An intermittently aerated moving bed membrane bioreactor (MBMBR) was developed and crucial parameters affecting nitrogen removal from wastewater by simultaneous nitrification and denitrification via nitrite were investigated, without strict control of solids retention time. Changes in the microbiological community and distribution in the reactor were monitored simultaneously. The intermittent-aeration strategy proved effective in achieving nitrition and the chemical oxygen demand (COD) to total nitrogen (TN) ratio was an important factor affecting TN removal. In the MBMBR, the nitrite accumulation rate reached 79.4% and TN removal efficiency averaged at 87.8% with aeration 2 min/mix 4 min and an influent COD/TN ratio of 5. Batch tests indicated that under the intermittently aerated mode, nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) were not completely washed out from the reactor but NOB activity was inhibited. The intermittently aerated mode had no effect on the activities of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. Fluorescence in situ hybridizations (FISH) results also suggested that NOBs remained within the system. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.