Application of an enrichment culture of the marine anammox bacterium "Ca. Scalindua sp. AMX11" for nitrogen removal under moderate salinity and in the presence of organic carbon

Analysis of the regulation mechanism for salt-tolerant anammox process: process performance and metabolic insights

In this study, the start-up and microbial domestication of a salt-tolerant functional anammox system was investigated by gradually increasing the salinity level in a stabilized anammox system in the laboratory. After 44 days of stable operation, the salt-tolerant system was successfully activated, at which time the salinity of the influent water was 3 g/L, and the maximum removal efficiency of ammonia nitrogen and nitrite nitrogen in the system reached 94.18% and 96.66%, respectively, and then the ammonia nitrogen and nitrite nitrogen removal efficiency were stabilized at 88.17% and 96.48% after the enrichment domestication for 89 days. The system was operated in the salinity of 10 g/L, with the concentration of each nitrogen compound measured at the same time. The ammonia nitrogen removal efficiency decreased to 59.93% at a salinity of 10 g/L, which had a significant impact on the system. High-throughput sequencing revealed that the system was enriched with a large number of Chloroflexi, the relative abundance of which increased from 19.46% to 52.33%, and the genus of AnAOB was transformed from Candidatus Brocadia to Candidatus Kuenenia, Candidatus Kuenenia, with a percentage of 4.78%. The system successfully achieved the simultaneous removal of ammonia nitrogen and nitrite nitrogen under salinity stress, which to a certain extent indicated that AnAOB could achieve the initiation and enrichment domestication under salinity conditions, and could provide a basis for the efficient and low-consumption treatment of high salinity nitrogen-containing wastewater.HighlightsAnammox reaction can be successfully initiated under low salinity conditionsSalinity of 10 g/L has a severe shock effect on the anammox systemAfter salinity enrichment and domestication, the abundance of norank_f__norank__o___SBR1031 and Candidatus Kuenenia in the anammox reaction reached 26.7% and 4.78%, respectively.

Diverse lifestyles and adaptive evolution of uncultured UBA5794 actinobacteria, a sister order of "Candidatus actinomarinales"

Uncultured UBA5794 actinobacteria are frequently found in marine and inland water environments by using metagenomic approaches. However, knowledge about these actinobacteria is limited, hindering their isolation and cultivation, and they are always confused with "Candidatus Actinomarinales" based on 16S rRNA gene classification. Here, to conduct genomic characterization of them, we obtained three high-quality UBA5794 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from a hydrothermal sediment on the Carlsberg Ridge (CR) and retrieved 131 high-quality UBA5794 genomes from public datasets. Phylogenomic analysis confirms UBA5794 as an independent order within the class Acidimicrobiia. Genome-based metabolic predictions reveal that flexible metabolism and diversified energy acquisition, as well as heavy metal(loid) detoxification capacity, are crucial for the ability of UBA5794 to thrive in diverse environments. Moreover, there is separation between sponge-associated and free-living UBA5794 groups in phylogeny and functional potential, which can be attributed to the symbiotic nature of the sponge-associated group and the extensive horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events observed in these bacteria. Ancestral state reconstruction suggests that the UBA5794 clade may have originated from a free-living environment and then some members gradually migrated to the sponge host. Overall, our study sheds light on the ecological adaptation and evolutionary history of the ubiquitous but poorly understood UBA5794 actinobacteria.

Tracking the nitrogen transformation in saline wastewater by marine anammox bacteria-based Fe(II)-driven autotrophic denitratation and anammox

Marine anammox bacteria-based Fe(II)-driven autotrophic denitratation and anammox (MFeADA) was investigated for nitrogen removal from saline wastewater for the first time. The study demonstrated that varying influent doses of Fe(II), which participate in the Fe cycle, significantly influenced nitrogen removal performance by altering the fate of nitrite. When 50 mg/L Fe(II) was added, the nitrogen removal was mainly performed by the anammox and Fe(II)-driven autotrophic denitratation (FeAD). As the Fe(II) rose to 100-150 mg/L, the anammox, FeAD and Feammox mainly occurred. Optimal nitrogen removal efficiency, reaching 93 %, was achieved at an influent Fe(II) concentration of 150 mg/L. As the Fe(II) reached 250 mg/L, however, nitrate was directly reduced to dinitrogen gas by the excessive Fe(II) through the Fe(II)-driven autotrophic denitrification (FeADN). Candidatus Scalindua (4.1 %), Marinicella (5.3 %) and SM1A02 (31.8 %) were the dominant functional microbes. In addition, the normalized nitrate reductase abundance was about 3.1 times that of nitrite reductase, leading to the occurrence of FeAD, which achieved a stable nitrite supply for marine anammox bacteria. This novel study can promote the practical implementation of the MFeADA process in nitrogen-laden saline wastewater treatment.

Efficient manganese ammonia oxidation (Mnammox) and its influencing factors at low temperature: Metal oxide-mediated denitrification process in water bodies

This study explores the metal oxide-mediated NH4+-N reduction process: manganese ammonia oxidation efficiency, influencing factors and its resistance to low-temperature environments in water bodies. After 177d of stabilized startup of an up-flow reactor, NH4+-N removal efficiency was 63.51 %, total nitrogen (TN) removal rate was 0.021 kg/(m3.d), and effluent Mn2+ concentration was 1.503 mg/L, which was in dynamic equilibrium. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy exhibited manganese valence state 3.29, similar to biological manganese oxidation. High-throughput sequencing revealed that phyla's denitrification function increased relative abundance, and manganese-reducing bacterial genera appeared. The batch test showed that 5 mg MnO2 had NH4+-N removal at 85.01 %. After 44 days, NH4+-N removal efficiency was 77.47 %, effluent Mn2+ concentration was 3.280 mg/L, TN removal rate was 0.063 kg/(m3.d). The long-term effect of the influent load change on the denitrification and Mnammox efficiency at 25 ∼ 15 °C was examined. Effluent Mn2+ concentration was 1.811 mg/L was relatively stable. Manganese valence decreased from 3.29 to 3.20, Mn4+ decreased by 9.58 %, while Mn3+ and Mn2+ increased by 10.94 % and 1.37 %, respectively. A new phylum Thermotogota and genus SBR1031 appeared in the microbial community.

Emerging biotechnological applications of anaerobic ammonium oxidation

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) is an energy-efficient method for nitrogen removal that opens the possibility for energy-neutral wastewater treatment. Research on anammox over the past decade has primarily focused on its implementation in domestic wastewater treatment. However, emerging studies are now expanding its use to novel biotechnological applications and wastewater treatment processes. This review highlights recent advances in the anammox field that aim to overcome conventional bottlenecks, and explores novel and niche-specific applications of the anammox process. Despite the promising results and potential of these advances, challenges persist for their real-world implementation. This underscores the need for a transition from laboratory achievements to practical, scalable solutions for wastewater treatment which mark the next crucial phase in the evolution of anammox research.

Microbial-induced calcium precipitation: Bibliometric analysis, reaction mechanisms, mineralization types, and perspectives

Microbial-induced calcium precipitation (MICP) refers to the formation of calcium precipitates induced by mineralization during microbial metabolism. MICP has been widely used as an ecologically sustainable method in environmental, geotechnical, and construction fields. This article reviews the removal mechanisms of MICP for different contaminants in the field of water treatment. The nucleation pathway is explained at both extracellular and intracellular levels, with a focus on evaluating the contribution of extracellular polymers to MICP. The types of mineralization and the regulatory role of enzyme genes in the MICP process are innovatively summarized. Based on this, the environmental significance of MICP is illustrated, and the application prospects of calcium precipitation products are discussed. The research hotspots and development trends of MICP are analyzed by bibliometric methods, and the challenges and future directions of MICP technology are identified. This review aims to provide a theoretical basis for further understanding of the MICP phenomenon in water treatment and the effective removal of multiple pollutants, which will help researchers to find the breakthroughs and innovations in the existing technologies, with a view to making significant progress in MICP technology.

Chemomixoautotrophy and stress adaptation of anammox bacteria: A review

Anaerobic ammonium oxidizing (anammox) bacteria, which were first discovered nearly three decades ago, are crucial for treating ammonium-containing wastewater. Studies have reported on the biochemical nitrogen conversion process and the physiological, phylogenic, and ecological features of anammox bacteria. For a long time, anammox bacteria were assumed to have a lithoautotrophic lifestyle. However, recent studies have suggested the functional versatility of anammox bacteria. Genome-based analysis and experiments with enrichment cultures have demonstrated the association of the metabolic activities of anammox bacteria with different stress conditions, revealing the importance of utilizing specific organic substances, including organoautotrophy, for growth and adaptation to stress conditions. Our understanding regarding the utilization and metabolism of organic substances and their associations with anammox reactions in anammox bacteria is growing but still incomplete. In this review, we summarize the effect of the utilization of organic substances by anammox bacteria under environmental stress conditions, emphasizing their potential organoautotrophic activity and metabolic flexibility. Although most anammox bacteria may utilize specific organic substances, Ca. Brocadia exhibited the highest level of mixoautotrophic activity. The environmental factors that substantially affect the organoautotrophic activities of anammox bacteria were also examined. This review provides a new perspective on the organoautotrophic capacity of anammox bacteria.

Unveiling long-term combined effect of salinity and Lead(II) on anammox activity and microbial community dynamics in saline wastewater treatment

The study assessed the effect of salinity and lead (Pb(II)) on the anammox sludge for nitrogen removal from saline wastewater. Results showed decreased nitrogen removal and specific anammox activity (SAA) with elevated salinity and Pb(II). SAA reduced from 541.3 ± 4.3 mg N g-1 VSS d-1 at 0.5 mg/L Pb(II) to 436.0 ± 0.2 mg N g-1 VSS d-1 at 30 g/L NaCl, further to 303.6 ± 7.1 mg N g-1 VSS d-1 under 30 g/L NaCl + 0.5 mg/L Pb(II). Notably, the combined inhibition at salinity (15-20 g/L NaCl) and Pb(II) (0.3-0.4 mg/L) exhibited synergistic effect, while higher salinity and Pb(II) aligned with independent inhibition models. Combined inhibition decreased protein/polysaccharides ratio, indicating more severe negative effect on anammox aggregation capacity. Metagenomics confirmed decreased Candidatus Kuenenia, and enhanced denitrification under elevated salinity and Pb(II) conditions. This study offers insights into anammox operation for treating saline wastewater with heavy metals.

Insight into performance of nitrogen removal enhanced by adding lactic acid-rich food waste fermentation liquid as carbon source in municipal wastewater treatment

Lactic acid-rich fermentation liquid (LAFL) of food waste is found to act as a promising alternative carbon source for nitrogen removal in wastewater treatment. Here, LAFL was employed to investigate its impacts on nitrogen removal during raw municipal wastewater treatment with a comparison to sodium acetate (NaAc). Results indicated that nitrogen removals were comparable when incorporated with LAFL and NaAc (92.89 % v.s. 91.23 %). Unlike the utilization of NaAc, using LAFL could avoid suppressing the relative abundance of the nitrification genes and thus pose a negative risk to nitrogen removal during prolonged operation. The introduction of LAFL increased the stability and robustness of the functional microbial community and effectively reduced excess activated sludge (AS) generation by 109 % compared to NaAc addition, consequently enhancing nitrogen removal but diminishing the treatment cost. In general, LAFL exhibits prospective engineering application potentials and economic advantages in improving nitrogen removal by AS process.

Sustainable mainstream deammonification by ion exchange and bioregeneration via partial nitritation/anammox

The partial nitritation and anammox (PN/A) process has gained popularity for the treatment of nitrogen removal in wastewater due to significant energy savings and its potentially much lower CO2 footprint. However, the treatment of mainstream municipal wastewater by PN/A has been limited mainly due to its unsuitable composition. In this research, we apply ion exchange using a zeolite column to selectively remove and concentrate ammonium from mainstream municipal wastewater. After an absorption phase, the ion exchange column is regenerated using a brine solution. The ammonium rich brine is "bioregenerated" in a PN/A reactor where ammonium is converted to nitrogen gas allowing the brine to be reused in another cycle of ion exchange regeneration. To successfully remove ammonium from the spent brine, anammox and ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) were first cultivated in separate reactors under hypersaline conditions (4.0 %) and later combined in a single PN/A reactor. After continuous operation with sea water, the PN/A reactor treated recirculating brine from the ion exchange column for 48 cycles of ammonium absorption and bioregeneration with minimal blowdown. The various cations of the regenerant solution were stable except for calcium that reached very high values upwards of 3000 mg/L as Ca2+ and finally caused PN/A reactor failure due to mineral precipitation. The buildup of high concentrations of calcium in the regenerant was addressed in two ways: 1) 20 % regenerant replacement per cycle, and 2) precipitation of CaCO3 via the addition of sodium carbonate. Both methods were applied to 30 absorption and bioregeneration cycles each and shown to be effective in keeping calcium concentrations from accumulating in the regenerant allowing for stable PN/A reactor operation.

A comprehensive insight into the abundance and community of anammox bacteria in sediments of Hangzhou Bay, China

A total of 13 surface sediments were collected from Hangzhou Bay (HZB) for an investigation into the distribution and influencing factors of anammox bacterial community. The anammox bacterial 16S rRNA and hzo genes ranged between 2.34 × 105 to 9.22 × 105 copies/g and 3.68 × 105 to 1.70 × 106 copies/g, respectively. The results of high throughput sequencing (HTS) revealed that the obtained OTUs were affiliated with five known genera, named Ca. Scalindua, Ca. Jettenia, Ca. Brocadia, Ca. Kuenenia and Ca. Anammoxoglobus. RDA analysis indicated that salinity, pH, and water depth influenced the anammox bacterial community. Furthermore, network analysis identified Ca. Scalindua as a key genus. Neutral community model (NCM) and modified stochasticity ratio (MST) indicated that the deterministic process dominated the anammox bacterial community assembly. Overall, this study offers a more comprehensive understanding of the abundance and community of anammox bacteria in the sediments of HZB.

A review of microbial nitrogen transformations and microbiome engineering for biological nitrogen removal under salinity stress

The osmotic stress caused by salinity exerts severe inhibition on the process of biological nitrogen removal (BNR), leading to the deterioration of biosystems and the discharge of nitrogen with saline wastewater. Feasible strategies to solve the bottleneck in saline wastewater treatment have attracted great attention, but relevant studies to improve nitrogen transformations and enhance the salt-tolerance of biosystems in terms of microbiome engineering have not been systematically reviewed and discussed. This work attempted to provide a more comprehensive explanation of both BNR and microbiome engineering approaches for saline wastewater treatment. The effect of salinity on conventional BNR pathways, nitrification-denitrification and anammox, was summarized at cellular and metabolic levels, including the nitrogen metabolic pathways, the functional microorganisms, and the inhibition threshold of salinity. Promising nitrogen transformations, such as heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification, ammonium assimilation and the coupling of conventional pathways, were introduced and compared based on advantages and challenges in detail. Strategies to improve the salt tolerance of biosystems were proposed and evaluated from the perspective of microbiome engineering. Finally, prospects of future investigation and applications on halophilic microbiomes in saline wastewater treatment were discussed.

Research advances in application of mainstream anammox processes: Roles of quorum sensing and microbial metabolism

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) is a low-carbon biological nitrogen removal process, that has been widely applied to treat high-strength wastewater. However, the practical application of mainstream anammox treatment is limited due to the slow growth rate of anammox bacteria (AnAOB). Therefore, it is important to provide a comprehensive summary of the potential impacts and regulatory strategies for system stability. This article systematically reviewed the effects of environmental fluctuations on anammox systems, summarizing the bacterial metabolisms and the relationship between metabolite and microbial functional effects. To address the shortcoming of mainstream anammox process, molecular strategies based on quorum sensing (QS) were proposed. Sludge granulation, gel encapsulation and carrier-based biofilm technologies were adopted to enhance the QS function in microbial aggregation and reduction of biomass loss. Furthermore, this article discussed the application and progress of anammox-coupled processes. Valuable insights were provided for the stable operation and development of mainstream anammox process from the perspectives of QS and microbial metabolism.

Novel synergistic metabolic processes for phenanthrene biodegradation by a nitrate-reducing phenanthrene-degrading culture and an anammox culture

The synergistic metabolism by anammox cultures and nitrate-reducers for anaerobic PAH biodegradation is largely unknown, including whether anammox culture and which kind of anammox bacterium can perform nitrogen metabolism in the anaerobic PAH biodegradation processes, the inhibitory effect of PAH on anammox activity and nitrite on PAH-degrading nitrate-reducers activity, and the synergistic metabolic processes. Herein, an anammox culture that can eliminate nitrite accumulation and decrease inorganic carbon emission during anaerobic phenanthrene (a model of PAH in this study) biodegradation, the synergistic mechanism for phenanthrene biodegradation by a nitrate-reducer and such anammox culture, and the inhibition effect of phenanthrene on such anammox culture and nitrite on a phenanthrene-degrading nitrate-reducer were newly discussed. The results showed that nitrite largely accumulated during anaerobic phenanthrene biodegradation (nitrate accumulation is a common phenomenon for the biodegradation of refractory matter, including PAHs, by nitrate-reducers) by a nitrate-reducer, PheN2, which mineralizes phenanthrene to inorganic carbon, and nitrite was verified as an inhibiting factor for further biodegradation. Anaerobic phenanthrene biodegradation rates and nitrite concentrations (0-7 mM) appeared to have a negative linear correlation. The anammox culture that mainly contained Candidatus Kuenenia was newly found to efficiently reduce nitrite accumulation and inorganic carbon emissions and significantly promote biodegradation efficiency by ∼1.94-fold. Our results showed that phenanthrene absorbed in and on anammox cells had a more direct relationship with the inhibitory effect on anammox activity than phenanthrene in the environment, and 15.2 mg/gVSS phenanthrene absorbed in and on the cells (4 mM concentration in the culture) showed nearly complete inhibition of anammox culture in this study. In addition, few (less than 2% abundance) anammox bacteria were found to be enough for the removal of nitrite produced from anaerobic phenanthrene biodegradation. In an ideal world, co-pollutants of ammonia, nitrate, phenanthrene, and nitrite could be converted to nitrogen gas and biomass by the synergistic metabolism of anammox cultures and nitrate reducers. Our study reveals a new synergistic process that may exist in our environments for PAH elimination by an anammox culture and a nitrate-reducer, which provides a new strategy for the bioremediation of PAH-polluted anoxic zones.

Anammox process for aquaculture wastewater treatment: operational condition, mechanism, and future prospective

Treatment of ammonia- and nitrate-rich wastewater, such as that generated in the aquaculture industry, is important to prevent environmental pollution. The anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) process has been reported as a great alternative in reducing ammoniacal nitrogen concentration in aquaculture wastewater treatment compared to conventional treatment systems. This paper will highlight the impact of the anammox process on aquaculture wastewater, particularly in the regulation of ammonia and nitrogen compounds. The state of the art for anammox treatment systems is discussed in comparison to other available treatment methods. While the anammox process is viable for the treatment of aquaculture wastewater, the efficiency of nitrogen removal could be further improved through the proper use of anammox bacteria, operating conditions, and microbial diversity. In conclusion, a new model of the anammox process is proposed in this review.

Discovery of a new genus of anaerobic ammonium oxidizing bacteria with a mechanism for oxygen tolerance

In the past 20 years, there has been a major stride in understanding the core mechanism of anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (anammox) bacteria, but there are still several discussion points on their survival strategies. Here, we discovered a new genus of anammox bacteria in a full-scale wastewater-treating biofilm system, tentatively named "Candidatus Loosdrechtia aerotolerans". Next to genes of all core anammox metabolisms, it encoded and transcribed genes involved in the dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA), which coupled to oxidation of small organic acids, could be used to replenish ammonium and sustain their metabolism. Surprisingly, it uniquely harbored a new ferredoxin-dependent nitrate reductase, which has not yet been found in any other anammox genome and might confer a selective advantage to it in nitrate assimilation. Similar to many other microorganisms, superoxide dismutase and catalase related to oxidative stress resistance were encoded and transcribed by "Ca. Loosdrechtia aerotolerans". Interestingly, bilirubin oxidase (BOD), likely involved in oxygen resistance of anammox bacteria under fluctuating oxygen concentrations, was identified in "Ca. Loosdrechtia aerotolerans" and four Ca. Brocadia genomes, and its activity was demonstrated using purified heterologously expressed proteins. A following survey of oxygen-active proteins in anammox bacteria revealed the presence of other previously undetected oxygen defense systems. The novel cbb3-type cytochrome c oxidase and bifunctional catalase-peroxidase may confer a selective advantage to Ca. Kuenenia and Ca. Scalindua that face frequent changes in oxygen concentrations. The discovery of this new genus significantly broadens our understanding of the ecophysiology of anammox bacteria. Furthermore, the diverse oxygen tolerance strategies employed by distinct anammox bacteria advance our understanding of their niche adaptability and provide valuable insight for the operation of anammox-based wastewater treatment systems.

Unveiling the effect of acetate on the interactions of functional bacteria in an anammox biofilm system

Biodegradable organics make an important impact on anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) system. In this study, acetate was selected as a typical biodegradable organic, and its effect on the anammox biofilm system was comprehensively discussed from the macro and micro perspectives. Under a low influent concentration of acetate (<240 ± 10 mg/L), the best total nitrogen (TN) removal performance was 96%, but it decreased to 83% when the acetate concentration increased to 350 ± 20 mg/L. With the addition of acetate, the relative abundance of the family Brocadiaceae, which contains all known anammox bacteria, gradually increased from 7.97% to 12.79%, indicating that the presence of acetate promoted enrichment of anammox bacteria in the biofilm. Metagenomic analysis further demonstrated that an appropriate concentration of acetate helps to increase the abundances of the key enzymes related to nitrogen removal and enhance the metabolism of anammox and denitrification, thereby promoting the synergy of anammox and denitrifying bacteria. Hydrazine synthase (hzs), which is unique to the anammox process, was detected in association with the genera Candidatus Kuenenia, Candidatus Jettenia and Candidatus Brocadia, with its abundance increasing from 13268 (with no addition of acetate) to 19186 (with acetate addition of 240 ± 10 mg/L). This work provides a deeper understanding of the intrinsic interactions between functional bacteria in an anammox biofilm system.

Effects of ultrasonication on the DBP formation and toxicity during chlorination of saline wastewater effluents

Chlorine disinfection of saline wastewater effluents rich in bromide and iodide forms relatively toxic brominated and iodinated disinfection byproducts (DBPs). Ultrasonication is a relatively new water treatment technology, and it is less sensitive to suspended solids in wastewaters. In this study, we examined the effects of ultrasonication (in terms of reactor type and combination mode with chlorination) on the DBP formation and toxicity in chlorinated primary and secondary saline wastewater effluents. Compared with the chlorinated wastewater effluent samples without ultrasonication, ultrasonic horn pretreatment of the wastewater effluent samples reduced the total organic halogen (TOX) levels in chlorination by ∼30%, but ultrasonic bath pretreatment of the wastewater samples did not significantly change the TOX levels in chlorination, which might be attributed to the higher energy utilization and decomposition extent of organic DBP precursors in the ultrasonic horn reactor. Moreover, the TOX levels in the chlorinated samples with ultrasonic horn pretreatment (USH-chlorination), simultaneous treatment (chlorination+USH) and subsequent treatment (chlorination-USH) were also significantly reduced, with the maximum TOX reductions occurring in the samples with ultrasonic horn pretreatment. A toxicity index was calculated by weighting and summing the levels of total organic chlorine, total organic bromine and total organic iodine in each treated sample. The calculated toxicity index values of the chlorinated wastewater effluent samples followed a descending rank order of "chlorination" > "chlorination+USH" > "chlorination-USH" > "USH-chlorination", with the lowest toxicity occurring in the samples with ultrasonic horn pretreatment. Then, a developmental toxicity bioassay was conducted for each treated sample. The measured toxicity index values of the chlorinated wastewater samples followed the same descending rank order.

Ammonium-assimilating microbiome: A halophilic biosystem rationally optimized by carbon to nitrogen ratios with stable nitrogen conversion and microbial structure

The contradiction between theoretical metabolism of ammonium assimilation and experiential understanding of conventional biosystems makes the rational optimization of the ammonium-assimilating microbiome through carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratios perplexing. The effect of different C/N ratios on ammonium-assimilating biosystems was investigated in saline wastewater treatment. C/N ratios significantly hindered the nutrient removal efficiency, but ammonium-assimilating biosystems maintained functional stability in nitrogen conversions and microbial communities. With sufficient biomass, higher than 86% ammonium and 73% phosphorus were removed when C/N ratios were higher than 25. Ammonium assimilation dominated the nitrogen metabolism in all biosystems even under relatively low C/N ratios, evidenced by the extremely low abundances of nitrification functional genes. Different C/N ratios did not significantly change the bacterial community structure of ammonium-assimilating biosystems. It is anticipated that the ammonium-assimilating biosystem with advantages of clear metabolic pathway and easy optimization can be applied to nutrient removal and recovery in saline environments.

Nitrogen recovery by a halophilic ammonium-assimilating microbiome: A new strategy for saline wastewater treatment

Wastewater with high salinity is one of the major challenges for conventional wastewater treatment. Although nitrogen management is vital for wastewater treatment, efficient strategies for nitrogen recovery and removal from saline wastewater remain challenging. Here we propose microbial ammonium assimilation to achieve efficient nitrogen removal and recovery into biomass from saline wastewater without gaseous nitrogen release opposite to the conventional wastewater treatment, . We find one marine bacterium Psychrobacter aquimaris A4N01 with the ability to form sedimentary granular biofilms that can be engineered to construct an efficient ammonium-assimilating microbiome followed the bottom-up design. We demonstrate that the microbiome removes ammonium through assimilation without reactive nitrogen intermediates and gaseous nitrogen emission, according to the functional gene abundance and nitrogen balance. More than 80% of ammonium, total nitrogen and total phosphorus are removed and recovered into biomass, with more than 98% of COD removed from saline wastewater. As one prototypic microbe to form ammonium-assimilating biofilms, Psychrobacter aquimaris A4N01 plays key role in nutrient metabolism and microbiome construction. We stress that ammonium assimilation with a clear and short pathway is a promising method in future saline wastewater treatment and sustainable nitrogen management.

Advances in Studies on Microbiota Involved in Nitrogen Removal Processes and Their Applications in Wastewater Treatment

The discharge of excess nitrogenous pollutants in rivers or other water bodies often leads to serious ecological problems and results in the collapse of aquatic ecosystems. Nitrogenous pollutants are often derived from the inefficient treatment of industrial wastewater. The biological treatment of industrial wastewater for the removal of nitrogen pollution is a green and efficient strategy. In the initial stage of the nitrogen removal process, the nitrogenous pollutants are converted to ammonia. Traditionally, nitrification and denitrification processes have been used for nitrogen removal in industrial wastewater; while currently, more efficient processes, such as simultaneous nitrification-denitrification, partial nitrification-anammox, and partial denitrification-anammox processes, are used. The microorganisms participating in nitrogen pollutant removal processes are diverse, but information about them is limited. In this review, we summarize the microbiota participating in nitrogen removal processes, their pathways, and associated functional genes. We have also discussed the design of efficient industrial wastewater treatment processes for the removal of nitrogenous pollutants and the application of microbiome engineering technology and synthetic biology strategies in the modulation of the nitrogen removal process. This review thus provides insights that would help in improving the efficiency of nitrogen pollutant removal from industrial wastewater.

Activities and metabolic versatility of distinct anammox bacteria in a full-scale wastewater treatment system

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) is a key N₂-producing process in the global nitrogen cycle. Major progress in understanding the core mechanism of anammox bacteria has been made, but our knowledge of the survival strategies of anammox bacteria in complex ecosystems, such as full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), remains limited. Here, by combining metagenomics with in situ metatranscriptomics, complex anammox-driven nitrogen cycles in an anoxic tank and a granular activated carbon (GAC) biofilm module of a full-scale WWTP treating landfill leachate were constructed. Four distinct anammox metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), representing a new genus named Ca. Loosdrechtii, a new species in Ca. Kuenenia, a new species in Ca. Brocadia, and a new strain in "Ca. Kuenenia stuttgartiensis", were simultaneously retrieved from the GAC biofilm. Metabolic reconstruction revealed that all anammox organisms highly expressed the core metabolic enzymes and showed a high metabolic versatility. Pathways for dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) coupled to volatile fatty acids (VFAs) oxidation likely assist anammox bacteria to survive unfavorable conditions and facilitate switches between lifestyles in oxygen fluctuating environments. The new Ca. Kuenenia species dominated the anammox community of the GAC biofilm, specifically may be enhanced by the uniquely encoded flexible ammonium and iron acquisition strategies. The new Ca. Brocadia species likely has an extensive niche distribution that is simultaneously established in the anoxic tank and the GAC biofilm, the two distinct niches. The highly diverse and impressive metabolic versatility of anammox bacteria revealed in this study advance our understanding of the survival and application of anammox bacteria in the full-scale wastewater treatment system.

Long-Term Continuous Extraction of Medium-Chain Carboxylates by Pertraction With Submerged Hollow-Fiber Membranes

Medium-chain carboxylic acids (MCCAs), which can be generated from organic waste and agro-industrial side streams through microbial chain elongation, are valuable chemicals with numerous industrial applications. Membrane-based liquid-liquid extraction (pertraction) as a downstream separation process to extract MCCAs has been applied successfully. Here, a novel pertraction system with submerged hollow-fiber membranes in the fermentation bioreactor was applied to increase the MCCA extraction rate and reduce the footprint. The highest average surface-corrected MCCA extraction rate of 655.2 ± 86.4 mmol C m⁻² d⁻¹ was obtained, which was higher than any other previous reports, albeit the relatively small surface area removed only 11.6% of the introduced carbon via pertraction. This submerged extraction system was able to continuously extract MCCAs with a high extraction rate for more than 8 months. The average extraction rate of MCCA by internal membrane was 3.0- to 4.7-fold higher than the external pertraction (traditional pertraction) in the same bioreactor. A broth upflow velocity of 7.6 m h⁻¹ was more efficient to extract MCCAs when compared to periodic biogas recirculation operation as a means to prevent membrane fouling. An even higher broth upflow velocity of 40.5 m h⁻¹ resulted in a significant increase in methane production, losing more than 30% of carbon conversion to methane due to a loss of H₂, and a subsequent drop in the H₂ partial pressure. This resulted in the shift from a microbial community with chain elongators as the key functional group to methanogens, because the drop in H₂ partial pressure led to thermodynamic conditions that oxidizes ethanol and carboxylic acids to acetate and H₂ with methanogens as the syntrophic partner. Thus, operators of chain elongating systems should monitor the H₂ partial pressure when changes in operating conditions are made.

The potential contributions to organic carbon utilization in a stable acetate-fed Anammox process under low nitrogen-loading rates

The unique ability of Anammox bacteria to metabolize short-chain fatty acids have been demonstrated. However, the potential contributions of active Anammox species to carbon utilization in a mixotrophic Anammox-denitrification process are less well understood. In this study, we combined genome-resolved metagenomics and DNA stable isotope probing (DNA-SIP) to characterize an Anammox process fed with acetate under COD/TN ratios of around 0.30-0.40 and low nitrogen-loading rates. A draft genome of "Candidatus Jettenia caeni" and a novel species that was phylogenetically close to "Candidatus Brocadia sinica" were recovered. Essential genes encoding the key enzymes for acetate metabolism and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium were identified in the two Anammox draft genomes. The DNA-SIP revealed that Ignavibacterium, "Candidatus Jettenia caeni," Thauera, Denitratisoma, and Calorithrix predominantly contributed to organic carbon utilization in the acetate-fed Anammox process. In particular, the "Candidatus Jettenia caeni" accounted for a higher proportion of ¹³C-DNA communities than "Candidatus Brocadia sinica." This result well confirmed the theory of maintenance energy between the interspecies competition of the two Anammox species under low nitrogen-loading rates. Our study revealed its potential important role of the Anammox genus "Candidatus Jettenia" in the treatment of wastewater containing low organic matter and ammonia.

Fine-scale metabolic discontinuity in a stratified prokaryote microbiome of a Red Sea deep halocline

Deep-sea hypersaline anoxic basins are polyextreme environments in the ocean's interior characterized by the high density of brines that prevents mixing with the overlaying seawater, generating sharp chemoclines and redoxclines up to tens of meters thick that host a high concentration of microbial communities. Yet, a fundamental understanding of how such pycnoclines shape microbial life and the associated biogeochemical processes at a fine scale, remains elusive. Here, we applied high-precision sampling of the brine-seawater transition interface in the Suakin Deep, located at 2770 m in the central Red Sea, to reveal previously undocumented fine-scale community structuring and succession of metabolic groups along a salinity gradient only 1 m thick. Metagenomic profiling at a 10-cm-scale resolution highlighted spatial organization of key metabolic pathways and corresponding microbial functional units, emphasizing the prominent role and significance of salinity and oxygen in shaping their ecology. Nitrogen cycling processes are especially affected by the redoxcline with ammonia oxidation processes being taxa and layers specific, highlighting also the presence of novel microorganisms, such as novel Thaumarchaeota and anammox, adapted to the changing conditions of the chemocline. The findings render the transition zone as a critical niche for nitrogen cycling, with complementary metabolic networks, in turn underscoring the biogeochemical complexity of deep-sea brines.

Application of xylitol on nitrogen removal from saline wastewater through "Candidatus Brocadia sinica"-dominated anammox process under low temperature

Xylitol was first applied to enhance nitrogen removal from saline wastewater through "Candidatus Brocadia sinica"-dominated anammox process under low temperature. The reactor was maintained at 15°C, and the salinity of wastewater was 35 g/L. Ammonium removal rate (ARR) and nitrite removal rate (NRR) were stable at around 0.27 kg/(m³  d) without xylitol addition. As an osmotic pressure regulator and cryoprotective agent, optimal ARR and NRR were 0.51 kg/(m³  d) and 0.63 kg/(m³  d) at 0.3 mM xylitol. At the addition of 1 mM high-dosage xylitol, there existed dissimilatory reduction in nitrate to ammonium nitrogen and heterotrophic denitrification in the reactor. Remodified logistic model was suitable to simulate NH 4 + - N removal process with xylitol addition. As a result, xylitol dose should be controlled within 0.3 mM, which greatly promoted the nitrogen removal from saline wastewater under low temperature. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Xylitol could be used as osmotic pressure regulator and cryoprotective agent to enhance nitrogen removal. The optimal dose was achieved at 0.3 mM xylitol for "Candidatus Brocadia sinica" in low-temperature saline wastewater. High-dosage xylitol could interfere with nitrogen removal efficiency due to the presence of DNAR and HB. Remodified logistic model was suitable for the analysis and prediction of nitrogen removal process with xylitol addition.

The application of glycine betaine to alleviate the inhibitory effect of salinity on one-stage partial nitritation/anammox process

One-stage partial nitritation/anammox (PN/A) has been proposed as a sustainable method for removing nitrogen from various wastewater. However, the activities of ammonium-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and anammox bacteria are often inhibited by the exposure to salinity, thereby hindering their wide application in treating industrial wastewater with high salinity. This study reports that the addition of glycine betaine (GB), which is a compatible solute, could alleviate the inhibitory effects of salinity on both AOB and anammox, thereby improving nitrogen removal performance in a one-stage PN/A system. Short-term tests showed that with an addition of GB higher than 1 mM, the activity of AOB and anammox under salinity of 30 g/L could be increased by at least 45% and 51%, respectively. The half-inhibitory concentration of AOB and anammox rose with increasing GB concentration, with 1 mM GB being the optimal cost-effective dosage. Long-term experiments also demonstrated that 1 mM GB addition could enhance nitrogen removal performance and shorten recovery time by 42.9% under a salinity stress of 30 g/L. Collectively, GB addition was found to be a feasible and effective strategy to the counteract adverse effects of salinity on PN/A process. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Glycine betaine (GB) could improving performance of the PN/A process by alleviating the inhibitory effects of salinity on both AOB and anammox bacteria. A GB concentration of 1 mM was found to be optimum in terms of effectiveness and cost. GB addition was a feasible and effective strategy to remain stabilized in the community structure of PN/A sludge. GB could optimize the nitrogen removal performance and shorten the recovery time of PN/A process under saline stress.

Successional Dynamics of Molecular Ecological Network of Anammox Microbial Communities under Elevated Salinity

Response of microbial interactions to environmental perturbations has been a central issue in wastewater treatment system. However, the interactions among anammox microbial community under salt perturbation is still unclear. Here, we used random matrix theory (RMT)-based network analysis to investigate the dynamics of networks under elevated salinity in an anammox system. Results showed that high salinity (20 and 30 g/L NaCl) inhibited anammox performance. Salinity led to closer and more complex networks for the overall network and subnetwork of Planctomycetes and Proteobacteria, especially under low salinity (5 g/L NaCl), which could serve as a strategy to survive under salt perturbation. Planctomycetes, most dominant phylum and playing crucial roles in anammox, possessed higher proportion of competitive relationships (64.3%) under 30 g/L NaCl. OTU 109 (closely related to Ignavibacterium), the only network hub detected in the anammox system, also had larger amount of competitive relationships (27.3%) than the control (0%) under 30 g/L NaCl. Similar result was found for the most abundant keystone bacteria Candidatus Kuenenia. These increasing competitions at different taxa level could be responsible for the deterioration of nitrogen removal. Besides, all the network topological features tended to reach the values of the original network, which showed the network of microbial community could gradually adapt to the elevated salinity. Microbial network analysis adds a different dimension for our understanding of the response in microbial community to elevated salinity.

The variation on nitrogen removal mechanisms and the succession of ammonia oxidizing archaea and ammonia oxidizing bacteria with temperature in biofilm reactors treating saline wastewater

To reveal nitrogen removal mechanisms under environmental stresses, biofilm reactors were operated at different temperatures (10 °C-35 °C) treating saline wastewater (salinity 3%). The results showed nitrogen removal efficiency was 98.46% at 30 °C and 60.85% at 10 °C, respectively. Both ammonia oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) participated in nitrification. 94.9% of the overall ammonia oxidation was attributed to AOA at 10 °C, but only 48.2% of that was undertaken by AOA at 35 °C. AOA had a greater contribution at low temperature, which demonstrated that nitrogen removal pathway varied with temperature. Aerobic denitrification was more stable than anoxic denitrification. High-throughput sequencing showed Crenarchaeota was the dominant AOA (97.02-34.47%), cooperating with various heterotrophic AOB. Real-time PCR indicated that AOA was three orders of magnitude more abundant than AOB. AOA was more resistant to low temperature and high-saline stresses. Ammonia oxidizers had distinct responses to temperature change and showed diverse relationships at different temperatures.

Comparative Genome-Centric Analysis of Freshwater and Marine ANAMMOX Cultures Suggests Functional Redundancy in Nitrogen Removal Processes

There is a lack of understanding of the interaction between anammox bacteria and the flanking microbial communities in both freshwater (non-saline) and marine (saline) ecosystems. Here, we present a comparative genome-based exploration of two different anammox bioreactors, through the analysis of 23 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), 12 from freshwater anammox reactor (FWR), and 11 from marine anammox reactor (MWR). To understand the contribution of individual members to community functions, we applied the index of replication (iRep) to determine bacteria that are actively replicating. Using genomic content and iRep information, we provided a potential ecological role for the dominant members of the community based on the reactor operating conditions. In the non-saline system, anammox (Candidatus Brocadia sinica) and auxotrophic neighboring bacteria belonging to the phyla Ignavibacteriae and Chloroflexi might interact to reduce nitrate to nitrite for direct use by anammox bacteria. Whereas, in the saline reactor, anammox bacterium (Ca. Scalindua erythraensis) and flanking community belonging to phyla Planctomycetes (different than anammox bacteria)—which persistently growing in the system—may catabolize detritus and extracellular material and recycle nitrate to nitrite for direct use by anammox bacteria. Despite different microbial communities, there was functional redundancy in both ecosystems. These results signify the potential application of marine anammox bacteria for treating saline N-rich wastewaters.

Evolution of microbial dynamics with the introduction of real seawater portions in a low-strength feeding anammox process

The salinity effect on anammox bacteria has been widely reported; however, rare studies describe the microbial dynamics of anammox-based process response to the introduction of real seawater at mainstream conditions. In this study, an anammox process at mainstream conditions without pre-enriching anammox bacteria was shifted to the feeds of a synthetic wastewater with a portion of seawater mixture. It achieved over 0.180 kg-N/(m³ day) of nitrogen removal rate with an additional seawater proportion of 20% in the influent. The bacterial biodiversity was significantly increased with the increase of seawater proportions. High relative abundance of anammox bacteria (34.24–39.92%) related to Ca. Brocadia was enriched and acclimated to the saline environment. However, the introduction of seawater caused the enrichment of nitrite-oxidizing Ca. Nitrospira, which was responsible for the deterioration of nitrogen removal efficiency. Possible adaptation metabolisms in anammox bacteria and other nitrogen transforming bacteria are discussed. These results highlight the importance of microbial diversity for anammox process under the saline environments of 20% and 40% seawater composition.