1994-2004: 10 years of research on the anaerobic oxidation of ammonium

Simple, rapid and effective preservation and reactivation of anaerobic ammonium oxidizing bacterium "Candidatus Brocadia sinica"

It is still the biggest challenge to secure enough seeding biomass for rapid start-up of full-scale (anaerobic ammonium oxidation) anammox processes due to slow growth. Preservation of active anammox biomass could be one of the solutions. In this study, biomass of anammox bacterium, "Candidatus Brocadia sinica", immersed in various nutrient media were preserved at -80 °C, 4 °C and room temperature. After 45, 90 and 150 days of preservation, specific anammox activity (SAA) of the preserved anammox biomass was determined by measuring (29)N2 production rate and transcription levels of hzsA gene encoding hydrazine synthase alpha subunit. Storage in nutrient medium containing 3 mM of molybdate at room temperature with periodical (every 45 days) supply of NH4(+) and NO2(-) was proved to be the most effective storage technique for "Ca. Brocadia sinica" biomass. Using this preservation condition, 96, 92 and 65% of the initial SAA was sustained after 45, 90 and 150 days of storage, respectively. Transcription levels of hzsA gene in biomass correlated with the SAA (R(2) = 0.83), indicating it can be used as a genetic marker to evaluate the anammox activity of preserved biomass. Furthermore, the 90-day-stored biomass was successfully reactivated by immobilizing in polyvinyl alcohol (6%, w/v) and sodium alginate (2%, w/v) gel and then inoculated to up-flow column reactors. Total nitrogen removal rates rapidly increased to 7 kg-N m(-3) d(-1) within 35 days of operation. Based on these results, the room temperature preservation with molybdate addition is simple, cost-effective and feasible at a practical scale, which will accelerate the practical use of anammox process for wastewater treatment.

Performance and kinetic process analysis of an Anammox reactor in view of application for landfill leachate treatment

Anammox has shown its promise and low cost for removing nitrogen from high strength wastewater such as landfill leachate. A reactor was inoculated with nitrification-denitrification sludge originating from a landfill leachate treating waste water treatment plant. During the operation, the sludge gradually converted into red Anammox granular sludge with high and stable Anammox activity. At a maximal nitrogen loading rate of 0.6 g N l(-1) d(-1), the reactor presented ammonium and nitrite removal efficiencies of above 90%. In addition, a modified Stover-Kincannon model was applied to simulate and assess the performance of the Anammox reactor. The Stover-Kincannon model was appropriate for the description of the nitrogen removal in the reactor with the high regression coefficient values (R2 = 0.946) and low Theil's inequality coefficient (TIC) values (TIC < 0.3). The model results showed that the maximal N loading rate of the reactor should be 3.69 g N l(-1) d(-).

Start-up characteristics of a granule-based anammox UASB reactor seeded with anaerobic granular sludge

The granulation of anammox sludge plays an important role in the high nitrogen removal performance of the anammox reactor. In this study, anaerobic granular sludge was selected as the seeding sludge to start up anammox reactor in order to directly obtain anammox granules. Results showed that the anammox UASB reactor was successfully started up by inoculating anaerobic granular sludge, with substrate capacity of 4435.2 mg/(L·d) and average ammonium and nitrite removal efficiency of 90.36% and 93.29%, respectively. During the start-up course, the granular sludge initially disintegrated and then reaggregated and turned red, suggesting the high anammox performance. Zn-Fe precipitation was observed on the surface of granules during the operation by SEM-EDS, which would impose inhibition to the anammox activity of the granules. Accordingly, it is suggested to relatively reduce the trace metals concentrations, of Fe and Zn in the conventional medium. The findings of this study are expected to be used for a shorter start-up and more stable operation of anammox system.

Autotrophic ammonia removal from landfill leachate in anaerobic membrane bioreactor

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (ANAMMOX) process, an advanced biological nitrogen removal, removes ammonia using nitrite as the electron acceptor without oxygen. In this paper, ANAMMOX process was adopted for removing NH4+-N from landfill leachate having low COD using anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR). The AnMBR was optimized for nitrogen loading rate (NLR) varying from 0.025 to 5 kg NH4+-N/m3/d with hydraulic retention time (HRT) ranging from 1 to 3d. NH4+-N removal efficacy of 85.13 +/- 9.67% with the mean nitrogen removal rate of 5.54 +/- 0.63 kg NH4+-N/m3/d was achieved with NLR of 6.51 +/- 0.20kg NH4+-N/m3/d at 1.5 d HRT. The nitrogen transformation intermediates in the form of hydrazine (N2H4) and hydroxylamine (NH2OH) were 0.008 +/- 0.005 and 0.006 +/- 0.001 mg/l, respectively, indicating co-existence of aerobic ammonia oxidizers and ANAMMOX. The free ammonia (NH3) and free nitrous acid (HNO2) concentrations were 26.61 +/- 16.54 mg/l and (1.66 +/- 0.95) x 10(-5) mg/l, preventing NO2(-)-N oxidation to NO3(-)-N enabling sustained NH4+-N removal.

The morphological and settling properties of ANAMMOX granular sludge in high-rate reactors

Digital macro photography and settling tests were carried out to investigate the morphological and settling characteristics of ANAMMOX granules in a high-rate reactor. The ANAMMOX granules could be divided into settling and floating granules. The settling granules with an average diameter of 2.96±0.99 mm were smaller than the floating granules with an average diameter of 4.58±1.22 mm. A settling model was established and validated to correlate the settling velocity with the density (ρG), mass shape factor (ψmass), shape-correction factor (characterized by sphericity (Φ(')) or roundness (ξ)) and projected area equivalent sphere diameter (dP) of ANAMMOX granules. The sphericity was more suitable than the roundness for describing the settling behavior. The sensitivity of four parameters was in the order of ρG,ψmass, dP and Φ('). Based on the settling model, ANAMMOX granules with diameter of 1.75-4.00 mm were supposed to be optimal for the ANAMMOX process.

The evolution of Anammox performance and granular sludge characteristics under the stress of phenol

The short- and long-term effects of phenol on anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox) were evaluated. The short-term impact of phenol on Anammox activity was determined by a batch test, and an IC50 value of 678.2 mg L(-1) was calculated. Anammox granular sludge was equally seeded into two identical upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors (R0 and R1); synthetic wastewater without phenol was fed to R0 while with varied phenol was fed to R1 to study the long-term effects. The performance of R0 was stable, with a steadily rising nitrogen removal rate of 10.5-21.3 kg N m(-3)d ay(-1). However, the performance of R1 was significantly suppressed by an influent phenol concentration of 50 mg L(-1), and was recovered and stabilized by applying one or more control strategies. The phenol-mediated inhibition depressed the Anammox activity and biomass, and caused a change of stoichiometric ratios and granule characteristics.

The effect of sulfide inhibition on the ANAMMOX process

The feasibility of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (ANAMMOX) process to treat wastewaters containing sulfide was studied in this work. Serum bottles were used as experimental containers in batch tests to analyze the short-term response of the ANAMMOX process under sulfide stress. The IC(50) of sulfide-S for ANAMMOX biomass was substrates-dependent and was calculated to be 264 mg L(-1) at an initial total nitrogen level of 200 mg L(-1) (molar ratio of ammonium and nitrite was 1:1). The long-term effects and the performance recovery under sulfide stress were continuously monitored and evaluated in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor. The performance of the ANAMMOX system was halved at an sulfide-S level of 32 mg L(-1) within 13 days; however, the nitrogen removal rate (NRR) decreased by only 17.2% within 18 days at an sulfide-S concentration of 40 mg L(-1) after long-time acclimatization of sludge in the presence of sulfide. The ANAMMOX performance recovered under sulfide-S level of 8 mg L(-1) with a steady NRR increasing speed, linear relationship between the NRR and operation time. The synchronic reduce in the specific ANAMMOX activity and the biomass extended the apparent doubling time of the nitrogen removal capacity and decreased biomass growth rate.

How to make a living from anaerobic ammonium oxidation

Anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (anammox) bacteria primarily grow by the oxidation of ammonium coupled to nitrite reduction, using CO2 as the sole carbon source. Although they were neglected for a long time, anammox bacteria are encountered in an enormous species (micro)diversity in virtually any anoxic environment that contains fixed nitrogen. It has even been estimated that about 50% of all nitrogen gas released into the atmosphere is made by these 'impossible' bacteria. Anammox catabolism most likely resides in a special cell organelle, the anammoxosome, which is surrounded by highly unusual ladder-like (ladderane) lipids. Ammonium oxidation and nitrite reduction proceed in a cyclic electron flow through two intermediates, hydrazine and nitric oxide, resulting in the generation of proton-motive force for ATP synthesis. Reduction reactions associated with CO2 fixation drain electrons from this cycle, and they are replenished by the oxidation of nitrite to nitrate. Besides ammonium or nitrite, anammox bacteria use a broad range of organic and inorganic compounds as electron donors. An analysis of the metabolic opportunities even suggests alternative chemolithotrophic lifestyles that are independent of these compounds. We note that current concepts are still largely hypothetical and put forward the most intriguing questions that need experimental answers.

The structure, density and settlability of anammox granular sludge in high-rate reactors

Microscopic observation and settling test were carried out to investigate the structure, density and settlability of anammox granules taken from a high-rate upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. The results showed that the anammox granules were irregular in shape and uneven on surface, and their structure included granule, subunit, microbial cell cluster and single cell. The gas pockets were often observed in the anammox granules, and they originated from the obstruction of gas tunnel by extracellular polymer substances (EPSs) and the inflation of produced dinitrogen gas. The volume of gas pockets became larger with the increasing diameter of anammox granules, which led to the decreasing density and the floatation of anammox granules. The diameter of anammox granules should be controlled at less than 2.20mm to avoid the granule floatation. A hypothesized mechanism for the granulation and floatation of anammox biomass was proposed.

Anammox--growth physiology, cell biology, and metabolism

Anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (anammox) bacteria are the last major addition to the nitrogen-cycle (N-cycle). Because of the presumed inert nature of ammonium under anoxic conditions, the organisms were deemed to be nonexistent until about 15 years ago. They, however, appear to be present in virtually any anoxic place where fixed nitrogen (ammonium, nitrate, nitrite) is found. In various mar`ine ecosystems, anammox bacteria are a major or even the only sink for fixed nitrogen. According to current estimates, about 50% of all nitrogen gas released into the atmosphere is made by these bacteria. Besides this, the microorganisms may be very well suited to be applied as an efficient, cost-effective, and environmental-friendly alternative to conventional wastewater treatment for the removal of nitrogen. So far, nine different anammox species divided over five genera have been enriched, but none of these are in pure culture. This number is only a modest reflection of a continuum of species that is suggested by 16S rRNA analyses of environmental samples. In their environments, anammox bacteria thrive not just by competition, but rather by delicate metabolic interactions with other N-cycle organisms. Anammox bacteria owe their position in the N-cycle to their unique property to oxidize ammonium in the absence of oxygen. Recent research established that they do so by activating the compound into hydrazine (N(2)H(4)), using the oxidizing power of nitric oxide (NO). NO is produced by the reduction of nitrite, the terminal electron acceptor of the process. The forging of the N-N bond in hydrazine is catalyzed by hydrazine synthase, a fairly slow enzyme and its low activity possibly explaining the slow growth rates and long doubling times of the organisms. The oxidation of hydrazine results in the formation of the end product (N(2)), and electrons that are invested both in electron-transport phosphorylation and in the regeneration of the catabolic intermediates (N(2)H(4), NO). Next to this, the electrons provide the reducing power for CO(2) fixation. The electron-transport phosphorylation machinery represents another unique characteristic, as it is most likely localized on a special cell organelle, the anammoxosome, which is surrounded by a glycerolipid bilayer of ladder-like ("ladderane") cyclobutane and cyclohexane ring structures. The use of ammonium and nitrite as sole substrates might suggest a simple metabolic system, but the contrary seems to be the case. Genome analysis and ongoing biochemical research reveal an only partly understood redundancy in respiratory systems, featuring an unprecedented collection of cytochrome c proteins. The presence of the respiratory systems lends anammox bacteria a metabolic versatility that we are just beginning to appreciate. A specialized use of substrates may provide different anammox species their ecological niche.

The effect of nitrite inhibition on the anammox process

The negative effect of nitrite on anammox activity has been reported widely during the past decade. Although the adverse effect is clear, conflicting reports exist on the level at which it occurs and its reversible/irreversible nature. An in depth study on nitrite inhibition therefore was performed in which the influence of environmental factors was evaluated. Anammox activity was measured in anammox granules by continuously monitored standardized manometric batch tests extending the interpretation by evaluation of lag times, maximum conversion rates during the tests and substrates/product conversion ratios. The granules where obtained from a one-stage anammox reactor, the dominant anammox organisms belonged to the Brocadia type. The observed 50% activity inhibition for nitrite (IC(50)) was 0.4 g N L(-1). The activity recovered fully after removal of the nitrite. Conversion in fresh medium after exposure to up to 6 g NO(2)(-)-N L(-1) for 24 h showed less then 60% loss of activity. Presence of ammonium during nitrite (2 g N L(-1)) exposure resulted in a stronger loss of activity after nitrite exposure (50% and 30% in presence and absence of ammonium respectively). Presence of oxygen during nitrite incubation led to a maximum activity reduction of 32%. The recovery after exposure indicates that the adverse effect of nitrite is reversible and thus inhibitory rather than toxic in nature. Similarities between exposure at three different pH-values indicate that nitrite rather than nitrous acid is the actual inhibiting compound.

Inhibitory effects of free ammonia on Anammox bacteria

Anammox bacteria can effectively treat high ammonia and nitrite concentrations under anoxic environments. However, the presence of high ammonia and nitrite concentrations may cause free ammonia and nitrous acid inhibition at high pH and temperature environments. In this study, the inhibitory effect of free ammonia on Anammox bacteria was investigated in a lab-scale upflow fixed-bed reactor with Kaldnes biofilm carriers. Results of continuous operation showed that inhibition was not observed in the Anammox reactor when the free ammonia concentration gradually increased up to 150 mg/L. However, Anammox activity suddenly dropped to 10 % when the free ammonia concentration reached to 190 mg/L. Nevertheless, high influent ammonia and nitrite concentrations up to 1,500 and 500 mg/L, respectively, did not noticeably inhibit the Anammox activity. Gradually decreasing Anammox activity was also supported by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis. FISH and 16S rRNA gene analysis results revealed that main Anammox organisms were phylogenetically related to Candidatus Kuenenia stuttgartiensis, Candidatus Jettenia asiatica and Candidatus Brocadia anammoxidans.

Short- and long-term effects of ammonium and nitrite on the Anammox process

Autotrophic anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox) is a biological process in which Planctomycete-type bacteria combine ammonium and nitrite to generate nitrogen gas. Both substrates can exert inhibitory effects on the process, causing the decrease of the specific activity of the biomass and the loss of the stable operation of reactors. The aim of the present work is to evaluate these effects in short- and long-term experiments. The short-term effects were carried out with two different types of Anammox biomass, biofilm on inorganic carriers and flocculent sludge. The effects of ammonium on both kinds of biomass were similar. A decrease of the Specific Anammox Activity (SAA) of 50% was observed at concentrations about 38 mg NH(3)-N·L(-1), while 100 mg NH(3)-N·L(-1) caused an inhibition of 80%. With regards to nitrite, the SAA was not affected at concentrations up to 6.6 μg HNO(2)-N·L(-1) but it suffered a decrease over 50% in the presence of 11 μg HNO(2)-N·L(-1) in the case of the biofilm. The flocculent biomass was much less resistant and its SAA sharply decreased up to 30% of its initial value in the presence of 4.4 μg HNO(2)-N·L(-1). The study of the long-term effects was carried out in lab-scale Sequencing Batch Reactors (SBR) inoculated with the biofilm biomass. Concentrations up to 20 mg NH(3)-N·L(-1) showed no effects on either reactor efficiency or biomass activity. However, when free ammonia concentrations reached values between 35 and 40 mg NH(3)-N·L(-1), the operation turned unstable and the efficiency was totally lost. Nitrous acid concentrations around 1.5 μg HNO(2)-N·L(-1) caused a loss of the efficiency of the treatment and a destabilization of the system. However, a total restoration of the SAA was observed after the stoichiometric feeding was applied to the SBR.

Abundance, diversity, and depth distribution of planctomycetes in acidic northern wetlands

Members of the bacterial phylum Planctomycetes inhabit various aquatic and terrestrial environments. In this study, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was applied to assess the abundance and depth distribution of these bacteria in nine different acidic wetlands of Northern Russia. Planctomycetes were most abundant in the oxic part of the wetland profiles. The respective cell numbers were in the range 1.1-6.7 × 10(7) cells g(-1) of wet peat, comprising 2-14% of total bacterial cells, and displaying linear correlation to the peat water pH. Most peatland sites showed a sharp decline of planctomycete abundance with depth, while in two particular sites this decline was followed by a second population maximum in an anoxic part of the bog profile. Oxic peat layers were dominated by representatives of the Isosphaera-Singulisphaera group, while anoxic peat was inhabited mostly by Zavarzinella- and Pirellula-like planctomycetes. Phylogenetically related bacteria of the candidate division OP3 were detected in both oxic and anoxic peat layers with cell densities of 0.6-4.6 × 10(6) cells g(-1) of wet peat.

Enrichment of anammox bacteria from three sludge sources for the startup of monosodium glutamate industrial wastewater treatment system

Three activated sludges from a landfill leachate treatment plant (S1), a municipal sewage treatment plant (S2) and a monosodium glutamate (MSG) wastewater treatment plant (S3) were used as inocula to enrich anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) bacteria for the startup of MSG industrial wastewater treatment system. After 360 days of cultivation using MSG wastewater, obvious anammox activity was observed in all three cultures. The maximum specific anammox activities of cultures S1, S2 and S3 were 0.11 kg N kg(-1) VSS day(-1), 0.09 kg N kg(-1) VSS day(-1) and 0.16 kg N kg(-1) VSS day(-1), respectively. Brownish-red anammox granules having diameters in the range of 0.2-1.0mm were visible in cultures S1 and S2, and large red granules having diameters in the range of 0.5-2.5mm were formed in culture S3 after 420 days of cultivation. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA genes showed that Kuenenia organisms were the dominant anammox species in all three cultures. The copy numbers of 16S rRNA genes of anammox bacteria in cultures S1, S2 and S3 were 6.8 × 10(7) copies mL(-1), 9.4 × 10(7) copies mL(-1) and 7.5 × 10(8) copies mL(-1), respectively. The results of this study demonstrated that anammox cultivation from conventional activated sludges was highly possible using MSG wastewater. Thus the anammox process has possibility of applying to the nitrogen removal from MSG wastewater.

Stoichiometric and molecular evidence for the enrichment of anaerobic ammonium oxidizing bacteria from wastewater treatment plant sludge samples

Anammox enrichments were readily developed from seven municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) sludge, but not with methanogenic granular sludge from two agro-industrial WWTPs. Only 50d was required for the first evidence of anammox activity from a return activated sludge obtained from a WWTP operated for nutrient removal. The molar ratios of nitrite and ammonium consumption of approximately 1.32 as well as nitrate and dinitrogen gas product ratios of approximately 0.095 provided evidence of the anammox reaction. The presence of anammox was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primer sets (PLA46F and AMX820R) specific for anammox bacteria. The 16S rRNA gene fragment of anammox bacteria was detected in seven enrichment cultures (ECs) with demonstrated anammox activity but not in the original inocula from which the ECs were derived and also not in the two methanogenic sludge samples, which indicates the PCR predicted the anammox activity. Two genera, Brocadia and Kuenenia, were successfully identified as the Planctomycetes occurring in the clone libraries of successful anammox enrichments. Brocadia dominated in cultures that were respiked extensively; whereas Kuenenia predominated in cultures that were less aggressively respiked. These findings indicate that respiking management may play an important role on selecting the genus of anammox bacteria. The batch enrichment results clearly illustrate that anammox can be readily enriched from municipal sludge from a wide variety of process operations at WWTPs.

Physiological characteristics of the anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacterium ‘Candidatus Brocadia sinica’

The present study investigated the phylogenetic affiliation and physiological characteristics of bacteria responsible for anaerobic ammonium oxidization (anammox); these bacteria were enriched in an anammox reactor with a nitrogen removal rate of 26.0 kg N m−3 day−1. The anammox bacteria were identified as representing ‘Candidatus Brocadia sinica’ on the basis of phylogenetic analysis of rRNA operon sequences. Physiological characteristics examined were growth rate, kinetics of ammonium oxidation and nitrite reduction, temperature, pH and inhibition of anammox. The maximum specific growth rate (μmax) was 0.0041 h−1, corresponding to a doubling time of 7 days. The half-saturation constants (K s) for ammonium and nitrite of ‘Ca. B. sinica’ were 28±4 and 86±4 µM, respectively, higher than those of ‘Candidatus Brocadia anammoxidans’ and ‘Candidatus Kuenenia stuttgartiensis’. The temperature and pH ranges of anammox activity were 25–45 °C and pH 6.5–8.8, respectively. Anammox activity was inhibited in the presence of nitrite (50 % inhibition at 16 mM), ethanol (91 % at 1 mM) and methanol (86 % at 1 mM). Anammox activities were 80 and 70 % of baseline in the presence of 20 mM phosphorus and 3 % salinity, respectively. The yield of biomass and dissolved organic carbon production in the culture supernatant were 0.062 and 0.005 mol C (mol NH 4 + )−1, respectively. This study compared physiological differences between three anammox bacterial enrichment cultures to provide a better understanding of anammox niche specificity in natural and man-made ecosystems.

Bioturbation: impact on the marine nitrogen cycle

Sediments play a key role in the marine nitrogen cycle and can act either as a source or a sink of biologically available (fixed) nitrogen. This cycling is driven by a number of microbial remineralization reactions, many of which occur across the oxic/anoxic interface near the sediment surface. The presence and activity of large burrowing macrofauna (bioturbators) in the sediment can significantly affect these microbial processes by altering the physicochemical properties of the sediment. For example, the building and irrigation of burrows by bioturbators introduces fresh oxygenated water into deeper sediment layers and allows the exchange of solutes between the sediment and water column. Burrows can effectively extend the oxic/anoxic interface into deeper sediment layers, thus providing a unique environment for nitrogen-cycling microbial communities. Recent studies have shown that the abundance and diversity of micro-organisms can be far greater in burrow wall sediment than in the surrounding surface or subsurface sediment; meanwhile, bioturbated sediment supports higher rates of coupled nitrification-denitrification reactions and increased fluxes of ammonium to the water column. In the present paper we discuss the potential for bioturbation to significantly affect marine nitrogen cycling, as well as the molecular techniques used to study microbial nitrogen cycling communities and directions for future study.

Enhanced nitrogen removal from pharmaceutical wastewater using SBA-ANAMMOX process

Efficient biological nitrogen removal from pharmaceutical wastewater has been focused recently. The present study dealt with the treatment of colistin sulfate and kitasamycin manufacturing wastewater through anaerobic ammonium oxidation (ANAMMOX). The biotoxicity assay on luminescent bacterium Photobacterium phosphoreum (T3 mutation) showed that the pharmaceutical wastewater imparted severe toxicity with a relative luminosity of 3.46% ± 0.45%. During long-term operation, the cumulative toxicity from toxic pollutants in wastewater resulted in the performance collapse of conventional ANAMMOX process. A novel ANAMMOX process with sequential biocatalyst (ANAMMOX granules) addition (SBA-ANAMMOX process) was developed by combining high-rate ANAMMOX reactor with sequential biocatalyst addition (SBA). At biocatalyst addition rate of 0.025 g VSS (L wastewater)(-1) day(-1), the nitrogen removal rate of the process reached up to 9.4 kg N m(-3) day(-1) in pharmaceutical wastewater treatment. The effluent ammonium concentration was lower than 50 mg N L(-1), which met the Discharge Standard of Water Pollutants for Pharmaceutical Industry in China (GB 21903-2008). The application of SBA-ANAMMOX process in refractory ammonium-rich wastewater is promising.

Performance of high-loaded ANAMMOX UASB reactors containing granular sludge

The performance of high-loaded anaerobic ammonium oxidizing (ANAMMOX) upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactors was investigated. Two ANAMMOX reactors (R1 with and R2 without effluent recycling, respectively) were fed with relatively low nitrite concentration of 240 mg-N L(-1) with subsequent progressive increase in the nitrogen loading rate (NLR) by shortening the hydraulic retention time (HRT) till the end of the experiment. A super high-rate performance with nitrogen removal rate (NRR) of 74.3-76.7 kg-N m(-3) day(-1) was accomplished in the lab-scale ANAMMOX UASB reactors, which was 3 times of the highest reported value. The biomass concentrations in the reactors were as high as 42.0-57.7 g-VSS L(-1) with the specific ANAMMOX activity (SAA) approaching to 5.6 kg-N kg-VSS(-1) day(-1). The high SAA and high biomass concentration were regarded as the key factors for the super high-rate performance. ANAMMOX granules were observed in the reactors with settling velocities of 73-88 m h(-1). The ANAMMOX granules were found to contain a plenty of extracellular polymers (ECPs) such as 71.8-112.1 mg g-VSS(-1) of polysaccharides (PS) and 164.4-298.2 mg g-VSS(-1) of proteins (PN). High content of hemachrome (6.8-10.3 μmol g-VSS(-1)) was detected in the ANAMMOX granules, which is supposed to be attributed to their unique carmine color.

Influence of substrates on nitrogen removal performance and microbiology of anaerobic ammonium oxidation by operating two UASB reactors fed with different substrate levels

Both ammonium and nitrite act as substrates as well as potential inhibitors of anoxic ammonium-oxidizing (Anammox) bacteria. To satisfy demand of substrates for Anammox bacteria and to prevent substrate inhibition simultaneously; two strategies, namely high or low substrate concentration, were carefully compared in the operation of two Anammox upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors fed with different substrate concentrations. The reactor working at relatively low influent substrate concentration (NO(2)(-)-N, 240 mg-NL(-1)) was shown to avoid the inhibition caused by nitrite and free ammonia. Using the strategy of low substrate concentration, a record super high volumetric nitrogen removal rate of 45.24 kg-Nm(-3) day(-1) was noted after the operation of 230 days. To our knowledge, such a high value has not been reported previously. The evidence from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the morphology and ultrastructure of the Anammox cells in both the reactor enrichments was different.

Environmental factors shape sediment anammox bacterial communities in hypernutrified Jiaozhou Bay, China

Bacterial anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) is an important process in the marine nitrogen cycle. Because ongoing eutrophication of coastal bays contributes significantly to the formation of low-oxygen zones, monitoring of the anammox bacterial community offers a unique opportunity for assessment of anthropogenic perturbations in these environments. The current study used targeting of 16S rRNA and hzo genes to characterize the composition and structure of the anammox bacterial community in the sediments of the eutrophic Jiaozhou Bay, thereby unraveling their diversity, abundance, and distribution. Abundance and distribution of hzo genes revealed a greater taxonomic diversity in Jiaozhou Bay, including several novel clades of anammox bacteria. In contrast, the targeting of 16S rRNA genes verified the presence of only "Candidatus Scalindua," albeit with a high microdiversity. The genus "Ca. Scalindua" comprised the apparent majority of active sediment anammox bacteria. Multivariate statistical analyses indicated a heterogeneous distribution of the anammox bacterial assemblages in Jiaozhou Bay. Of all environmental parameters investigated, sediment organic C/organic N (OrgC/OrgN), nitrite concentration, and sediment median grain size were found to impact the composition, structure, and distribution of the sediment anammox bacterial community. Analysis of Pearson correlations between environmental factors and abundance of 16S rRNA and hzo genes as determined by fluorescent real-time PCR suggests that the local nitrite concentration is the key regulator of the abundance of anammox bacteria in Jiaozhou Bay sediments.

Phylogenetic and functional marker genes to study ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms (AOM) in the environment

The oxidation of ammonia plays a significant role in the transformation of fixed nitrogen in the global nitrogen cycle. Autotrophic ammonia oxidation is known in three groups of microorganisms. Aerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and archaea convert ammonia into nitrite during nitrification. Anaerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (anammox) oxidize ammonia using nitrite as electron acceptor and producing atmospheric dinitrogen. The isolation and cultivation of all three groups in the laboratory are quite problematic due to their slow growth rates, poor growth yields, unpredictable lag phases, and sensitivity to certain organic compounds. Culture-independent approaches have contributed importantly to our understanding of the diversity and distribution of these microorganisms in the environment. In this review, we present an overview of approaches that have been used for the molecular study of ammonia oxidizers and discuss their application in different environments.

Suppression of anaerobic ammonium oxidizers under high organic content in high-rate Anammox UASB reactor

The effect of organic matter on the nitrogen removal performance of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox) process was investigated in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor fed with nitrogen loading rate of 13.92 kg Nm(-3)day(-1) at an HRT of 0.83 h. Mass balance showed that the heterotrophic denitrification prevailed in the UASB reactor, and became the dominant reactions when high influent COD/NO(2)(-)-N ratios of 2.92 were applied. The Anammox bacterial growth was significantly suppressed by denitrifying communities under high organic matter content due to the weaker competition for nitrite (electron acceptor) and living space. Long-term operation of the Anammox UASB reactor under relatively high organic content resulted in weak recovery performance.

Global occurrence of archaeal amoA genes in terrestrial hot springs

Despite the ubiquity of ammonium in geothermal environments and the thermodynamic favorability of aerobic ammonia oxidation, thermophilic ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms belonging to the crenarchaeota kingdom have only recently been described. In this study, we analyzed microbial mats and surface sediments from 21 hot spring samples (pH 3.4 to 9.0; temperature, 41 to 86 degrees C) from the United States, China, and Russia and obtained 846 putative archaeal ammonia monooxygenase large-subunit (amoA) gene and transcript sequences, representing a total of 41 amoA operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at 2% identity. The amoA gene sequences were highly diverse, yet they clustered within two major clades of archaeal amoA sequences known from water columns, sediments, and soils: clusters A and B. Eighty-four percent (711/846) of the sequences belonged to cluster A, which is typically found in water columns and sediments, whereas 16% (135/846) belonged to cluster B, which is typically found in soils and sediments. Although a few amoA OTUs were present in several geothermal regions, most were specific to a single region. In addition, cluster A amoA genes formed geographic groups, while cluster B sequences did not group geographically. With the exception of only one hot spring, principal-component analysis and UPGMA (unweighted-pair group method using average linkages) based on the UniFrac metric derived from cluster A grouped the springs by location, regardless of temperature or bulk water pH, suggesting that geography may play a role in structuring communities of putative ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA). The amoA genes were distinct from those of low-temperature environments; in particular, pair-wise comparisons between hot spring amoA genes and those from sympatric soils showed less than 85% sequence identity, underscoring the distinctness of hot spring archaeal communities from those of the surrounding soil system. Reverse transcription-PCR showed that amoA genes were transcribed in situ in one spring and the transcripts were closely related to the amoA genes amplified from the same spring. Our study demonstrates the global occurrence of putative archaeal amoA genes in a wide variety of terrestrial hot springs and suggests that geography may play an important role in selecting different assemblages of AOA.

Novel lineages of Planctomycetes densely colonize the alkaline gut of soil-feeding termites (Cubitermes spp.)

Members of the phylum Planctomycetes are found in aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Here we show that the highest density of Planctomycetes in natural environments (2.6 x 10(9) cells ml(-1)) is encountered in the hindgut of soil-feeding termites (Cubitermes spp.), where they constitute up to one-third of the bacteria in the alkaline P3 compartment detected by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). A 16S-rRNA-based approach revealed that the planctomycete community is very diverse and falls into three major clusters representing novel, deeply branching lineages. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis and FISH with cluster-specific oligonucleotide probes confirmed that most of the lineages are also present in other gut compartments, albeit in much lower numbers, but absent from the food soil. The majority of planctomycetes in the gut belong to a large clade, the 'Termite planctomycete cluster', which consists exclusively of clones from termite guts and seems to be represented in all termite species.

Effect of inorganic carbon on anaerobic ammonium oxidation enriched in sequencing batch reactor

The present lab-scale research reveals the enrichment of anaerobic ammonium oxidation microorganism from methanogenic anaerobic granular sludge and the effect of inorganic carbon (sodium bicarbonate) on anaerobic ammonium oxidation. The enrichment of anammox bacteria was carried out in a 7.0-L sequencing batch reactor (SBR) and the effect of bicarbonate on anammox was conducted in a 3.0-L SBR. Research results, especially the biomass, showed first signs of anammox activity after 54 d cultivation with synthetic wastewater, when the pH was controlled between 7.5 and 8.3, the temperature was 35 degrees C. The anammox activity increased as the influent bicarbonate concentration increased from 1.0 to 1.5 g/L, and then, was inhibited as the bicarbonate concentration approached 2.0 g/L. However, the activity could be restored by the reduction of bicarbonate concentration to 1.0 g/L, as shown by rapid conversion of ammonium, and nitrite and nitrate production with normal stoichiometry. The optimization of the bicarbonate concentration in the reactor could increase the anammox rate up to 66.4 mgN/(L x d).

Diversity and abundance of aerobic and anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria in freshwater sediments of the Xinyi River (China)

Here we report on the biodiversity and abundance of aerobic and anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria in sediment samples from the Xinyi River, Jinagsu Province (China). The biodiversity of aerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria in the sediment was assessed using the amoA gene as functional marker. The retrieved amoA clones were affiliated to environmental sequences from freshwater habitats. The closest cultivated relative was Nitrosomonas urea. Anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (anammox) bacteria were studied using anammox and planctomycete-specific 16S rRNA gene primers. The sediments contained 16S rRNA genes and bacterial cells closely related to the known anammox bacterium Candidatus'Brocadia anammoxidans'. Anaerobic continuous flow reactors were set up to enrich anammox organisms from the sediments. After an adaptation period of about 25 days the reactors started to consume ammonium and nitrite, indicating that the anammox reaction was occurring with a rate of 41-58 nmol cm(-3) h(-1). Community analysis of the enrichments by quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization showed an increase in the abundance of anammox bacteria from < 1% to 6 +/- 2% of the total population. Analysis of the 16S rRNA genes showed that the enriched anammox organisms were related to the Candidatus'Scalindua' genus.

Quantification of anammox populations enriched in an immobilized microbial consortium with low levels of ammonium nitrogen and at low temperature

Anaerobic ammonium oxidizing (anammox) bacteria present in microbial communities in two laboratory-scale upflow anoxic reactors supplied with small amounts of ammonium (<3 mg/l) at low temperature were detected and quantified. The reactors, operated at 20 degrees C, were seeded with an immobilized microbial consortium (IMC) and anaerobic granules (AG) from an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) treating brewery wastewater. Our results showed that complete ammonium and nitrite removal with greater than 92% total nitrogen removal efficiency was achieved in the reactor inoculated with both the IMC and AG, while that of the reactor inoculated with only the IMC was lower than 40%; enrichment was successful after the addition of AG. Quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis confirmed that anammox bacteria were present only in the reactor inoculated with an IMC and AG. The copy number of the 16S-rRNA gene of the anammox bacteria calculated by most probable number-polymerase chain reaction (MPN-PCR) from the total DNA extracted from both reactors (2.5 x 10(4) copies/mug of DNA) was two orders lower than that of the domain bacteria (2.5 x 10(6) copies/mug of DNA). The results revealed that immobilized multiple seed sludges were optimal for anammox enrichment at low temperature and ammonium concentrations.

Quantitative distribution of presumptive archaeal and bacterial nitrifiers in Monterey Bay and the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre

The recent isolation of the ammonia-oxidizing crenarchaeon Nitrosopumilus maritimus has expanded the known phylogenetic distribution of nitrifying phenotypes beyond the domain Bacteria. To further characterize nitrification in the marine environment and explore the potential crenarchaeal contribution to this process, we quantified putative nitrifying genes and phylotypes in picoplankton genomic libraries and environmental DNA samples from coastal and open ocean habitats. Betaproteobacteria ammonia monooxygenase subunit A (amoA) gene copy numbers were low or undetectable, in stark contrast to crenarchaeal amoA-like genes that were broadly distributed and reached up to 6 x 10(4) copies ml(-1). Unexpectedly, in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, a deeply branching crenarchaeal group related to a hot spring clade (pSL12) was at times abundant below the euphotic zone. Quantitative data suggested that the pSL12 relatives also contain archaeal amoA-like genes. In both coastal and open ocean habitats, close relatives of known nitrite-oxidizing Nitrospina species were well represented in genomic DNA libraries and quantitative PCR profiles. Planktonic Nitrospina depth distributions correlated with those of Crenarchaea. Overall, the data suggest that amoA-containing Crenarchaea are more phylogenetically diverse than previously reported. Additionally, distributional patterns of planktonic Crenarchaea and Nitrospina species suggest potential metabolic interactions between these groups in the ocean's water column.

Effects of specific inhibitors on anammox and denitrification in marine sediments

The effects of three metabolic inhibitors (acetylene, methanol, and allylthiourea [ATU]) on the pathways of N2 production were investigated by using short anoxic incubations of marine sediment with a 15N isotope technique. Acetylene inhibited ammonium oxidation through the anammox pathway as the oxidation rate decreased exponentially with increasing acetylene concentration; the rate decay constant was 0.10+/-0.02 microM-1, and there was 95% inhibition at approximately 30 microM. Nitrous oxide reduction, the final step of denitrification, was not sensitive to acetylene concentrations below 10 microM. However, nitrous oxide reduction was inhibited by higher concentrations, and the sensitivity was approximately one-half the sensitivity of anammox (decay constant, 0.049+/-0.004 microM-1; 95% inhibition at approximately 70 microM). Methanol specifically inhibited anammox with a decay constant of 0.79+/-0.12 mM-1, and thus 3 to 4 mM methanol was required for nearly complete inhibition. This level of methanol stimulated denitrification by approximately 50%. ATU did not have marked effects on the rates of anammox and denitrification. The profile of inhibitor effects on anammox agreed with the results of studies of the process in wastewater bioreactors, which confirmed the similarity between the anammox bacteria in bioreactors and natural environments. Acetylene and methanol can be used to separate anammox and denitrification, but the effects of these compounds on nitrification limits their use in studies of these processes in systems where nitrification is an important source of nitrate. The observed differential effects of acetylene and methanol on anammox and denitrification support our current understanding of the two main pathways of N2 production in marine sediments and the use of 15N isotope methods for their quantification.

Nitrogen transformations in stratified aquatic microbial ecosystems

New analytical methods such as advanced molecular techniques and microsensors have resulted in new insights about how nitrogen transformations in stratified microbial systems such as sediments and biofilms are regulated at a microm-mm scale. A large and ever-expanding knowledge base about nitrogen fixation, nitrification, denitrification, and dissimilatory reduction of nitrate to ammonium, and about the microorganisms performing the processes, has been produced by use of these techniques. During the last decade the discovery of anammmox bacteria and migrating, nitrate accumulating bacteria performing dissimilatory reduction of nitrate to ammonium have given new dimensions to the understanding of nitrogen cycling in nature, and the occurrence of these organisms and processes in stratified microbial communities will be described in detail.

A new approach to non-destructive analysis of biofilms by confocal Raman microscopy

Confocal Raman microscopy (CRM) of biofilms enables one to determine the distribution of different microorganisms and other substances inside physiological intact microbial communities. These biofilms are of outstanding interest for biological wastewater treatment. In contrast to invasive techniques, such as fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), we were able to identify anaerobically ammonium-oxidising (anammox) bacteria without pretreatment processes of the samples just by its Raman vibrational signature. The presented results provide new insights into the complex interactions of different organisms in microbial communities without interfering with them.