Intermittent　aeration　has　been　shown　to　be　one　of　the　most　effective　and　cost-effective　strategies　for　biological　wastewater　treatment.　This　review　presents　an　overview　of　the　application　and　advantages　of　intermittent　aeration,　with　the　mechanisms　of　improvement　in　process　stability　discussed.　Intermittent　aeration　was　applied　to　maximize　the　utilization　of　organic　carbon　for　denitrification　rather　than　oxidized　by　O2.　Under　that　condition,　advanced　nitrogen　removal　and　sludge　settleability　were　achieved　and　the　energy　consumption　and　N2O　emissions　were　reduced.　With　the　discovery　that　nitrite　oxidation　bacteria　are　selectively　inhibited　while　ammonium　oxidation　bacteria　are　less　affected　under　intermittent　aeration　conditions,　intermittent　aeration　has　been　applied　to　the　partial　nitrification　process.　Furthermore,　the　non-aerated　phases　of　intermittent　aeration　have　been　found　to　facilitate　the　synergism　of　anaerobic　ammonium　oxidizing　bacteria　(AnAOB)　and　denitrifying　bacteria,　providing　a　suitable　environment　for　AnAOB　growth.　Therefore,　intermittent　aeration　is　considered　to　be　an　effective　operational　strategy　for　anammox-based　processes,　such　as　single-stage　partial　nitrification-anammox.　In　addition,　simultaneous　nutrient　removal　and　sludge　reduction　could　also　be　achieved.　In　order　to　regulate　the　synergism　of　microbial　species,　dissolved　oxygen　(DO)　concentrations　and　the　durations　of　aerated　and　nonaerated　periods　can　be　adjusted　based　on　the　monitored　parameters　such　as　nitrogen　concentrations,　pH　and　oxidation　reduction　potential　profiles.　Finally,　the　current　limitations,　gaps　in　knowledge　and　the　areas　requiring　further　research　are　proposed.