Methane fermentation is critical for food-waste management
however, effective treatment of its high-ammonium dewatering liquid remains a major challenge. Anammox, a promising candidate for liquid treatment, requires effective pretreatment, such as partial nitrification (PN), to reduce ammonium and generate sufficient nitrite to optimize efficiency. In this study, an airlift reactor was employed to process the dewatering liquid from food-waste methane fermentation. Stable operation for over 360 days demonstrated its feasibility under high-load conditions. By implementing precise aeration control strategy to stabilize the ammonium removal efficiency (ARE = 50.2-57.1 %), a detailed summary of the optimal operational parameter ranges (consumed inorganic carbon [ΔIC] 1000-1160 mg C/L, effluent [Eff.] IC 282-378 mg C/L, pH 8.05-8.17, Eff. Alkalinity 1000-1350 mg CaCO