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Han NN, Jin JA, Yang JH, Fan NS, Jin RC. Polystyrene nanoparticles regulate microbial stress response and cold adaptation in mainstream anammox process at low temperature. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 480:135860. [PMID: 39298955 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2024] [Revised: 09/03/2024] [Accepted: 09/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024]
Abstract
Nanoplastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental issues, and its bioaccumulation in aquatic environment also causes a great difficulty in treatment. Therefore, this work investigated the microbial dynamics of mainstream anaerobic ammonia oxidizing (anammox) process to treat the wastewater containing typical nanoplastics, as well as the fate and regulation mechanism of polystyrene nanoparticles (PS-NPs) with different concentrations. The results showed that 0.1-0.5 mg L-1 of PS-NPs had no significant effect on the nitrogen removal efficiency (NRE). When the concentration of PS-NPs increased from 0.5 mg L-1 to 2 mg L-1, the NRE of R1 with PS-NPs decreased from 94.9 ± 2.3 % to 77.0 ± 1.6 %, while the control reactor R0 maintained a stable NRE. Notably, the relative abundance of Ca. Kuenenia decreased from 17.4 % to 14.8 %, and that of Ca. Brocadia slightly decreased from 5.9 % to 5.0 % in R1. In addition, PS-NPs induced oxidative stress in anammox consortia, leading to the significant increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) as well as cell membrane damage. PS-NPs also downregulated the content of heme c and further inhibited anammox activity. Based on the molecular docking simulation and western blotting, cold shock proteins (CSPs) could bind to PS-NPs and reduce the performance of anammox processes at low temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na-Na Han
- Laboratory of Water Pollution Remediation, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Jing-Ao Jin
- School of Engineering, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Jia-Hui Yang
- Laboratory of Water Pollution Remediation, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Nian-Si Fan
- School of Engineering, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China.
| | - Ren-Cun Jin
- School of Engineering, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
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2
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Tan X, Lu Y, Nie WB, Evans P, Wang XW, Dang CC, Wang X, Liu BF, Xing DF, Ren NQ, Xie GJ. Nitrate-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation coupled to Fe(III) reduction as a source of ammonium and nitrous oxide. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 256:121571. [PMID: 38583332 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121571] [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: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
'Candidatus Methanoperedens nitroreducens' is an archaeal methanotroph with global importance that links carbon and nitrogen cycles and great potential for sustainable operation of wastewater treatment. It has been reported to mediate the anaerobic oxidation of methane through a reverse methanogenesis pathway while reducing nitrate to nitrite. Here, we demonstrate that 'Ca. M. nitroreducens' reduces ferric iron forming ammonium (23.1 %) and nitrous oxide (N2O, 46.5 %) from nitrate. These results are supported with the upregulation of genes coding for proteins responsible for dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (nrfA), N2O formation (norV, cyt P460), and multiple multiheme c-type cytochromes for ferric iron reduction. Concomitantly, an increase in the N2O-reducing SJA-28 lineage and a decrease in the nitrite-reducing 'Candidatus Methylomirabilis oxyfera' are consistent with the changes in 'Ca. M. nitroreducens' end products. These findings demonstrate the highly flexible physiology of 'Ca. M. nitroreducens' in anaerobic ecosystems with diverse electron acceptor conditions, and further reveals its roles in linking methane oxidation to global biogeochemical cycles. 'Ca. M. nitroreducens' could significantly affect the bioavailability of nitrogen sources as well as the emission of greenhouse gas in natural ecosystems and wastewater treatment plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China; The Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Yang Lu
- The Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Wen-Bo Nie
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Paul Evans
- The Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
| | - Xiao-Wei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Cheng-Cheng Dang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Xuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Bing-Feng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - De-Feng Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Nan-Qi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Guo-Jun Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China.
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Lu Y, Liu T, Hu S, Yuan Z, Dwyer J, Akker BVD, Lloyd J, Guo J. Coupling Partial Nitritation, Anammox and n-DAMO in a membrane aerated biofilm reactor for simultaneous dissolved methane and nitrogen removal. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 255:121511. [PMID: 38552483 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/24/2024]
Abstract
Anaerobic technologies with downstream autotrophic nitrogen removal have been proposed to enhance bioenergy recovery and transform a wastewater treatment plant from an energy consumer to an energy exporter. However, approximately 20-50 % of the produced methane is dissolved in the anaerobically treated effluent and is easily stripped into the atmosphere in the downstream aerobic process, contributing to the release of greenhouse gas emissions. This study aims to develop a solution to beneficially utilize dissolved methane to support high-level nitrogen removal from anaerobically treated mainstream wastewater. A novel technology, integrating Partial Nitritation, Anammox and Methane-dependent nitrite/nitrate reduction (i.e. PNAM) was demonstrated in a membrane-aerated biofilm reactor (MABR). With the feeding of ∼50 mg NH4+-N/L and ∼20 mg/L dissolved methane at a hydraulic retention time of 15 h, around 90 % of nitrogen and ∼100 % of dissolved methane can be removed together in the MABR. Microbial community characterization revealed that ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB), anammox bacteria, nitrite/nitrate-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation microorganisms (n-DAMO bacteria and archaea) and aerobic methanotrophs co-existed in the established biofilm. Batch tests confirmed the active microbial pathways and showed that AOB, anammox bacteria and n-DAMO microbes were jointly responsible for the nitrogen removal, and dissolved methane was mainly removed by the n-DAMO process, with aerobic methane oxidation making a minor contribution. In addition, the established system was robust against dynamic changes in influent composition. The study provides a promising technology for the simultaneous removal of dissolved methane and nitrogen from domestic wastewater, which can support the transformation of wastewater treatment from an energy- and carbon-intensive process, to one that is energy- and carbon-neutral.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Lu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), the University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Tao Liu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), the University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
| | - Shihu Hu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), the University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Zhiguo Yuan
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jason Dwyer
- Urban Utilities, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Ben Van Den Akker
- South Australian Water Corporation, 250 Victoria Square, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia; STEM, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, South Australia 5095, Australia
| | - James Lloyd
- Melbourne Water, 990 La Trobe St, Docklands, VIC 3000, Australia
| | - Jianhua Guo
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), the University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
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Niu C, Zhao X, Shi D, Ying Y, Wu M, Lai CY, Guo J, Hu S, Liu T. Bioreduction of chromate in a syngas-based membrane biofilm reactor. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 470:134195. [PMID: 38581872 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134195] [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: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
This study leveraged synthesis gas (syngas), a renewable resource attainable through the gasification of biowaste, to achieve efficient chromate removal from water. To enhance syngas transfer efficiency, a membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR) was employed. Long-term reactor operation showed a stable and high-level chromate removal efficiency > 95%, yielding harmless Cr(III) precipitates, as visualised by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. Corresponding to the short hydraulic retention time of 0.25 days, a high chromate removal rate of 80 µmol/L/d was attained. In addition to chromate reduction, in situ production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) by gas fermentation was observed. Three sets of in situ batch tests and two groups of ex situ batch tests jointly unravelled the mechanisms, showing that biological chromate reduction was primarily driven by VFAs produced from in situ syngas fermentation, whereas hydrogen originally present in the syngas played a minor role. 16 S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing has confirmed the enrichment of syngas-fermenting bacteria (such as Sporomusa), who performed in situ gas fermentation leading to the synthesis of VFAs, and organics-utilising bacteria (such as Aquitalea), who utilised VFAs to drive chromate reduction. These findings, combined with batch assays, elucidate the pathways orchestrating synergistic interactions between fermentative microbial cohorts and chromate-reducing microorganisms. The findings facilitate the development of cost-effective strategies for groundwater and drinking water remediation and present an alternative application scenario for syngas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenkai Niu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Xinyu Zhao
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Danting Shi
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 999077, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Yifeng Ying
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Mengxiong Wu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Chun-Yu Lai
- College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Jianhua Guo
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Shihu Hu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Tao Liu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 999077, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China.
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Wang K, Li J, Gu X, Wang H, Li X, Peng Y, Wang Y. How to Provide Nitrite Robustly for Anaerobic Ammonium Oxidation in Mainstream Nitrogen Removal. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:21503-21526. [PMID: 38096379 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c05600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Innovation in decarbonizing wastewater treatment is urgent in response to global climate change. The practical implementation of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) treating domestic wastewater is the key to reconciling carbon-neutral management of wastewater treatment with sustainable development. Nitrite availability is the prerequisite of the anammox reaction, but how to achieve robust nitrite supply and accumulation for mainstream systems remains elusive. This work presents a state-of-the-art review on the recent advances in nitrite supply for mainstream anammox, paying special attention to available pathways (forward-going (from ammonium to nitrite) and backward-going (from nitrate to nitrite)), key controlling strategies, and physiological and ecological characteristics of functional microorganisms involved in nitrite supply. First, we comprehensively assessed the mainstream nitrite-oxidizing bacteria control methods, outlining that these technologies are transitioning to technologies possessing multiple selective pressures (such as intermittent aeration and membrane-aerated biological reactor), integrating side stream treatment (such as free ammonia/free nitrous acid suppression in recirculated sludge treatment), and maintaining high activity of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and anammox bacteria for competing oxygen and nitrite with nitrite-oxidizing bacteria. We then highlight emerging strategies of nitrite supply, including the nitrite production driven by novel ammonia-oxidizing microbes (ammonia-oxidizing archaea and complete ammonia oxidation bacteria) and nitrate reduction pathways (partial denitrification and nitrate-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation). The resources requirement of different mainstream nitrite supply pathways is analyzed, and a hybrid nitrite supply pathway by combining partial nitrification and nitrate reduction is encouraged. Moreover, data-driven modeling of a mainstream nitrite supply process as well as proactive microbiome management is proposed in the hope of achieving mainstream nitrite supply in practical application. Finally, the existing challenges and further perspectives are highlighted, i.e., investigation of nitrite-supplying bacteria, the scaling-up of hybrid nitrite supply technologies from laboratory to practical implementation under real conditions, and the data-driven management for the stable performance of mainstream nitrite supply. The fundamental insights in this review aim to inspire and advance our understanding about how to provide nitrite robustly for mainstream anammox and shed light on important obstacles warranting further settlement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaichong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
- Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
| | - Jia Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
- Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
| | - Xin Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
- Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
| | - Han Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
- Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
| | - Xiang Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, P. R. 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, P. R. China
| | - Yayi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
- Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
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Wang W, Zhang Y, Yin TM, Zhao L, Xu XJ, Xing DF, Zhang RC, Lee DJ, Ren NQ, Chen C. Prospect of denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation (DAMO) application on wastewater treatment and biogas recycling utilization. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:167142. [PMID: 37722432 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167142] [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: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Old-fashioned wastewater treatments for nitrogen depend on heterotrophic denitrification process. It would utilize extra organic carbon source as electron donors when the C/N of domestic wastewater was too low to ensure heterotrophic denitrification process. It would lead to non-compliance with carbon reduction targets and impose an economic burden on wastewater treatment. Denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation (DAMO), which could utilize methane serving as electron donors to replace traditional organic carbon (methanol or sodium acetate), supplies a novel approach for wastewater treatment. As the primary component of biogas, methane is an inexpensive carbon source. With anaerobic digestion becoming increasingly popular for sludge reduction in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), efficient biogas utilization through DAMO can offer an environmentally friendly option for in-situ biogas recycling. Here, we reviewed the metabolic principle and relevant research for DAMO and biogas recycling utilization, outlining the prospect of employing DAMO for wastewater treatment and biogas recycling utilization in WWTPs. The application of DAMO provides a new focal point for enhancing efficiency and sustainability in WWTPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150090, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150090, China
| | - Tian-Ming Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150090, China
| | - Lei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150090, China
| | - Xi-Jun Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150090, China
| | - De-Feng Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150090, China
| | - Ruo-Chen Zhang
- School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China
| | - Duu-Jong Lee
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Nan-Qi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150090, China; Shenzhen Graduate School, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Chuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150090, China.
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7
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Fan SQ, Wen WR, Xie GJ, Lu Y, Nie WB, Liu BF, Xing DF, Ma J, Ren NQ. Revisiting the Engineering Roadmap of Nitrate/Nitrite-Dependent Anaerobic Methane Oxidation. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:20975-20991. [PMID: 37931214 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c02806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Nitrate/nitrite-dependent anaerobic oxidation of methane (n-DAMO) is a recently discovered process, which provides a sustainable perspective for simultaneous nitrogen removal and greenhouse gas emission (GHG) mitigation by using methane as an electron donor for denitrification. However, the engineering roadmap of the n-DAMO process is still unclear. This work constitutes a state-of-the-art review on the classical and most recently discovered metabolic mechanisms of the n-DAMO process. The versatile combinations of the n-DAMO process with nitrification, nitritation, and partial nitritation for nitrogen removal are also clearly presented and discussed. Additionally, the recent advances in bioreactor development are systematically reviewed and evaluated comprehensively in terms of methane supply, biomass retention, membrane requirement, startup time, reactor performance, and limitations. The key issues including enrichment and operation strategy for the scaling up of n-DAMO-based processes are also critically addressed. Moreover, the challenges inherent to implementing the n-DAMO process in practical applications, including application scenario recognition, GHG emission mitigation, and operation under realistic conditions, are highlighted. Finally, prospects as well as opportunities for future research are proposed. Overall, this review provides a roadmap for potential applications and further development of the n-DAMO process in the field of wastewater treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng-Qiang Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Wan-Ru Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Guo-Jun Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Yang Lu
- The Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Wen-Bo Nie
- College of Environment and Ecology, Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
| | - Bing-Feng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - De-Feng Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Jun Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Nan-Qi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
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Kim AH, Criddle CS. Anaerobic Wastewater Treatment and Potable Reuse: Energy and Life Cycle Considerations. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:17225-17236. [PMID: 37917041 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c04517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Anaerobic secondary treatment has the potential to facilitate energy-positive operations at wastewater treatment plants, but post-treatment of the anaerobic effluent is needed to recover dissolved methane and nutrients and remove sulfide. In this study, a life cycle assessment was conducted to compare hypothetical full-scale wastewater treatment trains and direct potable reuse trains that combine the staged anaerobic fluidized membrane bioreactor (SAF-MBR) with appropriate post-treatment. We found that anaerobic wastewater treatment trains typically consumed less energy than conventional aerobic treatment, but overall global warming potentials were not significantly different. Generally, recovery of dissolved methane for energy production resulted in lower life cycle impacts than microbial transformation of methane, and microbial oxidation of sulfide resulted in lower environmental impacts than chemical precipitation. Use of reverse osmosis to produce potable water was also found to be a sustainable method for nutrient removal because direct potable reuse trains with the SAF-MBR consumed less energy and had lower life cycle impacts than activated sludge. Moving forward, dissolved methane recovery, reduced chemical usage, and investments that enable direct potable reuse have been flagged as key research areas for further investigation of anaerobic secondary treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew H Kim
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Codiga Resource Recovery Center, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Craig S Criddle
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Codiga Resource Recovery Center, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
- Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
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Tan X, Lu Y, Nie WB, Xie GJ, Evans P, Wang XW, Dang CC, Zhao ZC, Fan SQ, Ren N. Evidence for Nitrous Oxide Emissions by Nitrite-Dependent Anaerobic Methane Oxidizing Bacteria. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:16862-16872. [PMID: 37873608 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c02805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidizing (n-DAMO) bacteria generally convert nitrite to dinitrogen and bypass the nitrous oxide (N2O) formation step. However, N2O is often detected in n-DAMO bacteria dominated cultures and it remains an open question as to the microbial origin of N2O in these enrichments. Using a stable nitrite consuming microbial community enriched for n-DAMO bacteria, we demonstrated that N2O production was coupled to methane oxidation and the higher initial nitrite concentrations led to increased quantities of N2O being formed. Moreover, continuous exposure of the enrichment culture to about 5 mg of N L-1 nitrite resulted in constant N2O being produced (12.5% of nitrite was reduced to N2O). Metatranscriptomic analyses revealed that nitrite reductase (nirS) and nitric oxide reductase (norZ) transcripts from n-DAMO bacteria increased in response to nitrite exposure. No other bacteria significantly expressed nor genes under these conditions, suggesting n-DAMO bacteria are responsible for N2O being produced. In a 35-day bioreactor experiment, N2O produced by the n-DAMO bacteria accumulated when nitrite was in excess; this was found to be up to 3.2% of the nitrogen that resulted from nitrite removal. Together, these results suggested that excess nitrite is an important driver of N2O production by n-DAMO bacteria. To this end, proper monitoring and control of nitrite levels in wastewater treatment plants would be effective strategies for mitigating N2O emissions to the atmosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Yang Lu
- The Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Wen-Bo Nie
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Guo-Jun Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Paul Evans
- The Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Xiao-Wei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Cheng-Cheng Dang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Zhi-Cheng Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Sheng-Qiang Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Nanqi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
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10
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Chen X, Zhao Q, Yang L, Wei W, Ni BJ, Chen X. Impacts of granular sludge properties on the bioreactor performing nitrate/nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation/anammox processes. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2023; 386:129510. [PMID: 37495161 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.129510] [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: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
In this work, a bioprocess model was applied to first determine the impacts of influent substrates conditions on the granular bioreactor performing nitrate/nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (n-DAMO) and anammox integrated processes and then investigate the roles of granular sludge properties in regulating the bioreactor performance and start-up process. The ideal influent substrates conditions were identified at NO2--N/NH4+-N of 1:1 and dissolved CH4 concentration of 85 g COD m-3, which achieved 98.6% total nitrogen removal and 87.7% dissolved CH4 utilization. Under such ideal influent conditions, the initial properties of granular sludge didn't significantly affect the granular bioreactor performance. However, inoculation of granular sludge with a relatively small granular sludge size and a high abundance of n-DAMO archaea or/and anammox bacteria could effectively shorten the bioreactor start-up. Meanwhile, reducing the diffusivity of solutes within granular sludge was also beneficial for expediting the start-up process and promoting dissolved CH4 utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyan Chen
- Fujian Provincial Engineering Research Center of Rural Waste Recycling Technology, College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, China
| | - Qi Zhao
- Fujian Provincial Engineering Research Center of Rural Waste Recycling Technology, College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, China
| | - Linyan Yang
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Wei Wei
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Bing-Jie Ni
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Xueming Chen
- Fujian Provincial Engineering Research Center of Rural Waste Recycling Technology, College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, China.
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11
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Liu T, Hu S, Yuan Z, Guo J. Simultaneous dissolved methane and nitrogen removal from low-strength wastewater using anaerobic granule-based sequencing batch reactor. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 242:120194. [PMID: 37320879 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Anaerobic treatment of mainstream wastewater has been proposed as a promising solution to enhance bioenergy recovery for wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). However, the limited organics for downstream nitrogen removal and emissions of dissolved methane into the atmosphere are two major barriers to the broad application of anaerobic wastewater treatment. This study aims to develop a novel technology to overcome these two challenges by achieving simultaneous removal of dissolved methane and nitrogen, and unravel the microbial competitions underpinning the process from the microbial and kinetic perspectives. To this end, a laboratory granule-based sequencing batch reactor (GSBR) coupling anammox and nitrite/nitrate-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (n-DAMO) microorganisms was developed to treat wastewater mimicking effluent from mainstream anaerobic treatment. The GSBR achieved high-level nitrogen and dissolved methane removal rates (> 250 mg N/L/d and > 65 mg CH4/L/d) and efficiencies (> 99% total nitrogen removal and > 90% total methane removal) during the long-term demonstration. The availability of different electron acceptors (nitrite or nitrate) imposed significant effects on the removal of ammonium and dissolved methane, as well as on the microbial communities, and the abundance and expression of functional genes. The analysis of apparent microbial kinetics showed that anammox bacteria had a higher nitrite affinity than n-DAMO bacteria, while n-DAMO bacteria had a higher methane affinity than n-DAMO archaea. These kinetics underpin the observation that nitrite is a preferred electron acceptor for removing ammonium and dissolved methane than nitrate. The findings not only extend the applications of novel n-DAMO microorganisms in nitrogen and dissolved methane removal, but also provide insights into microbial cooperation and competition in granular systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Liu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Shihu Hu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Zhiguo Yuan
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jianhua Guo
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
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12
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Yu L, Zhang E, Yang L, Liu S, Rensing C, Zhou S. Combining biological denitrification and electricity generation in methane-powered microbial fuel cells. J Environ Sci (China) 2023; 130:212-222. [PMID: 37032037 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2022.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Methane has been demonstrated to be a feasible substrate for electricity generation in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) and denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation (DAMO). However, these two processes were evaluated separately in previous studies and it has remained unknown whether methane is able to simultaneously drive these processes. Here we investigated the co-occurrence and performance of these two processes in the anodic chamber of MFCs. The results showed that methane successfully fueled both electrogenesis and denitrification. Importantly, the maximum nitrate removal rate was significantly enhanced from (1.4 ± 0.8) to (18.4 ± 1.2) mg N/(L·day) by an electrogenic process. In the presence of DAMO, the MFCs achieved a maximum voltage of 610 mV and a maximum power density of 143 ± 12 mW/m2. Electrochemical analyses demonstrated that some redox substances (e.g. riboflavin) were likely involved in electrogenesis and also in the denitrification process. High-throughput sequencing indicated that the methanogen Methanobacterium, a close relative of Methanobacterium espanolae, catalyzed methane oxidation and cooperated with both exoelectrogens and denitrifiers (e.g., Azoarcus). This work provides an effective strategy for improving DAMO in methane-powered MFCs, and suggests that methanogens and denitrifiers may jointly be able to provide an alternative to archaeal DAMO for methane-dependent denitrification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linpeng Yu
- Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Eryi Zhang
- Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL, UK; Biofuels Institute, School of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Lin Yang
- Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Shiqi Liu
- Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Christopher Rensing
- Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Shungui Zhou
- Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
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13
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Liu T, Hu S, Yuan Z, Guo J. Microbial Stratification Affects Conversions of Nitrogen and Methane in Biofilms Coupling Anammox and n-DAMO Processes. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:4608-4618. [PMID: 36826448 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c07294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
A methane-based membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR) has a suitable configuration to incorporate anammox and nitrite/nitrate-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (n-DAMO) processes because of its high gas-transfer efficiency and efficient biomass retention. In this study, the spatial distribution of microorganisms along with the biofilm depth in methane-based MBfRs was experimentally revealed, showing the dominance of anammox bacteria, n-DAMO bacteria, and n-DAMO archaea in the outer layer, middle layer, and inner layer of biofilms, respectively. The long-term and short-term experimental investigations in conjunction with mathematical modeling collectively revealed that microorganisms living in the outer layer of biofilms tend to use substrates from wastewater, while microorganisms inhabiting the inner layer of biofilms tend to use substrates originating from biofilm substratum. Specifically, anammox bacteria dominating the biofilm surface preferentially removed the nitrite provided from wastewater, while n-DAMO bacteria mostly utilized the nitrite generated from n-DAMO archaea as these two methane-related populations spatially clustered together inside the biofilm. Likewise, the methane supplied from the membrane was mostly consumed by n-DAMO archaea, while the dissolved methane in wastewater would be primarily utilized by n-DAMO bacteria. This study offers novel insights into the impacts of microbial stratification in biofilm systems, not only expanding the fundamental understanding of biofilms and microbial interactions therein but also providing a rationale for the potential applications of methane-based MBfRs in sewage treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Liu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, Formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Shihu Hu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, Formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Zhiguo Yuan
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, Formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Jianhua Guo
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, Formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
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14
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Zhao ZC, Fan SQ, Lu Y, Dang CC, Wang X, Liu BF, Xing DF, Ma J, Ren NQ, Wang Q, Xie GJ. Reactivated biofilm coupling n-DAMO with anammox achieved high-rate nitrogen removal in membrane aerated moving bed biofilm reactor. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 220:115184. [PMID: 36586714 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.115184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
As a promising technology, the combination of nitrate/nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (n-DAMO) with Anammox offers a solution to achieve effective and sustainable wastewater treatment. However, this sustainable process faces challenges to accumulate sufficient biomass for reaching practical nitrogen removal performance. This study developed an innovative membrane aerated moving bed biofilm reactor (MAMBBR), which supported sufficient methane supply and excellent biofilm attachment, for cultivating biofilms coupling n-DAMO with Anammox. Biofilms were developed rapidly on the polyurethane foam with the supply of ammonium and nitrate, achieving the bioreactor performance of 275 g N m-3 d-1 within 102 days. After the preservation at -20 °C for 8 months, the biofilm was successfully reactivated and achieved 315 g N m-3 d-1 after 188 days. After reactivation, MAMBBR was applied to treat synthetic sidestream wastewater. Up to 99.9% of total nitrogen was removed with the bioreactor performance of 4.0 kg N m-3 d-1. Microbial community analysis and mass balance calculation demonstrated that n-DAMO microorganisms and Anammox bacteria collectively contributed to nitrogen removal in MAMBBR. The MAMBBR developed in this study provides an ideal system of integrating n-DAMO with Anammox for sustainable wastewater treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Cheng Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Sheng-Qiang Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China.
| | - Yang Lu
- The Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Cheng-Cheng Dang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Xuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Bing-Feng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - De-Feng Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Jun Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Nan-Qi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Qilin Wang
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Guo-Jun Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China.
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15
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Chen X, Chen X, Zeng RJ, Nie WB, Yang L, Wei W, Ni BJ. Instrumental role of bioreactors in nitrate/nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation-based biotechnologies for wastewater treatment: A review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 857:159728. [PMID: 36302422 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Recently, the nitrate/nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (n-DAMO) processes have become a research hotspot in the field of wastewater treatment. The n-DAMO processes could not only mitigate direct and indirect carbon emissions from wastewater treatment plants but also strengthen biological nitrogen removal. However, the applications of n-DAMO-based biotechnologies face practical difficulties mainly caused by the distinctive properties of n-DAMO microorganisms and the limited/availability of methane with poor solubility. In this sense, the choice of bioreactors will play important roles that influence the growth and functioning of n-DAMO microorganisms, thus enabling dedicated development of the n-DAMO processes and efficient applications of n-DAMO-based biotechnologies. Therefore, this paper aims to discuss the three commonly-applied types of bioreactors, covering the individual working principle and state-of-the-art removal performance of nitrogen as well as dissolved methane observed when adopted for n-DAMO-based biotechnologies. With noted limitations for each bioreactor type, several key perspectives were proposed which hopefully would inspire future investigation and practical applications of the n-DAMO processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyan Chen
- Fujian Provincial Engineering Research Center of Rural Waste Recycling Technology, College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, China
| | - Xueming Chen
- Fujian Provincial Engineering Research Center of Rural Waste Recycling Technology, College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, China.
| | - Raymond Jianxiong Zeng
- Center of Wastewater Resource Recovery, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Wen-Bo Nie
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
| | - Linyan Yang
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Wei Wei
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Bing-Jie Ni
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
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16
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Guo X, Lai CY, Hartmann EM, Zhao HP. Heterotrophic denitrification: An overlooked factor that contributes to nitrogen removal in n-DAMO mixed culture. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 216:114802. [PMID: 36375502 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114802] [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: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Nitrate/nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (n-DAMO) has been recognized as a sustainable process for simultaneous removal of nitrogen and methane. The metabolisms of denitrifying anaerobic methanotrophs, including Candidatus Methanoperedens and Candidatus Methylomirabilis, have been well studied. However, potential roles of heterotrophs co-existing with these anaerobic methanotrophs are generally overlooked. In this study, we pulse-fed methane and nitrate into an anaerobic laboratory sequencing batch bioreactor and enriched a mixed culture with stable nitrate removal rate (NRR) of ∼28 mg NO3--N L-1 d-1. Microbial community analysis indicates abundant heterotrophs, e.g., Arenimonas (5.3%-18.9%) and Fimbriimonadales ATM1 (6.4%), were enriched together with denitrifying anaerobic methanotrophs Ca. Methanoperedens (10.8%-13.2%) and Ca. Methylomirabilis (27.4%-34.3%). The results of metagenomics and batch tests suggested that the denitrifying anaerobic methanotrophs were capable of generating methane-derived intermediates (i.e., formate and acetate), which were employed by non-methanotrophic heterotrophs for denitrification and biomass growth. These findings offer new insights into the roles of heterotrophs in n-DAMO mixed culture, which may help to optimize n-DAMO process for nitrogen removal from wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Guo
- MOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Chun-Yu Lai
- MOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Erica M Hartmann
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, IL, 60208, USA
| | - He-Ping Zhao
- MOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
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17
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Zhang Q, Xu X, Zhang R, Shao B, Fan K, Zhao L, Ji X, Ren N, Lee DJ, Chen C. The mixed/mixotrophic nitrogen removal for the effective and sustainable treatment of wastewater: From treatment process to microbial mechanism. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 226:119269. [PMID: 36279615 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Biological nitrogen removal (BNR) is one of the most important environmental concerns in the field of wastewater treatment. The conventional BNR process based on heterotrophic nitrogen removal (HeNR) is suffering from several limitations, including external carbon source dependence, excessive sludge production, and greenhouse gas emissions. Through the mediation of autotrophic nitrogen removal (AuNR), mixed/mixotrophic nitrogen removal (MixNR) offers a viable solution to the optimization of the BNR process. Here, the recent advance and characteristics of MixNR process guided by sulfur-driven autotrophic denitrification (SDAD) and anammox are summarized in this review. Additionally, we discuss the functional microorganisms in different MixNR systems, shedding light on metabolic mechanisms and microbial interactions. The significance of MixNR for carbon reduction in the BNR process has also been noted. The knowledge gaps and the future research directions that may facilitate the practical application of the MixNR process are highlighted. Overall, the prospect of the MixNR process is attractive, and this review will provide guidance for the future implementation of MixNR process as well as deciphering the microbially metabolic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Room 1433, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150090, China
| | - Xijun Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Room 1433, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150090, China
| | - Ruochen Zhang
- School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China
| | - Bo Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Room 1433, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150090, China
| | - Kaili Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Room 1433, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150090, China
| | - Lei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Room 1433, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150090, China
| | - Xiaoming Ji
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Nanqi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Room 1433, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150090, China
| | - Duu-Jong Lee
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Yuan Ze University, Chung-li, 32003, Taiwan
| | - Chuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Room 1433, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150090, China.
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18
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Contreras JA, Valenzuela EI, Quijano G. Nitrate/nitrite-dependent anaerobic oxidation of methane (N-AOM) as a technology platform for greenhouse gas abatement in wastewater treatment plants: State-of-the-art and challenges. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 319:115671. [PMID: 35816965 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Nitrate/nitrite-dependent anaerobic oxidation of methane (N-AOM) is a metabolic process recently discovered and partially characterized in terms of the microorganisms and pathways involved. The N-AOM process can be a powerful tool for mitigating the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater treatment plants by coupling the reduction of nitrate or nitrite with the oxidation of residual dissolved methane. Besides specific anaerobic methanotrophs such as bacteria members of the phylum NC10 and archaea belonging to the lineage ANME-2d, recent reports suggested that other methane-oxidizing bacteria in syntrophy with denitrifiers can also perform the N-AOM process, which facilitates the application of this metabolic process for the oxidation of residual methane under realistic scenarios. This work constitutes a state-of-art review that includes the fundamentals of the N-AOM process, new information on process microbiology, bioreactor configurations, and operating conditions for process implementation in WWTP. Potential advantages of the N-AOM process over aerobic methanotrophic biotechnologies are presented, including the potential interrelation of the N-AOM with other nitrogen removal processes within the WWTP, such as the anaerobic ammonium oxidation. This work also addressed the challenges of this biotechnology towards its application at full scale, identifying and discussing critical research niches.
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Affiliation(s)
- José A Contreras
- Laboratory for Research on Advanced Processes for Water Treatment, Instituto de Ingeniería, Unidad Académica Juriquilla, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Blvd. Juriquilla 3001, Querétaro, 76230, Mexico
| | - Edgardo I Valenzuela
- Laboratory for Research on Advanced Processes for Water Treatment, Instituto de Ingeniería, Unidad Académica Juriquilla, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Blvd. Juriquilla 3001, Querétaro, 76230, Mexico
| | - Guillermo Quijano
- Laboratory for Research on Advanced Processes for Water Treatment, Instituto de Ingeniería, Unidad Académica Juriquilla, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Blvd. Juriquilla 3001, Querétaro, 76230, Mexico.
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19
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Liu J, Yin J, Li Y, Li D, Wu J, Wang C, Wang C, Yin F, Yang B, Zhang W. High nitrite-nitrogen stress intensity drives nitrite anaerobic oxidation to nitrate and inhibits methanogenesis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 832:155109. [PMID: 35398130 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Nitrite is an important intermediate in nitrogen metabolism. We explored the effect of nitrite-nitrogen stress intensity (NNSI) on nitrite metabolism and methanogenesis in anaerobic digestion. The results showed that the NNSI regulated microbial diversity, composition, and functions, and microbial community assembly was primarily shaped by stochastic processes. Moreover, the NNSI was negatively correlated with α-diversity and positively correlated with non-metric multi-dimensional scaling distance. Denitrification gradually increased with increasing NNSI; however, methanogenesis was gradually inhibited, which was primarily due to the inhibition of the aceticlastic methanogenesis pathway (i.e., Methanosaeta) and methylotrophic methanogenesis pathway (i.e., Candidatus_Methanofastidiosum). High NNSI (1882 ± 98.99 mg/L NO2--N) promoted nitrite anaerobic oxidation to nitrate and was favorable for dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonia (DNRA). We present evidence for the microbial transformation of nitrite under anaerobic conditions, with potential geochemical and evolutionary importance. As nitrogen oxides were already present on early Earth, our finding presents the possibility of a nitrogen cycle before the evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianfeng Liu
- Yunnan Research Center of Biogas Technology and Engineering, School of Energy and Environment Science, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500, PR China; Engineering and Research Center of Sustainable Development and Utilization of Bioenergy, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500, PR China; Jilin Dongsheng Institute of Biomass Energy Engineering, Tonghua 134118, PR China; DongMing Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Development (Group) Co., Ltd., Tonghua 134118, PR China
| | - Jiao Yin
- Yunnan Research Center of Biogas Technology and Engineering, School of Energy and Environment Science, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500, PR China
| | - Yanshuang Li
- Yunnan Research Center of Biogas Technology and Engineering, School of Energy and Environment Science, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500, PR China
| | - Dingjin Li
- Yunnan Research Center of Biogas Technology and Engineering, School of Energy and Environment Science, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500, PR China
| | - Jiaxuan Wu
- Yunnan Research Center of Biogas Technology and Engineering, School of Energy and Environment Science, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500, PR China
| | - Chengxian Wang
- Yunnan Research Center of Biogas Technology and Engineering, School of Energy and Environment Science, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500, PR China; Engineering and Research Center of Sustainable Development and Utilization of Bioenergy, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500, PR China
| | - Changmei Wang
- Yunnan Research Center of Biogas Technology and Engineering, School of Energy and Environment Science, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500, PR China; Engineering and Research Center of Sustainable Development and Utilization of Bioenergy, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500, PR China; Jilin Dongsheng Institute of Biomass Energy Engineering, Tonghua 134118, PR China
| | - Fang Yin
- Yunnan Research Center of Biogas Technology and Engineering, School of Energy and Environment Science, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500, PR China; Engineering and Research Center of Sustainable Development and Utilization of Bioenergy, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500, PR China; Jilin Dongsheng Institute of Biomass Energy Engineering, Tonghua 134118, PR China
| | - Bin Yang
- Yunnan Research Center of Biogas Technology and Engineering, School of Energy and Environment Science, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500, PR China; Engineering and Research Center of Sustainable Development and Utilization of Bioenergy, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500, PR China
| | - Wudi Zhang
- Yunnan Research Center of Biogas Technology and Engineering, School of Energy and Environment Science, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500, PR China; Engineering and Research Center of Sustainable Development and Utilization of Bioenergy, Ministry of Education, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500, PR China; Jilin Dongsheng Institute of Biomass Energy Engineering, Tonghua 134118, PR China; DongMing Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Development (Group) Co., Ltd., Tonghua 134118, PR China.
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Valenzuela EI, Contreras JA, Quijano G. Fast development of microbial cultures for the anaerobic oxidation of CH4 coupled to denitrification employing widely available inocula. Biochem Eng J 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bej.2022.108492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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21
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Liu T, Lu Y, Zheng M, Hu S, Yuan Z, Guo J. Efficient nitrogen removal from mainstream wastewater through coupling Partial Nitritation, Anammox and Methane-dependent nitrite/nitrate reduction (PNAM). WATER RESEARCH 2021; 206:117723. [PMID: 34637975 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The application of partial nitritation and anammox to remove nitrogen from mainstream wastewater is of great interest because of the potential to reduce energy cost and carbon dosage. However, this process confronts a dilemma of relatively high effluent nitrogen concentration (>10 mg N/L), owning to the unwanted prevalence of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) and the intrinsic nitrate production by anammox bacteria. Here, a novel technology, named the one-stage PNAM, that integrates Partial Nitritation, Anammox and Methane-dependent nitrite/nitrate reduction reactions, was developed in a single membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR). With feeding of synthetic mainstream wastewater containing ∼50 mg NH4+-N/L at a hydraulic retention time of 12 h, more than 95% nitrogen was removed in the established one-stage PNAM process at a practically useful rate of 0.1 kg N/m3/d. Microbial community characterization and in-situ batch tests revealed a sophisticated microbial structure consisting of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), anammox bacteria, nitrite/nitrate-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (n-DAMO) bacteria and archaea, and a small fraction of NOB and aerobic methanotrophs. The role of methane in removing nitrate was confirmed by switching on/off the methane supply, which relaxed the requirement for NOB suppression. In addition, the established system was relatively robust against temperature variations, evidenced by a total nitrogen removal efficiency above 80% at temperature as low as 14 ℃. The results provide a promising alternative for efficient nitrogen removal from domestic wastewater using methane as the sole carbon source.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Liu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Yan Lu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Min Zheng
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Shihu Hu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Zhiguo Yuan
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Jianhua Guo
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
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22
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Wang S, Liu Q, Li J, Wang Z. Methane in wastewater treatment plants: status, characteristics, and bioconversion feasibility by methane oxidizing bacteria for high value-added chemicals production and wastewater treatment. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 198:117122. [PMID: 33865027 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Methane is a type of renewable fuel that can generate many types of high value-added chemicals, however, besides heat and power production, there is little methane utilization in most of the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) all round the world currently. In this review, the status of methane production performance from WWTPs was firstly investigated. Subsequently, based on the identification and classification of methane oxidizing bacteria (MOB), the key enzymes and metabolic pathway of MOB were presented in depth. Then the production, extraction and purification process of high value-added chemicals, including methanol, ectoine, biofuel, bioplastic, methane protein and extracellular polysaccharides, were introduced in detail, which was conducive to understand the bioconversion process of methane. Finally, the use of methane in wastewater treatment process, including nitrogen removal, emerging contaminants removal as well as resource recovery was extensively explored. These findings could provide guidance in the development of sustainable economy and environment, and facilitate biological methane conversion by using MOB in further attempts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Anaerobic Biotechnology, School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China; Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory for Biomass Energy and Carbon Reduction Technology, Wuxi 214122, China; Jiangsu College of Water Treatment Technology and Material Collaborative Innovation Center, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Qixin Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Anaerobic Biotechnology, School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Ji Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Anaerobic Biotechnology, School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China; Jiangsu Engineering Laboratory for Biomass Energy and Carbon Reduction Technology, Wuxi 214122, China; Jiangsu College of Water Treatment Technology and Material Collaborative Innovation Center, Suzhou 215009, China.
| | - Zhiwu Wang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Manassas, VA 20110, USA.
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23
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Shi LD, Wang Z, Liu T, Wu M, Lai CY, Rittmann BE, Guo J, Zhao HP. Making good use of methane to remove oxidized contaminants from wastewater. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 197:117082. [PMID: 33819663 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Being an energetic fuel, methane is able to support microbial growth and drive the reduction of various electron acceptors. These acceptors include a broad range of oxidized contaminants (e.g., nitrate, nitrite, perchlorate, bromate, selenate, chromate, antimonate and vanadate) that are ubiquitously detected in water environments and pose threats to human and ecological health. Using methane as electron donor to biologically reduce these contaminants into nontoxic forms is a promising solution to remediate polluted water, considering that methane is a widely available and inexpensive electron donor. The understanding of methane-based biological reduction processes and the responsible microorganisms has grown in the past decade. This review summarizes the fundamentals of metabolic pathways and microorganisms mediating microbial methane oxidation. Experimental demonstrations of methane as an electron donor to remove oxidized contaminants are summarized, compared, and evaluated. Finally, the review identifies opportunities and unsolved questions that deserve future explorations for broadening understanding of methane oxidation and promoting its practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Dong Shi
- College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang Province Key Lab Water Pollution Control & Environment, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang Province Key Lab Water Pollution Control & Environment, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Tao Liu
- Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Mengxiong Wu
- Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Chun-Yu Lai
- Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Bruce E Rittmann
- Biodesign Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology, Arizona State University, P.O. Box 875701, Tempe, Arizona 85287-5701, U.S.A
| | - Jianhua Guo
- Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia.
| | - He-Ping Zhao
- College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Zhejiang Province Key Lab Water Pollution Control & Environment, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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