. AM lowers total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) in shrimp and fish ponds, hatcheries, and recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) to improve water quality, and it reduces ammonia and odor in manure pits, lagoons, and barns. The strains are natural, non-GMO Bacillus and are safe for aquatic life when used as directed.

What industries use ammonia removal bacteria?

Municipal wastewater plants, petrochemical and refinery operations, food and protein processing, landfill leachate and waste management, aquaculture, and livestock and animal-waste systems, worldwide.


Formats & Packaging

What is the dosing or application rate for ammonia reducing bacteria (AM)?

A typical wastewater starting dose is about 0.04 ppm, roughly 40 g of 50-billion CFU/g powder per million liters per day, or 150 g per million gallons per day, stepped up after two weeks. Liquid and custom concentrations are available, and we tailor the rate to your flow, ammonia load, and system.

What forms and pack sizes does AM come in?

AM ships as powder in 22 lb (10 kg) and 44 lb (20 kg) pails and 340 lb (155 kg) drums, and as liquid in quarts through 55 gallon (208 liter) drums, with custom CFU concentrations on request. The powder runs up to 100 billion CFU/g for strong viability and lower shipping cost.


Buying & Distribution

Where can I buy ammonia reducing bacteria in bulk or wholesale?

You can buy AM directly from the manufacturer in bulk and wholesale quantities, with domestic and international shipping. Request a sample or a quote and we will size the order and dose to your system.

Do you offer AM for private label, OEM, and distributor supply?

Yes. AM is available for private label, OEM, and distributor programs, including as a microbial base for bio-based ammonia and odor products, with custom CFU concentrations and packaging for qualified partners.

How do I order AM or request a quote?

Send us your system, flow, and current ammonia levels through the form on this page, and our team will recommend a starting dose and send pricing. We supply plants, integrators, and distributors directly.

Are AM ammonia reducing bacteria safe and made in the USA?

Yes. AM uses all-natural, non-GMO Bacillus strains and is manufactured in the USA under strict quality control with lot traceability and verified CFU counts, safe for treatment infrastructure, operators, and downstream water when used as directed.