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Wan C, Fu L, Li Z, Liu X, Lin L, Wu C. Formation, application, and storage-reactivation of aerobic granular sludge: A review. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 323:116302. [PMID: 36150350 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
It was an important discovery in wastewater treatment that the microorganisms in the traditional activated sludge can form aerobic granular sludge (AGS) by self-aggregation under appropriate water quality and operation conditions. With a typical three-dimensional spherical structure, AGS has high sludge-water separation efficiency, great treatment capacity, and strong tolerance to toxic and harmful substances, so it has been considered to be one of the most promising wastewater treatment technologies. This paper comprehensively reviewed AGS from multiple perspectives over the past two decades, including the culture conditions, granulation mechanisms, metabolic and structural stability, storage, and its diverse applications. Some important issues, such as the reproducibility of culture conditions and the structural and functional stability during application and storage, were also summarized, and the research prospects were put forward. The aggregation behavior of microorganisms in AGS was explained from the perspectives of physiology and ecology of complex populations. The storage of AGS is considered to have large commercial potential value with the increase of large-scale applications. The purpose of this paper is to provide a reference for the systematic and in-depth study on the sludge aerobic granulation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunli Wan
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Liya Fu
- Research Center of Environmental Pollution Control Engineering Technology, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Zhengwen Li
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Xiang Liu
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China.
| | - Lin Lin
- Environmental Science and New Energy Technology Research Center, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Changyong Wu
- Research Center of Environmental Pollution Control Engineering Technology, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China.
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Ospina-Betancourth C, Acharya K, Allen B, Head IM, Sanabria J, Curtis TP. Valorization of pulp and paper industry wastewater using sludge enriched with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH : A RESEARCH PUBLICATION OF THE WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION 2021; 93:1734-1747. [PMID: 33765365 DOI: 10.1002/wer.1561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria (NFB) can reduce nitrogen at ambient pressure and temperature. In this study, we treated effluent from a paper mill in sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) and monitored the abundance and activity of NFB with a view to producing a sludge that could work as a biofertilizer. Four reactors were inoculated with activated sludge enriched with NFB and fed with a high C/N waste (100:0.5) from a paper mill. Though the reactors were able to reduce the organic load of the wastewater by up to 89%, they did not have any nitrogen-fixing activity and showed a decrease in the putative number of NFB (quantified with qPCR). The most abundant species in the reactors treating high C/N paper mill wastewater was identified by Illumina MiSeq 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing as Methyloversatilis sp. (relative abundance of 4.4%). Nitrogen fixation was observed when the C/N ratio was increased by adding sucrose. We suspect that real-world biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) will only occur where there is a C/N ratio ≤100:0.07. Consequently, operators should actively avoid adding or allowing nitrogen in the waste streams if they wish to valorize their sludge and reduce running costs. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Efficient biological wastewater treatment of low nitrogen paper mill effluent was achieved without nutrient supplementation. The sludge was still capable of fixing nitrogen although this process was not observed in the wastewater treatment system. This high C/N wastewater treatment technology could be used with effluents from cassava flour, olive oil, wine and dairy industries.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kishor Acharya
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Ben Allen
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Ian M Head
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Janeth Sanabria
- Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Engineering School of Environmental & Natural Resources, Engineering Faculty, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia
| | - Thomas P Curtis
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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Rodriguez-Gonzalez C, Ospina-Betancourth C, Sanabria J. High Resistance of a Sludge Enriched with Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria to Ammonium Salts and Its Potential as a Biofertilizer. Bioengineering (Basel) 2021; 8:bioengineering8050055. [PMID: 34062837 PMCID: PMC8147367 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering8050055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The increasing use of chemical fertilizers causes the loss of natural biological nitrogen fixation in soils, water eutrophication and emits more than 300 Mton CO2 per year. It also limits the success of external bacterial inoculation in the soil. Nitrogen fixing bacteria can be inhibited by the presence of ammonia as its presence can inhibit biological nitrogen fixation. Two aerobic sludges from wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) were exposed to high ammonium salts concentrations (>450 mg L−1 and >2 dS m−1). Microbial analysis after treatment through 16S pyrosequencing showed the presence of Fluviicola sp. (17.70%), a genus of the Clostridiaceae family (11.17%), and Azospirillum sp. (10.42%), which were present at the beginning with lower abundance. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis based on nifH genes did not show changes in the nitrogen-fixing population. Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria (NFB) were identified and associated with other microorganisms involved in the nitrogen cycle, presumably for survival at extreme conditions. The potential use of aerobic sludges enriched with NFB is proposed as an alternative to chemical fertilizer as this bacteria could supplement nitrogen to the plant showing competitive results with chemical fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Rodriguez-Gonzalez
- School of Environmental & Natural Resources Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Universidad del Valle, Cali 760032, Colombia;
| | | | - Janeth Sanabria
- School of Environmental & Natural Resources Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Universidad del Valle, Cali 760032, Colombia;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +57-2-3302-0002
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Welz PJ, Ramond JB, Braun L, Vikram S, Le Roes-Hill M. Bacterial nitrogen fixation in sand bioreactors treating winery wastewater with a high carbon to nitrogen ratio. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2018; 207:192-202. [PMID: 29179109 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2017] [Revised: 10/20/2017] [Accepted: 11/05/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Heterotrophic bacteria proliferate in organic-rich environments and systems containing sufficient essential nutrients. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are the nutrients required in the highest concentrations. The ratio of carbon to nitrogen is an important consideration for wastewater bioremediation because insufficient nitrogen may result in decreased treatment efficiency. It has been shown that during the treatment of effluent from the pulp and paper industry, bacterial nitrogen fixation can supplement the nitrogen requirements of suspended growth systems. This study was conducted using physicochemical analyses and culture-dependent and -independent techniques to ascertain whether nitrogen-fixing bacteria were selected in biological sand filters used to treat synthetic winery wastewater with a high carbon to nitrogen ratio (193:1). The systems performed well, with the influent COD of 1351 mg/L being reduced by 84-89%. It was shown that the nitrogen fixing bacterial population was influenced by the presence of synthetic winery effluent in the surface layers of the biological sand filters, but not in the deeper layers. It was hypothesised that this was due to the greater availability of atmospheric nitrogen at the surface. The numbers of culture-able nitrogen-fixing bacteria, including presumptive Azotobacter spp. exhibited 1-2 log increases at the surface. The results of this study confirm that nitrogen fixation is an important mechanism to be considered during treatment of high carbon to nitrogen wastewater. If biological treatment systems can be operated to stimulate this phenomenon, it may obviate the need for nitrogen addition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela J Welz
- Biocatalysis and Technical Biology Research Group, Institute for Medical and Microbial Biotechnology, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Jean-Baptiste Ramond
- Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Genetics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Lorenz Braun
- Biocatalysis and Technical Biology Research Group, Institute for Medical and Microbial Biotechnology, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Surendra Vikram
- Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Genetics, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Marilize Le Roes-Hill
- Biocatalysis and Technical Biology Research Group, Institute for Medical and Microbial Biotechnology, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa
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Wong PY, Cheng KY, Kaksonen AH, Sutton DC, Ginige MP. Enrichment of anodophilic nitrogen fixing bacteria in a bioelectrochemical system. WATER RESEARCH 2014; 64:73-81. [PMID: 25043795 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2014.06.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2014] [Revised: 06/15/2014] [Accepted: 06/30/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrated the ability of a bio-anode to fix dinitrogen (N2), and confirmed that diazotrophs can be used to treat N-deficient wastewater in a bioelectrochemical system (BES). A two-compartment BES was fed with an N-deficient medium containing glucose for >200 days. The average glucose and COD removal at an anodic potential of +200 mV vs. Ag/AgCl was 100% and 76%, respectively. Glucose removal occurred via fermentation under open circuit (OC), with acetate as the key byproduct. Closing circuit remarkably reduced acetate accumulation, suggesting the biofilm could oxidise acetate under N-deficient conditions. Nitrogen fixation required an anode and glucose; removing either reduced N2 fixation significantly. This suggests that diazotroph utilised glucose directly at the anode or indirectly through syntrophic interaction of an N2-fixing fermenter and an anodophile. The enriched biofilm was dominated (68%) by the genus Clostridium, members of which are known to be electrochemically active and capable of fixing N2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Yu Wong
- CSIRO Land and Water, CSIRO, Floreat, WA 6014, Australia; School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Ka Yu Cheng
- CSIRO Land and Water, CSIRO, Floreat, WA 6014, Australia
| | - Anna H Kaksonen
- CSIRO Land and Water, CSIRO, Floreat, WA 6014, Australia; School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
| | - David C Sutton
- School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
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Thanh BX, Visvanathan C, Aim RB. Characterization of aerobic granular sludge at various organic loading rates. Process Biochem 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.procbio.2008.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Bacterial community composition of a wastewater treatment system reliant on N2 fixation. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2008; 79:285-92. [PMID: 18368406 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-008-1413-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2007] [Revised: 02/10/2008] [Accepted: 02/12/2008] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The temporal stability and change of the dominant phylogenetic groups of the domain bacteria were studied in a model plant-based industrial wastewater treatment system showing high levels of organic carbon removal supported by high levels of N2 fixation. Community profiles were obtained through terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and cloning of 16S rRNA amplicons followed by sequencing. Bacterial community profiles showed that ten common terminal restriction fragments made up approximately 50% of the measured bacterial community. As much as 42% of the measured bacterial community could be monitored by using quantitative PCR and primers that targeted three dominant operational taxonomic units. Despite changes in wastewater composition and dissolved oxygen levels, the bacterial community composition appeared stable and was dominated by alpha-Proteobacteria and beta-Proteobacteria, with a lesser amount of the highly diverse bacterial phylum Bacteroidetes. A short period of considerable change in the bacterial community composition did not appear to affect treatment performance indicating functional redundancy in this treatment system.
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