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Liu Q, Li X, Wu M, Huang H, Chen Y. N 2O recovery from wastewater and flue gas via microbial denitrification: Processes and mechanisms. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 946:174231. [PMID: 38917909 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Nitrous oxide (N2O) is increasingly regarded as a significant greenhouse gas implicated in global warming and the depletion of the ozone layer, yet it is also recognized as a valuable resource. This paper comprehensively reviews innovative microbial denitrification techniques for recovering N2O from nitrogenous wastewater and flue gas. Critical analysis is carried out on cutting-edge processes such as the coupled aerobic-anoxic nitrous decomposition operation (CANDO) process, semi-artificial photosynthesis, and the selective utilization of microbial strains, as well as flue gas absorption coupled with heterotrophic/autotrophic denitrification. These processes are highlighted for their potential to facilitate denitrification and enhance the recovery rate of N2O. The review integrates feasible methods for process control and optimization, and presents the underlying mechanisms for N2O recovery through denitrification, primarily achieved by suppressing nitrous oxide reductase (Nos) activity and intensifying competition for electron donors. The paper concludes by recognizing the shortcomings in existing technologies and proposing future research directions, with an emphasis on prioritizing the collection and utilization of N2O while considering environmental sustainability and economic feasibility. Through this review, we aim to inspire interest in the recovery and utilization of N2O, as well as the development and application of related technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qimeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xinyi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Meirou Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Haining Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China; The Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yinguang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China.
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Aires T, Cúcio C, Brakel J, Weinberger F, Wahl M, Teles A, Muyzer G, Engelen AH. Impact of persistently high sea surface temperatures on the rhizobiomes of Zostera marina in a Baltic Sea benthocosms. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17337. [PMID: 38771026 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Persistently high marine temperatures are escalating and threating marine biodiversity. The Baltic Sea, warming faster than other seas, is a good model to study the impact of increasing sea surface temperatures. Zostera marina, a key player in the Baltic ecosystem, faces susceptibility to disturbances, especially under chronic high temperatures. Despite the increasing number of studies on the impact of global warming on seagrasses, little attention has been paid to the role of the holobiont. Using an outdoor benthocosm to replicate near-natural conditions, this study explores the repercussions of persistent warming on the microbiome of Z. marina and its implications for holobiont function. Results show that both seasonal warming and chronic warming, impact Z. marina roots and sediment microbiome. Compared with roots, sediments demonstrate higher diversity and stability throughout the study, but temperature effects manifest earlier in both compartments, possibly linked to premature Z. marina die-offs under chronic warming. Shifts in microbial composition, such as an increase in organic matter-degrading and sulfur-related bacteria, accompany chronic warming. A higher ratio of sulfate-reducing bacteria compared to sulfide oxidizers was found in the warming treatment which may result in the collapse of the seagrasses, due to toxic levels of sulfide. Differentiating predicted pathways for warmest temperatures were related to sulfur and nitrogen cycles, suggest an increase of the microbial metabolism, and possible seagrass protection strategies through the production of isoprene. These structural and compositional variations in the associated microbiome offer early insights into the ecological status of seagrasses. Certain taxa/genes/pathways may serve as markers for specific stresses. Monitoring programs should integrate this aspect to identify early indicators of seagrass health. Understanding microbiome changes under stress is crucial for the use of potential probiotic taxa to mitigate climate change effects. Broader-scale examination of seagrass-microorganism interactions is needed to leverage knowledge on host-microbe interactions in seagrasses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tânia Aires
- Centro de Ciências Do Mar (CCMAR), Centro de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental (CIMAR), Universidade Do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Catarina Cúcio
- Microbial Systems Ecology, Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Janina Brakel
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Kiel, Germany
| | | | - Martin Wahl
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Kiel, Germany
| | - Ana Teles
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Ploen, Germany
| | - Gerard Muyzer
- Microbial Systems Ecology, Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Aschwin H Engelen
- Centro de Ciências Do Mar (CCMAR), Centro de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental (CIMAR), Universidade Do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
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Selection, Identification and Functional Performance of Ammonia-Degrading Microbial Communities from an Activated Sludge for Landfill Leachate Treatment. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11020311. [PMID: 36838276 PMCID: PMC9961800 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11020311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The increasing amounts of municipal solid waste and their management in landfills caused an increase in the production of leachate, a liquid formed by the percolation of rainwater through the waste. Leachate creates serious problems to municipal wastewater treatment plants; indeed, its high levels of ammonia are toxic for bacterial cells and drastically reduce the biological removal of nitrogen by activated sludge. In the present work, we studied, using a metagenomic approach based on next-generation sequencing (NGS), the microbial composition of sludge in the municipal wastewater treatment plant of Porto Sant'Elpidio (Italy). Through activated sludge enrichment experiments based on the Repetitive Re-Inoculum Assay, we were able to select and identify a minimal bacterial community capable of degrading high concentrations of ammonium (NH4+-N ≅ 350 mg/L) present in a leachate-based medium. The analysis of NGS data suggests that seven families of bacteria (Alcaligenaceae, Nitrosomonadaceae, Caulobacteraceae, Xanthomonadaceae, Rhodanobacteraceae, Comamonadaceae and Chitinophagaceae) are mainly responsible for ammonia oxidation. Furthermore, we isolated from the enriched sludge three genera (Klebsiella sp., Castellaniella sp. and Acinetobacter sp.) capable of heterotrophic nitrification coupled with aerobic denitrification. These bacteria released a trace amount of both nitrite and nitrate possibly transforming ammonia into gaseous nitrogen. Our findings represent the starting point to produce an optimized microorganisms's mixture for the biological removal of ammonia contained in leachate.
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Lee YJ, Lin BL, Lei Z. Nitrous oxide emission mitigation from biological wastewater treatment - A review. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2022; 362:127747. [PMID: 35964917 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.127747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Nitrous oxide (N2O) emitted from wastewater treatment processes has emerged as a focal point for academic and practical research amidst pressing environmental issues. This review presents an updated view on the biological pathways for N2O production and consumption in addition to the critical process factors affecting N2O emission. The current research trends including the strain and reactor aspects were then outlined with discussions. Last but not least, the research needs were proposed. The holistic life cycle assessment needs to be performed to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of the proposed mitigation strategies or recovery options. This review also provides the background information for the proposed future research prospects on N2O mitigation and recovery technologies. As pointed out, dilution effects of the produced N2O gas product would hinder its use as renewable energy; instead, its use as an effective oxidizing agent is proposed as a promising recovery option.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Jen Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10649, Taiwan
| | - Bin-le Lin
- Research Institute of Science for Safety and Sustainability, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 16-1 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8569, Japan
| | - Zhongfang Lei
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan.
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Maszenan AM, Bessarab I, Williams RBH, Petrovski S, Seviour RJ. The phylogeny, ecology and ecophysiology of the glycogen accumulating organism (GAO) Defluviicoccus in wastewater treatment plants. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 221:118729. [PMID: 35714465 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118729] [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: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This comprehensive review looks critically what is known about members of the genus Defluviicoccus, an example of a glycogen accumulating organism (GAO), in wastewater treatment plants, but found also in other habitats. It considers the operating conditions thought to affect its performance in activated sludge plants designed to remove phosphorus microbiologically, including the still controversial view that it competes with the polyphosphate accumulating bacterium Ca. Accumulibacter for readily biodegradable substrates in the anaerobic zone receiving the influent raw sewage. It looks at its present phylogeny and what is known about it's physiology and biochemistry under the highly selective conditions of these plants, where the biomass is recycled continuously through alternative anaerobic (feed); aerobic (famine) conditions encountered there. The impact of whole genome sequence data, which have revealed considerable intra- and interclade genotypic diversity, on our understanding of its in situ behaviour is also addressed. Particular attention is paid to the problems in much of the literature data based on clone library and next generation DNA sequencing data, where Defluviicoccus identification is restricted to genus level only. Equally problematic, in many publications no attempt has been made to distinguish between Defluviicoccus and the other known GAO, especially Ca. Competibacter, which, as shown here, has a very different ecophysiology. The impact this has had and continues to have on our understanding of members of this genus is discussed, as is the present controversy over its taxonomy. It also suggests where research should be directed to answer some of the important research questions raised in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul M Maszenan
- E2S2, NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, 117411, Singapore
| | - Irina Bessarab
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, National University of Singapore, 117456, Singapore
| | - Rohan B H Williams
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, National University of Singapore, 117456, Singapore
| | - Steve Petrovski
- Department of Microbiology, Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, La Trobe University, 3086 Victoria, Australia
| | - Robert J Seviour
- Department of Microbiology, Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, La Trobe University, 3086 Victoria, Australia.
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Du R, Cao S, Jin R, Li X, Fan J, Peng Y. Beyond an Applicable Rate in Low-Strength Wastewater Treatment by Anammox: Motivated Labor at an Extremely Short Hydraulic Retention Time. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:8650-8662. [PMID: 35537060 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c05123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The application of anammox technology in low-strength wastewater treatment is still challenging due to unstable nitrite (NO2--N) generation. Partial denitrification (PD) of nitrate (NO3--N) reduction ending with NO2--N provides a promising solution. However, little is known about the feasibility of accelerating nitrogen removal toward the practical application of anammox combined with heterotrophic denitrification. In this work, an ultrafast, highly stable, and impressive nitrogen removal performance was demonstrated in the PD coupling with an anammox (PD/A) system. With a low-strength influent [50 mg/L each of ammonia (NH4+-N) and NO3--N] at a low chemical oxygen demand/NO3--N ratio of 2.2, the hydraulic retention time could be shortened from 16.0 to 1.0 h. Remarkable nitrogen removal rates of 1.28 kg N/(m3 d) and excellent total nitrogen removal efficiency of 94.1% were achieved, far exceeding the applicable capacity for mainstream treatment. Stimulated enzymatic reaction activity of anammox was obtained due to the fast NO2--N jump followed by a famine condition with limited organic carbon utilization. This high-rate PD/A system exhibited efficient renewal of bacteria with a short sludge retention time. The 16S rRNA sequencing unraveled the rapid growth of the genus Thauera, possibly responsible for the incomplete reduction of NO3--N to NO2--N and a decreasing abundance of anammox bacteria. This provides new insights into the practical application of the PD/A process in the energy-efficient treatment of low-strength wastewater with less land occupancy and desirable effluent quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Du
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Engineering Research Center of Beijing, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Shenbin Cao
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Engineering Research Center of Beijing, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Rencun Jin
- Laboratory of Water Pollution Remediation, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Xiangchen Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Engineering Research Center of Beijing, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Jiarui Fan
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Engineering Research Center of Beijing, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Yongzhen Peng
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Engineering Research Center of Beijing, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
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Cheng HH, Lu IC, Huang PW, Wu YJ, Whang LM. Biological treatment of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)-containing wastewaters from wet scrubbers in semiconductor industry. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 282:131137. [PMID: 34470173 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated biological treatment for two kinds of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)-containing wastewaters collected from wet scrubbers in a semiconductor industry. Batch test results indicated that one wastewater containing highly volatile organic compounds was not suitable for aerated treatment conditions while the other containing much lower volatile organic compounds was suitable for aerobic treatment. Accordingly, two moving bed bioreactors, by adding commercial biocarrier BioNET, were operated under aerobic and anoxic conditions for treating low volatility wastewater (LVW) and high volatility wastewater (HVW), respectively. During 280 days of operation, the aerobic LVW bioreactor attained the highest chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate of 98.9 mg-COD/L/h with 81% of COD removal efficiency at hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 1 day. The anoxic HVW bioreactor performed above 80% of COD removal efficiency with the highest COD removal rate of 16.5 mg-COD/L/h at HRT of 2 days after 380 days of operation. The specific COD removal rates at different initial substrate-to-biomass (S0/X0) ratios, using either suspended sludge or microorganisms attached onto BioNET from both bioreactors, followed the Monod-type kinetics, while the half-saturation coefficients were generally higher for the microorganisms onto BioNET due presumably to relatively poor mass transfer efficiency. Based on the results of microbial community analysis using the next generation sequencing technique, the dominant communities of suspended sludge and BioNET, including nitrifiers, denitrifiers, and degraders for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, were similar in the corresponded bioreactors, but microbial community shifts were observed with increased organic loadings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Hsuan Cheng
- Department of Environmental Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan, 701, Taiwan
| | - I-Chun Lu
- Department of Environmental Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan, 701, Taiwan
| | - Po-Wei Huang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan, 701, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ju Wu
- Department of Environmental Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan, 701, Taiwan
| | - Liang-Ming Whang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan, 701, Taiwan; Sustainable Environment Research Laboratory (SERL), National Cheng Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan, 701, Taiwan.
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Yao Y, Wang Z, Criddle CS. Robust Nitritation of Anaerobic Digester Centrate Using Dual Stressors and Timed Alkali Additions. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:2016-2026. [PMID: 33443415 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c04613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen is commonly removed from wastewater by nitrification to nitrate followed by nitrate reduction to N2. Shortcut N removal saves energy by limiting ammonia oxidation to nitrite, but nitrite accumulation can be unstable. We hypothesized that repeated short-term exposures of ammonia-oxidizing communities to free ammonia (FA) and free nitrous acid (FNA) would stabilize nitritation by selecting against nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB). Accordingly, we evaluated ammonium oxidation of anaerobic digester centrate in two bench-scale sequencing batch reactors (SBRs), seeded with the same inoculum and operated identically but with differing pH-control strategies. A single stressor SBR (SS/SBR) using pH set-point control produced HNO3, while a dual stressor SBR (DS/SBR) using timed alkalinity addition (TAA) produced HNO2 (ammonium removal efficiency of 97 ± 2%; nitrite accumulation ratio of 98 ± 1%). The TAA protocol was developed during an adaptation period with continuous pH monitoring. After adaptation, automated TAA enabled stable nitritation without set-point control. In the SS/SBR, repeatedly exposing the community to FA (8-10 h/exposure, one exposure/cycle) selected for FA-tolerant ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (Nitrosomonas sp. NM107) and NOB (Nitrobacter sp.). In the DS/SBR, repeatedly exposing the community to FA (2-4 h/exposure, three exposures/cycle) and FNA (4-6 h/exposure, two exposures/cycle) selected for FA- and FNA-resistant AOB (Nitrosomonas IWT514) and against NOB, stabilizing nitritation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinuo Yao
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Zhiyue Wang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Craig S Criddle
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
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