Calcium nitrate as a bio-stimulant for anaerobic ammonium oxidation process

Bacterial Distribution in the Glacier Borehole Meltwater on the Eastern Broknes Peninsula of the Larsemann Hills and Adjacent Lake Water, East Antarctica

The distribution and assembly mechanisms of microorganisms in Antarctic lakes and glaciers remain poorly understood, despite their ecological significance. This study investigates the bacterial diversity and community composition in glacier borehole meltwater samples from the eastern Broknes Peninsula of the Larsemann Hills and adjacent lake water samples in East Antarctica using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The results show that bacterial diversity in glacier borehole meltwater increased with depth, but remained lower than in lake water. Significant compositional differences were observed between lake and glacier borehole bacterial communities, with higher relative abundances of Actinobacteria, Bacteroidia, Cyanobacteriia, and Verrucomicrobiae in glacier borehole water samples, while Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, OLB14 (phylum Chloroflexi), Acidimicrobiia, and Thermoleophilia were more abundant in lake samples. These differences were attributed to distinct community assembly mechanisms: stochastic processes (ecological drift and dispersal limitation) dominated in lakes, while both stochastic (ecological drift and homogeneous dispersal) and deterministic (homogeneous selection) processes played key roles in glacier boreholes. This study enhances our understanding of bacterial community assembly and distribution patterns in Antarctic glacier ecosystems, providing insights into microbial biodiversity and biogeochemical cycling in these extreme environments.

Electroactive bacteria-established long-distance electron transfer to oxygen facilitates bio-transformation of dissolved organic matter for sediment remediation

Electroactive bacteria (EAB) in sediment commonly establish long-distance electron transfer (LDET) to access O2, facilitating the degradation of organic contaminants, which we hypothesize is mediated by the bio-transformation of dissolved organic matter (DOM). This study confirmed that EAB-established LDET to O2 via a microbial electrochemical snorkel raised the electric potential of sediment by increasing HCl-extracted Fe(III) and NO3- concentrations while reducing DOM concentrations, which further modified microbial diversity and composition, notably reduced the relative abundance of fermentative bacteria. As a result, DOM showed the highest SUVA254 value (3.88) and SUVA280 value (1.61), preliminarily suggesting their enhanced aromaticity, humification and average molecular weight. Additionally, these DOM exhibited the highest electron transfer capacity (174.14±3.62 μmol e- /g C) and redox current. Based on these findings, we propose four possible avenues through which EAB-established LDET to O2 facilitates sediment remediation, mainly including DOM involved affinity, direct and indirect electron transfer, and induced photochemical reaction in degradation or humification process of organic contaminants. Although these proposed avenues require further verification, this work sheds light on deciphering the mechanisms underlying the augmented degradation of organic contaminants facilitated by EAB-established LDET to O2, offering fresh insights into sediment remediation.

Promotion of polyhydroxyalkanoates-producing granular sludge formation by lactic acid using anaerobic dynamic feeding process

To promote the formation of granular sludge with high polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) synthesis ability, an anaerobic dynamic feeding process (AnDF) was proposed. This process combines the feast-famine mode with an anaerobic plug flow feeding process and involving variations in cycle length and settling time. The effects of lactic acid (LA) content (0 %, 20 %, and 40 % COD) on sludge granulation and PHAs production were investigated using three AnDF reactors (R1, R2, and R3). The results showed that the AnDF process feeding with LA not only effectively promoted sludge granulation but also improved its PHAs synthesis ability. The granules were quickly observed in R3 after 50 days of cultivation, with an average diameter of 0.69 mm. The maximum PHAs content reached 47.0 wt% in R3, representing a 30.09 % increase compared to R1. Additionally, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS)-producing bacteria observed in granular sludge may be the prime drivers of the formation of PHAs-producing granular sludge (PHAGS), which was defined as granular sludge with an average particle size larger than 0.30 mm and PHAs content above 40 % cell dry weight (CDW) of sludge samples.

Enhancement of electron transfer via magnetite in nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation system

Nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (n-DAMO) is a novel denitrification process that simultaneously further removes and utilizes methane from anaerobic effluent from wastewater treatment plants. However, the metabolic activity of n-DAMO bacteria is relative low for practical application. In this study, conductive magnetite was added into lab-scale sequencing batch reactor inoculated with n-DAMO bacteria to study the influence on n-DAMO process. With magnetite amendment, the nitrogen removal rate could reach 34.9 mg N·L-1d-1, nearly 2.5 times more than that of control group. Magnetite significantly facilitated the interspecies electron transfer and built electrically connected community with high capacitance. Enzymatic activities of electron transport chain were significantly elevated. Functional gene expression and enzyme activities associated with nitrogen and methane metabolism had been highly up-regulated. These results not only propose a useful strategy in n-DAMO application but also provide insights into the stimulating mechanism of magnetite in n-DAMO process.

Simultaneous partial nitrification, Anammox and nitrate-dependent Fe(II) oxidation (NDFO) for total nitrogen removal under limited dissolved oxygen and completely autotrophic conditions

Sustainable nitrogen removal from wastewater at reduced energy and/or chemical consumptions is challenging. This paper investigated, for the first time, the feasibility of coupled partial nitrification, Anammox and nitrate-dependent Fe(II) oxidation (NDFO) for sustainable autotrophic nitrogen removal. With NH₄⁺-N as the only nitrogen-containing compound in the influent, near-complete nitrogen removal (a total of 97.5 % with a maximal total nitrogen removal rate of 6.64 ± 2.68 mgN/L/d) was achieved in a sequencing batch reactor for a 203-d operation without organic carbon source addition and forced aeration. Anammox (predominated by Candidatus Brocadia) and NDFO bacteria (such as Denitratisoma) were successfully enriched, with total relative abundances up to 11.54 % and 10.19 %, respectively. Dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration was a key factor affecting the coupling of multi (ammonia oxidization, Anammox, NDFO, iron-reduction, etc.) bacterial communities, resulting in different total nitrogen removal efficiencies and rates. In batch tests, the optimal DO concentration was 0.50-0.68 mg/L with a maximal total nitrogen removal efficiency of 98.7 %. Fe(II) in the sludge not only competed with nitrite oxidizing bacteria for DO to prevent complete nitrification, but promoted the transcription of NarG and NirK genes (10.5 and 3.5 times higher than the group without Fe(II) addition) as indicated by the reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), resulting in increased NDFO rate (by 2.7 times) and promoted NO₂^--N generated from NO₃^--N, which back fed the Anammox process, achieving near-complete nitrogen removal. The reduction of Fe(III) by iron-reducing bacteria (IRB) and hydrolytic and fermentative anaerobes enabled a sustainable Fe(II)/Fe(III) recycling, avoiding the need in continuous Fe(II) or Fe (III) dosage. The coupled system is expected to benefit the development of novel autotrophic nitrogen removal processes with neglectable energy and material consumptions for the treatment of wastewater with low organic carbon and NH₄⁺-N contents in underdeveloped regions, such as decentralized rural wastewaters.

Effect of Fe3+ on the nutrient removal performance and microbial community in a biofilm system

In this study, the influence of Fe3+ on N removal, microbial assembly, and species interactions in a biofilm system was determined. The results showed that maximum efficiencies of ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N), total nitrogen (TN), phosphorus (P), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal were achieved using 10 mg/L Fe3+, reaching values of 100, 78.85, 100, and 95.8%, respectively, whereas at concentrations of 15 and 30 mg/L Fe3+ suppressed the removal of NH4+-N, TN, and COD. In terms of absolute abundance, the expression of bacterial amoA, narG, nirK, and napA was maximal in the presence of 10 mg/L Fe3+ (9.18 × 105, 8.58 × 108, 1.09 × 108, and 1.07 × 109 copies/g dry weight, respectively). Irrespective of Fe3+ concentrations, the P removal efficiency remained at almost 100%. Candidatus_Competibacter (10.26–23.32%) was identified as the most abundant bacterial genus within the system. Determinism (50%) and stochasticity (50%) contributed equally to microbial community assembly. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed that in the presence of Fe3+, 60.94% of OTUs in the biofilm system exhibited positive interactions, whereas 39.06% exhibited negative interactions. Within the OTU-based co-occurrence network, fourteen species were identified as key microbes. The stability of the system was found to be predominantly shaped by microbial cooperation, complemented by competition for resources or niche incompatibility. The results of this study suggested that during chemical P removal in wastewater treatment plants using biofilm methods, the concentration of supplemental Fe3+ should be maintained at 10 mg/L, which would not only contribute to P elimination, but also enhance N and COD removal.

Coupling of Anammox Activity and PAH Biodegradation: Current Insights and Future Directions

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) has shown success in past years for the treatment of municipal and industrial wastewater containing inorganic nutrients (i.e., nitrogen). However, the increase in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-contaminated matrices calls for new strategies for efficient and environmentally sustainable remediation. Therefore, the present review examined the literature on the connection between the anammox process and PAHs using VOSviewer to shed light on the mechanisms involved during PAH biodegradation and the key factors affecting anammox bacteria. The scientific literature thoroughly discussed here shows that PAHs can be involved in nitrogen removal by acting as electron donors, and their presence does not adversely affect the anammox bacteria. Anammox activity can be improved by regulating the operating parameters (e.g., organic load, dissolved oxygen, carbon-to-nitrogen ratio) and external supplementation (i.e., calcium nitrate) that promote changes in the microbial community (e.g., Candidatus Jettenia), favoring PAH degradation. The onset of a synergistic dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium and partial denitrification can be beneficial for PAH and nitrogen removal.

Biological oxidation methods for the removal of organic and inorganic contaminants from wastewater: A comprehensive review

Enzyme-based bioremediation is a simple, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly method for isolating and removing a wide range of environmental pollutants. This study is a comprehensive review of recent studies on the oxidation of pollutants by biological oxidation methods, performed individually or in combination with other methods. The main bio-oxidants capable of removing all types of pollutants, such as organic and inorganic molecules, from fungi, bacteria, algae, and plants, and different types of enzymes, as well as the removal mechanisms, were investigated. The use of mediators and modification methods to improve the performance of microorganisms and their resistance under harsh real wastewater conditions was discussed, and numerous case studies were presented and compared. The advantages and disadvantages of conventional and novel immobilization methods, and the development of enzyme engineering to adjust the content and properties of the desired enzymes, were also explained. The optimal operating parameters such as temperature and pH, which usually lead to the best performance, were presented. A detailed overview of the different combination processes was also given, including bio-oxidation in coincident or consecutive combination with adsorption, advanced oxidation processes, and membrane separation. One of the most important issues that this study has addressed is the removal of both organic and inorganic contaminants, taking into account the actual wastewaters and the economic aspect.

Bacterial Community Composition and Function in a Tropical Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant

Bacterial diversity and community composition are of great importance in wastewater treatment; however, little is known about the diversity and community structure of bacteria in tropical municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Therefore, in this study, activated sludge samples were collected from the return sludge, anaerobic sludge, anoxic sludge, and aerobic sludge of an A2O WWTP in Haikou, China. Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing was used to examine the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) of bacteria in the samples. The microbial community diversity in this tropical WWTP was higher than in temperate, subtropical, and plateau WWTPs. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, Patescibacteria, and Chloroflexi were the dominant phyla. Nitrification bacteria Nitrosomonas, and Nitrospira were also detected. Tetrasphaera, instead of Candidatus Accumulibacter, were the dominant polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs), while, glycogen accumulating organisms (GAOs), such as Candidatus Competibacter and Defluviicoccus were also detected. The bacterial community functions predicted by PICRUSt2 were related to metabolism, genetic information processing, and environmental information processing. This study provides a reference for the optimization of tropical municipal WWTPs.

Sulfidation forwarding high-strength Anammox process using nitrate as electron acceptor via thiosulfate-driven nitrate denitratation

A single up-flow thiosulfate-driven nitrate denitratation coupled with the sulfurized Anammox (TDSA) with the core-shell structure (S⁰@ Anammox granules) provided a chemical/energy-saving way for the removal of high-content ammonium with nitrate as electron acceptor. Approximately 83.66% total nitrogen removal efficiency (TNRE) could be achieved by the sulfurized Anammox encrusted by S⁰/S_n^2- at a high loading rate (2.6 kg-N/(m³·d)) via resisting high concentration of free ammonia (FA) (22.35 mg/L), mainly through S₂O₃^2-, S⁰/S_n^2- -driven partial denitrification-Anammox (PDN-Anammox) process. Moreover, S⁰/S_n^2--PDN-Anammox was largely restricted when intermittently aerated, but still resulting in 74.47% TNRE due to the partial nitrification-Anammox (PN-Anammox). The sequencing analysis revealed that Anammox bacterium (Candidatus_Kuenenia) and sulfur-oxidizing bacterium (Thiobacillus) coexisted, in which Anammox process occurred mainly via NO instead of NH₂OH. This study provided a new perspective for high concentration nitrogen wastewater removal in engineering applications.

The coupling of mixotrophic denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) promoting the start-up of anammox by addition of calcium nitrate

This study discovered one nitrate-calcium-based anammox start-up pathway. Compared with control, the start-up time of anammox was saved by 33.3%, and the average total nitrogen removal efficiency increased from 29.6% to 53.7% during the start-up. Besides, the continuous nitrite accumulation (1.18 mg/L) and a marked increase in the relative abundance of denitrifying and anammox bacteria were observed in the only Ca(NO₃)₂-added group. These results suggested that calcium nitrate induced partial denitrification to provide nitrite for anammox. Additionally, the role of dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) in the Ca(NO₃)₂-added systems also deserved attention, for the contribution of DNRA to nitrate removal as well as the relative abundance of DNRA bacteria were both increased for the Ca(NO₃)₂-added groups. These results suggested that a mutualistic symbiosis among denitrification, DNRA and anammox exists in the calcium nitrate-added systems, which may explain the reason for acceleration of anammox start-up by adding calcium nitrate.

The application of 15N isotope tracer in differentiating denitrification, anammox and DNRA during anammox start-up by adding calcium nitrate

Denitrification, anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) and dissimilatory reduction of nitrate to ammonium (DNRA) are important forms of nitrogen transformation process. The addition of calcium nitrate induces the coupling of denitrification, anammox and DNRA in the malodorous sediment, which accelerates the start-up of anammox process. However, conventional detection methods are difficult to differentiate the above-mentioned nitrogen transformation processes. A modified ¹⁵N isotope tracer technology was used to quantitatively differentiate each N-removal contribution of denitrification, anammox and DNRA in this research, which is of great significance for ascertaining the coupling relationship among denitrification, anammox and DNRA induced by calcium nitrate.•A modified ¹⁵N isotope tracer technology was used to quantitatively differentiate denitrification, anammox and DNRA.•¹⁵N isotope tracer results indicated that the contribution of anammox to total nitrogen increased by 20% approximately.

Can nitrifiers from the sidestream deammonification process be a remedy for the N-overload of the mainstream reactor?

The combination of sidestream deammonification and bioaugmentation of the mainstream reactor using ammonia oxidizers from partial nitritation (PN) was not achieved before. This novel solution not only enables the efficient sidestream nitrogen removal, but also improves mainstream resistance to stress situations such as biomass washout or nitrogen overload. This feature is important for wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) equipped with reject water deammonification as its implementation leads to lower nitrifier mass in the mainstream reactor and therefore diminish ability to cope with rapid increase in the loading rate (i.e. due to sidestream process failure). The proposed approach presents the use of the excess sludge from a modified PN process to boost the mainstream nitrification in unfavourable conditions. In a long-term laboratory experiment, the operation of an existing WWTP at low temperature was simulated in two reactors using real wastewater fluxes. One of them was augmented with the excess sludge from a PN reactor that treats reject water containing 20% of the WWTP N-load. The treatment efficiency in both reactors was tested under different nitrogen loading rates, as well as in the case of the of biomass loss. The bioaugmentation intensity was set according to the actual nitrogen load balance of the modelled WWTP, resulting in a daily seed volume only equal to 0.28% of the reactors' influent. Two incidents were simulated, where the nitrogen load increased by about 24.5% and 34%. In both cases, the nitrification efficiency in the non-augmented reactor dropped by about 45%, while the augmented reactor maintained efficient ammonium removal. The bioaugmentation effect was also noticeable during biomass washout - only in the non-augmented reactor nitrification was insufficient for over 60 days. These results undoubtedly show the possibility of combining two different approaches for sidestream nitrogen removal into one technology demonstrating the advantages of both component solutions.

Pilot-scale evaluation of partial denitrification/anammox on nitrogen removal from low COD/N real sewage based on a modified process

The nitrogen removal performance of a pilot-scale biosystem was significantly improved via partial denitrification/anammox (PD/A) in real sewage with low COD/N ratio. The modified pilot plant was designed as an anaerobic/anoxic/oxic (AAO) reactor combined with a biological aerated filter. The inoculation of biocarriers into anaerobic and anoxic zones enhanced anammox and the nitrogen removal performance. Despite a COD/N ratio of 3.1, effluent total inorganic nitrogen decreased from 17.1 to 9.8 mg N/L. The anoxic unit developed as the PD/A hotspot, which was associated with the enrichment of Ca. Brocadia (2.00%) and partial denitrification functional groups (OLB14, 13.50%; Thauera, 5.45%) in the anoxic-carrier biofilms and contributed 34.1% towards total nitrogen removal. Besides improving the PD/A process, enhanced denitrifying dephosphatation was simultaneously realized, suggesting that the integration of PD/A into this modified system is a promising approach to enhance nutrient removal of low COD/N wastewater.