Advanced　nitrogen　removal　cannot　be　achieved　through　the　conventional　biological　nitrogen　removal　process,　which　requires　higher　carbon　sources　and　aeration　energy.　The　proposal　of　intermittent　aeration　in　the　aerobic　chambers　offered　an　innovative　approach　to　enhance　nitrogen　removal　in　low　carbon-to-nitrogen　ratio　(C/N)　municipal　sewage,　using　a　plug-flow　reactor　with　anaerobic/aerobic/anoxic　(AOA)　process.　Due　to　the　effective　utilization　of　internal　carbon　sources　through　the　intermittent　aeration,　the　total　inorganic　nitrogen　removal　efficiency　(NRE)　increased　to　77.9　±　3.2　%　with　the　mean　aerobic　hydraulic　retention　time　of　only　3.2　h　and　a　low　C/N　of　3.3　during　the　operation　of　210　days.　Polyhydroxyalkanoates　dominated　the　nitrogen　removal　in　this　AOA　system,　accounting　for　48.0　%,　primarily　occurring　in　the　alternant　aerobic/anoxic　chambers.　Moreover,　the　microbial　community　structure　remained　unchanged　while　the　NRE　increased　to　77.9　%.　This　study　provided　an　efficient　and　economic　strategy　for　the　continuous　plug-flow　AOA　process.　©　2023　Elsevier　Ltd