In order to explore the performance of biochar-based microbial immobilization body in ammonium removal from water and potential mechanisms, a strain of heterotrophic nitrifying bacteria (HNB) was isolated from activated sludge, and the biochemical and molecular biological identification of HNB was carried out. Moreover, HNO<sub>3</sub>-, Mg<sup>2+</sup>-, NaOH<sub>-</sub>, and NaOH+Mg<sup>2+</sup>-modified rice husk-derived biochars were prepared. Then all the five kinds of biochars, including the original biochar, were used as carriers of HNB to remove NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup><sub>-</sub>N from water. Results showed that HNB was classified as <i>Pseudomonas</i>, and the 72-h NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup><sub>-</sub>N removal ratio of the free bacteria reached 80.24%. Compared with biochar itself, biochar-based HNB immobilization body showed a much stronger ability to remove NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup><sub>-</sub>N, especially for NaOH<sub>-</sub> and NaOH+Mg<sup>2+</sup>-modified biochars. At the initial NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup><sub>-</sub>N concentration of 100 mg/L and biochar addition dose of 10 g/L, NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup><sub>-</sub>N removal ratio of NaOH<sub>-</sub> and NaOH+Mg<sup>2+</sup>-modified biochar-based HNB immobilization bodies reached 57.78% and 58.35% after 5 h, and reached 88.66% and 90.93% after 48 h respectively, which were obviously higher than the original, HNO<sub>3-</sub> and Mg<sup>2+</sup>-modified biochar-based HNB immobilization bodies. The phenomenon resulted from significantly higher bacteria adsorption ability of NaOH<sub>-</sub> and NaOH+Mg<sup>2+</sup>-modified biochars, which reached 773.75 and 941.17 nmol P/g biochar, respectively.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.