1
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Meynet P, Joss A, Davenport RJ, Fenner K. Impact of long-term temperature shifts on activated sludge microbiome dynamics and micropollutant removal. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 258:121790. [PMID: 38833810 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121790] [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: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Micropollutants removal efficiency strongly vary across different aerobic wastewater treatment plants, resulting in their frequent detection in surface and ground waters. Seasonal temperature variation is a major factor influencing plant performance, but it is still unclear how prolonged periods of temperature change impact microbiome and micropollutant biotransformation. This work investigates the effect of long-term temperature variation on the microbial dynamics in an activated sludge system, and the impact on micropollutant biotransformation. Sequencing batch reactors were used as model system and 4-40 °C temperature range was studied. 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing showed that temperature drives microbial structure (gDNA) and activity (RNA), rather than time, and this was stronger below 15 °C and above 25 °C. The microbial community was richest and more diverse at 20 °C, while rarer and more specific taxa became predominant over time, at more extreme temperatures. This suggested that less abundant taxa might be responsible for maintaining the biotransformation capability in the activated sludge at extreme temperatures. Micropollutant biotransformation rates mostly deviated from the classic Arrhenius model below 15 °C and above 25 °C, indicating that prolonged exposure to temperature changes leads to temperature-induced taxonomic shifts, resulting in the emerging of different sets of biotransformation pathways over different temperature ranges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Meynet
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom; Department of Environmental Chemistry, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland.
| | - Adriano Joss
- Department of Processing Engineering, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland
| | - Russell J Davenport
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | - Kathrin Fenner
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland; Department of Chemistry, University of Zürich, Zürich 8057, Switzerland
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2
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Wang R, Liu J, Zhang Q, Li X, Wang S, Peng Y. Robustness of the anammox process at low temperatures and low dissolved oxygen for low C/N municipal wastewater treatment. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 252:121209. [PMID: 38309058 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121209] [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: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Low water temperatures and ammonium concentrations pose challenges for anammox applications in the treatment of low C/N municipal wastewater. In this study, a 10 L-water bath sequencing batch reactor combing biofilm and suspended sludge was designed for low C/N municipal wastewater treatment. The nitrogen removal performance via partial nitrification anammox-(endogenous) denitrification anammox process was investigated with anaerobic-aerobic-anoxic mode at low temperatures and dissolved oxygen (DO). The results showed that with the decrease of temperature from 30 to 15℃, the influent and effluent nitrogen concentrations and nitrogen removal efficiencies were 73.7 ± 6.5 mg/L, 7.8 ± 2.8 mg/L, and 89.4 %, respectively, with aerobic hydraulic retention time of only 6 h and DO concentration of 0.2-0.5 mg/L. Among that, the stable anammox process compensated for the inhibitory effects of the low temperatures on the nitrification and denitrification processes. Notably, from 30 to 15℃, the anammox activity and relative abundance of the dominant Brocadia genus were increased from 39.7 to 45.5 mgN/gVSS/d and 7.3 to 12.0 %, respectively; the single gene expression level of the biofilm increased 9.0 times. The anammox bacteria showed a good adaptation to temperatures reduction. However, nitrogen removal by anammox was not improved by increasing DO (≥ 4 mg/L) at 8-4℃. Overall, the results of this study demonstrate the feasibility of the mainstream anammox process at low temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Engineering Research Center of Beijing, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China
| | - Jinjin Liu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Engineering Research Center of Beijing, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China
| | - Qiong Zhang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Engineering Research Center of Beijing, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China
| | - Xiyao Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Engineering Research Center of Beijing, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China
| | - Shuying Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Engineering Research Center of Beijing, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR 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, PR China.
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3
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Peoples LM, Seixas MH, Evans KA, Bilbrey EM, Ranieri JR, Tappenbeck TH, Dore JE, Baumann A, Church MJ. Out of sight, but not out of season: Nitrifier distributions and population dynamics in a large oligotrophic lake. Environ Microbiol 2024; 26:e16616. [PMID: 38517638 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
Nitrification is an important control on the form and distribution of nitrogen in freshwater ecosystems. However, the seasonality of nitrogen pools and the diversity of organisms catalyzing this process have not been well documented in oligotrophic lakes. Here, we show that nitrogen pools and nitrifying organisms in Flathead Lake are temporally and vertically dynamic, with nitrifiers displaying specific preferences depending on the season. While the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) Nitrosomonadaceae and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) Nitrotoga dominate at depth in the summer, the ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) Nitrososphaerota and NOB Nitrospirota become abundant in the winter. Given clear seasonality in ammonium, with higher concentrations during the summer, we hypothesize that the succession between these two nitrifying groups may be due to nitrogen affinity, with AOB more competitive when ammonia concentrations are higher and AOA when they are lower. Nitrifiers in Flathead Lake share more than 99% average nucleotide identity with those reported in other North American lakes but are distinct from those in Europe and Asia, indicating a role for geographic isolation as a factor controlling speciation among nitrifiers. Our study shows there are seasonal shifts in nitrogen pools and nitrifying populations, highlighting the dynamic spatial and temporal nature of nitrogen cycling in freshwater ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan M Peoples
- Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, Montana, USA
| | - Miranda H Seixas
- Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, Montana, USA
| | - Kate A Evans
- Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, Montana, USA
| | - Evan M Bilbrey
- Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, Montana, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho, USA
| | - John R Ranieri
- Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, Montana, USA
| | - Tyler H Tappenbeck
- Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, Montana, USA
| | - John E Dore
- Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Adam Baumann
- Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, Montana, USA
| | - Matthew J Church
- Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, Montana, USA
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4
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Alfreider A, Harringer M. Vertical Distribution and Seasonal Patterns of Candidatus Nitrotoga in a Sub-Alpine Lake. Microbes Environ 2024; 39:n/a. [PMID: 38825479 DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.me23086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The nitrite oxidizing bacterial genus Ca. Nitrotoga was only recently discovered to be widespread in freshwater systems; however, limited information is currently available on the environmental factors and seasonal effects that influence its distribution in lakes. In a one-year study in a dimictic lake, based on monthly sampling along a vertical profile, the droplet digital PCR quantification of Ca. Nitrotoga showed a strong spatio-temporal patchiness. A correlation ana-lysis with environmental parameters revealed that the abundance of Ca. Nitrotoga correlated with dissolved oxygen and ammonium, suggesting that the upper hypolimnion of the lake is the preferred habitat.
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5
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Xie Y, Zhu Y, Yang J, Zhang G, Tian S, Lian J, Dong S. Effect of ultrasound on the stability of partial nitrification: Under the interference of aeration rate. ULTRASONICS SONOCHEMISTRY 2023; 100:106642. [PMID: 37838531 PMCID: PMC10653954 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2023.106642] [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: 03/12/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
The fluctuation of dissolved oxygen is one of the primary cause of disruptions to the consistent operation of partial nitrification, and the level of dissolved oxygen is mainly controlled by the aeration rate. This study investigated the influence of ultrasonic treatment on the stability of partial nitrification of activated sludge under different aeration conditions. After being treated with ultrasound (energy density = 0.20 W·mL-1, treatment time = 10 min), partial nitrification process operated stably for 67 days, with the nitrite accumulation rate above 83.89 %. The effluent contained 42.50 mg·L-1 of nitrite, much higher than the control reactor (0.30 mg·L-1). The gap between the specific ammonia and nitrite oxidation rates widened continuously as the aeration rate increased, and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria activity did not recover even under conditions with a very high oxygen content. Further analysis showed that ultrasonic treatment had obvious stripping effect on excess extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), especially loosely bound EPS and protein. Additionally, long-term ultrasonic treatment promoted the enrichment of Nitrosomonas and strongly inhibited Nitrotoga. Based on these findings, it appears that under conditions of high aeration rate, ultrasound effectively suppress the recovery of Nitrotoga activity and improve the stability of partial nitrification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Xie
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Geotechnology and Engineering Disaster Control, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Yichun Zhu
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Geotechnology and Engineering Disaster Control, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China.
| | - Jieyuan Yang
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Geotechnology and Engineering Disaster Control, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Guangming Zhang
- School of Energy & Environmental Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China
| | - Shuai Tian
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Geotechnology and Engineering Disaster Control, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Junfeng Lian
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Geotechnology and Engineering Disaster Control, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Shanyan Dong
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Geotechnology and Engineering Disaster Control, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China
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6
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Fu K, Bian Y, Yang F, Liao M, Xu J, Qiu F. Influencing factors on the activity of an enriched Nitrospira culture with granular morphology. ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY 2023:1-15. [PMID: 37712531 DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2023.2260122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Nitrospira is a common genus of nitrite-oxidising bacteria (NOB) found in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). To identify the key factors influencing the composition of NOB communities, research was conducted using both sequencing batch reactor (SBR) and continuous flow reactor under different conditions. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that Nitrospira (18.79% in R1 and 25.77% in R3) was the dominant NOB under low dissolved oxygen (DO) and low nitrite (NO 2 - -N) concentrations, while Nitrobacter (21.26% in R2) was the dominant NOB under high DO and high NO 2 - -N concentrations. Flocculent and granule sludge were cultivated with Nitrospira as the dominant genus. Compared to Nitrospira flocculent sludge, Nitrospira granule sludge had higher inhibition threshold concentrations for free ammonia (FA) and free nitrous acid (FNA). It was more likely to resist adverse environmental disturbances. Furthermore, the effects of environmental factors such as temperature, pH, and DO on the activity of Nitrospira granular sludge were also studied. The results showed that the optimum temperature and pH for Nitrospira granular sludge were 36°C and 7.0, respectively. Additionally, Nitrospira granular sludge showed a higher dissolved oxygen half-saturation constant (Ko) of 3.67 ± 0.71 mg/L due to its morphological characteristics. However, the majority of WWTPs conditions do not meet the conditions for the Nitrospira granular sludge. Thus, it can be speculated that future development of aerobic partial nitrification granular sludge may automatically eliminate the influence of Nitrospira. This study provides a theoretical basis for a deeper understanding of Nitrospira and the development of future water treatment processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunming Fu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Storm Water System and Water Environment Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Sino-Dutch R&D Centre for Future Wastewater Treatment Technologies/Key Laboratory of Urban Stormwater System and Water Environment, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yihao Bian
- Key Laboratory of Urban Storm Water System and Water Environment Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Sino-Dutch R&D Centre for Future Wastewater Treatment Technologies/Key Laboratory of Urban Stormwater System and Water Environment, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Fan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Urban Storm Water System and Water Environment Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Sino-Dutch R&D Centre for Future Wastewater Treatment Technologies/Key Laboratory of Urban Stormwater System and Water Environment, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Minhui Liao
- Powerchina Eco-environmental Group Co., Ltd, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jian Xu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Storm Water System and Water Environment Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Sino-Dutch R&D Centre for Future Wastewater Treatment Technologies/Key Laboratory of Urban Stormwater System and Water Environment, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Fuguo Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Storm Water System and Water Environment Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Sino-Dutch R&D Centre for Future Wastewater Treatment Technologies/Key Laboratory of Urban Stormwater System and Water Environment, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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7
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Su Z, Liu T, Guo J, Zheng M. Nitrite Oxidation in Wastewater Treatment: Microbial Adaptation and Suppression Challenges. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:12557-12570. [PMID: 37589598 PMCID: PMC10470456 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c00636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Microbial nitrite oxidation is the primary pathway that generates nitrate in wastewater treatment systems and can be performed by a variety of microbes: namely, nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB). Since NOB were first isolated 130 years ago, the understanding of the phylogenetical and physiological diversities of NOB has been gradually deepened. In recent endeavors of advanced biological nitrogen removal, NOB have been more considered as a troublesome disruptor, and strategies on NOB suppression often fail in practice after long-term operation due to the growth of specific NOB that are able to adapt to even harsh conditions. In line with a review of the history of currently known NOB genera, a phylogenetic tree is constructed to exhibit a wide range of NOB in different phyla. In addition, the growth behavior and metabolic performance of different NOB strains are summarized. These specific features of various NOB (e.g., high oxygen affinity of Nitrospira, tolerance to chemical inhibitors of Nitrobacter and Candidatus Nitrotoga, and preference to high temperature of Nitrolancea) highlight the differentiation of the NOB ecological niche in biological nitrogen processes and potentially support their adaptation to different suppression strategies (e.g., low dissolved oxygen, chemical treatment, and high temperature). This review implicates the acquired physiological characteristics of NOB to their emergence from a genomic and ecological perspective and emphasizes the importance of understanding physiological characterization and genomic information in future wastewater treatment studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zicheng Su
- Australian Centre for Water
and Environmental Biotechnology, The University
of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Tao Liu
- Australian Centre for Water
and Environmental Biotechnology, The University
of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Jianhua Guo
- Australian Centre for Water
and Environmental Biotechnology, The University
of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Min Zheng
- Australian Centre for Water
and Environmental Biotechnology, The University
of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
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8
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Daebeler A, Güell‐Bujons Q, Mooshammer M, Zechmeister T, Herbold CW, Richter A, Wagner M, Daims H. Rapid nitrification involving comammox and canonical Nitrospira at extreme pH in saline-alkaline lakes. Environ Microbiol 2023; 25:1055-1067. [PMID: 36651641 PMCID: PMC10947350 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) catalyse the second nitrification step and are the main biological source of nitrate. The most diverse and widespread NOB genus is Nitrospira, which also contains complete ammonia oxidizers (comammox) that oxidize ammonia to nitrate. To date, little is known about the occurrence and biology of comammox and canonical nitrite oxidizing Nitrospira in extremely alkaline environments. Here, we studied the seasonal distribution and diversity, and the effect of short-term pH changes on comammox and canonical Nitrospira in sediments of two saline, highly alkaline lakes. We identified diverse canonical and comammox Nitrospira clade A-like phylotypes as the only detectable NOB during more than a year, suggesting their major importance for nitrification in these habitats. Gross nitrification rates measured in microcosm incubations were highest at pH 10 and considerably faster than reported for other natural, aquatic environments. Nitrification could be attributed to canonical and comammox Nitrospira and to Nitrososphaerales ammonia-oxidizing archaea. Furthermore, our data suggested that comammox Nitrospira contributed to ammonia oxidation at an extremely alkaline pH of 11. These results identify saline, highly alkaline lake sediments as environments of uniquely strong nitrification with novel comammox Nitrospira as key microbial players.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Daebeler
- University of ViennaCentre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Division of Microbial EcologyViennaAustria
- Biology Centre CAS, BudweisInstitute of Soil Biology and BiogeochemistryCzechia
| | - Queralt Güell‐Bujons
- University of ViennaCentre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Division of Microbial EcologyViennaAustria
- Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM‐CSIC), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37‐49BarcelonaCataloniaSpain
| | - Maria Mooshammer
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Division of Terrestrial Ecosystem ResearchUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | | | - Craig W. Herbold
- University of ViennaCentre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Division of Microbial EcologyViennaAustria
| | - Andreas Richter
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Division of Terrestrial Ecosystem ResearchUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Michael Wagner
- University of ViennaCentre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Division of Microbial EcologyViennaAustria
- The Comammox Research PlatformUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
- Center for Microbial Communities, Department of Chemistry and BioscienceAalborg UniversityAalborgDenmark
| | - Holger Daims
- University of ViennaCentre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science, Division of Microbial EcologyViennaAustria
- The Comammox Research PlatformUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
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9
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Chen H, Liu K, Yang E, Chen J, Gu Y, Wu S, Yang M, Wang H, Wang D, Li H. A critical review on microbial ecology in the novel biological nitrogen removal process: Dynamic balance of complex functional microbes for nitrogen removal. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 857:159462. [PMID: 36257429 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The novel biological nitrogen removal process has been extensively studied for its high nitrogen removal efficiency, energy efficiency, and greenness. A successful novel biological nitrogen removal process has a stable microecological equilibrium and benign interactions between the various functional bacteria. However, changes in the external environment can easily disrupt the dynamic balance of the microecology and affect the activity of functional bacteria in the novel biological nitrogen removal process. Therefore, this review focuses on the microecology in existing the novel biological nitrogen removal process, including the growth characteristics of functional microorganisms and their interactions, together with the effects of different influencing factors on the evolution of microbial communities. This provides ideas for achieving a stable dynamic balance of the microecology in a novel biological nitrogen removal process. Furthermore, to investigate deeply the mechanisms of microbial interactions in novel biological nitrogen removal process, this review also focuses on the influence of quorum sensing (QS) systems on nitrogen removal microbes, regulated by which bacteria secrete acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) as signaling molecules to regulate microbial ecology in the novel biological nitrogen removal process. However, the mechanisms of action of AHLs on the regulation of functional bacteria have not been fully determined and the composition of QS system circuits requires further investigation. Meanwhile, it is necessary to further apply molecular analysis techniques and the theory of systems ecology in the future to enhance the exploration of microbial species and ecological niches, providing a deeper scientific basis for the development of a novel biological nitrogen removal process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Dongting Lake Aquatic Eco-Environmental Control and Restoration of Hunan Province, School of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Changsha University of Science & Technology, Changsha 410004, China; Laboratory of Environmental Protection Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-06 Aza-Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba Ward, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan
| | - Ke Liu
- China Machinery International Engineering Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd, Changsha 410007, China
| | - Enzhe Yang
- Key Laboratory of Dongting Lake Aquatic Eco-Environmental Control and Restoration of Hunan Province, School of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Changsha University of Science & Technology, Changsha 410004, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Key Laboratory of Dongting Lake Aquatic Eco-Environmental Control and Restoration of Hunan Province, School of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Changsha University of Science & Technology, Changsha 410004, China
| | - Yanling Gu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Changsha University of Science & Technology, Changsha 410004, China
| | - Sha Wu
- Key Laboratory of Dongting Lake Aquatic Eco-Environmental Control and Restoration of Hunan Province, School of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Changsha University of Science & Technology, Changsha 410004, China.
| | - Min Yang
- Key Laboratory of Dongting Lake Aquatic Eco-Environmental Control and Restoration of Hunan Province, School of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Changsha University of Science & Technology, Changsha 410004, China
| | - Hong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Dongting Lake Aquatic Eco-Environmental Control and Restoration of Hunan Province, School of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Changsha University of Science & Technology, Changsha 410004, China
| | - Dongbo Wang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Hailong Li
- School of Energy Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China.
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10
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Ide H, Ishii K, Takahashi Y, Fujitani H, Tsuneda S. Effects of Co-existing Heterotrophs on Physiology of and Nitrogen Metabolism in Autotrophic Nitrite-oxidizing Candidatus Nitrotoga. Microbes Environ 2023; 38:ME23076. [PMID: 38072409 PMCID: PMC10728634 DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.me23076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Interactions between autotrophic nitrifiers and heterotrophs have attracted considerable attention in microbial ecology. However, the mechanisms by which heterotrophs affect the physiological activity of and nitrogen metabolism in autotrophic nitrite oxidizers remain unclear. We herein focused on nitrite-oxidizing Candidatus Nitrotoga and compared an axenic culture including only Ca. Nitrotoga with a co-culture of both Ca. Nitrotoga and Acidovorax in physiological experiments and transcriptomics. In the co-culture with Acidovorax, nitrite consumption by Ca. Nitrotoga was promoted, and some genes relevant to nitrogen metabolism in Ca. Nitrotoga were highly expressed. These results provide insights into the mechanisms by which co-existing heterotrophs affect autotrophic nitrifiers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroto Ide
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kento Ishii
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
- Research Organization for Nano & Life Innovation, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yu Takahashi
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hirotsugu Fujitani
- Research Organization for Nano & Life Innovation, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Chuo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Tsuneda
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
- Research Organization for Nano & Life Innovation, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
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11
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Kowal P, Mehrani MJ, Sobotka D, Ciesielski S, Mąkinia J. Rearrangements of the nitrifiers population in an activated sludge system under decreasing solids retention times. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 214:113753. [PMID: 35772505 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Due to the key role of nitrite in novel nitrogen removal systems, nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) have been receiving increasing attention. In this study, the coexistence and interactions of nitrifying bacteria were explored at decreasing solids retention times (SRTs). Four 5-week washout experiments were carried out in laboratory-scale (V = 10 L) sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) with mixed liquor from two full-scale activated sludge systems (continuous flow vs SBR). During the experiments, the SRT was gradually reduced from the initial value of 4.0 d to approximately 1.0 d. The reactors were operated under limited dissolved oxygen conditions (set point of 0.6 mg O2/L) and two process temperatures: 12 °C (winter) and 20 °C (summer). At both temperatures, the progressive SRT reduction was inefficient for the out-selection of both canonical NOB and comammox Nitrospira. However, the dominant NOB switched from Nitrospira to Ca. Nitrotoga, whereas the dominant AOB was always Nitrosomonas. The results of this study are important for optimizing NOB suppression strategies in the novel N removal processes, which are based on nitrite accumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Przemyslaw Kowal
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, Narutowicza Street 11/12, 80-233, Gdansk, Poland.
| | - Mohamad-Javad Mehrani
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, Narutowicza Street 11/12, 80-233, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Dominika Sobotka
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, Narutowicza Street 11/12, 80-233, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Sławomir Ciesielski
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Ul. Sloneczna 45G, 10-709, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Jacek Mąkinia
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, Narutowicza Street 11/12, 80-233, Gdansk, Poland
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12
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Sun W, Jiao L, Wu J, Ye J, Wei M, Hong Y. Existence and distribution of novel phylotypes of Nitrospira in water columnsof the South China Sea. iScience 2022; 25:104895. [PMID: 36039301 PMCID: PMC9418846 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In the biological nitrogen cycle, nitrite oxidation is performed by nitrite oxidation bacteria, of which Nitrospira is widespread and diverse. Communities of Nitrospira were collected at 25-1500 m depths in the South China Sea. Phylogenetic diversity, community composition, and environmental factors were investigated using high-throughput sequencing targeting the nxrB gene and statistical analyses. The community composition of Nitrospira varied spatially and by depth. Among the 24 OTUs with relatively high abundance, 70% were unclassified and not affiliated with the known Nitrospira genus, suggesting a previously unrecognized high diversity of marine Nitrospira. Five known Nitrospira genera were detected, of which the common marine Nitrospira marina was not the dominant species, whereas Candidatus Nitrospira lenta and Candidatus Nitrospira defluvii dominated in shallow habitats. Comammox Candidatus Nitrospira nitrosa was discovered in the marine ecosystem. The niche differentiation of versatile Nitrospira species was mainly shaped by nitrate, temperature, and DO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Sun
- Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming 525000, P.R.China.,Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, P.R. China
| | - Lijing Jiao
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, P.R. China
| | - Jiapeng Wu
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, P.R. China
| | - Jiaqi Ye
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, P.R. China
| | - Mingken Wei
- Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming 525000, P.R.China
| | - Yiguo Hong
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, P.R. China.,Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, P.R. China
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13
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Partnered Excited-State Intermolecular Proton Transfer Fluorescence (P-ESIPT) Signaling for Nitrate Sensing and High-Resolution Cell-Imaging. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27165164. [PMID: 36014404 PMCID: PMC9416243 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27165164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Nitrite (NO2−) is a common pollutant and is widely present in the environment and in human bodies. The development of a rapid and accurate method for NO2− detection is always a very important task. Herein, we synthesized a partnered excited-state intermolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) fluorophore using the “multi-component one pot” method, and used this as a probe (ESIPT-F) for sensing NO2−. ESIPT-F exhibited bimodal emission in different solvents because of the solvent-mediated ESIPT reaction. The addition of NO2− caused an obvious change in colors and tautomeric fluorescence due to the graft of NO2− into the ESIPT-F molecules. From this basis, highly sensitive and selective analysis of NO2− was developed using tautomeric emission signaling, achieving sensitive detection of NO2− in the concentration range of 0~45 mM with a detection limit of 12.5 nM. More importantly, ESIPT-F showed the ability to anchor proteins and resulted in a recognition-driven “on-off” ESIPT process, enabling it to become a powerful tool for fluorescence imaging of proteins or protein-based subcellular organelles. MTT experimental results revealed that ESIPT-F is low cytotoxic and has good membrane permeability to cells. Thus, ESIPT-F was further employed to image the tunneling nanotube in vitro HEC-1A cells, displaying high-resolution performance.
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14
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Chen Y, Wang H, Gao X, Li X, Dong S, Zhou H, Tan Z. COD/TN ratios shift the microbial community assembly of a pilot-scale shortcut nitrification-denitrification process for biogas slurry treatment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:49335-49345. [PMID: 35220533 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-19285-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In this study, effects of carbon to nitrogen (COD/TN) ratios of biogas slurry on shortcut nitrification-denitrification in a pilot-scale integrated fixed film activated sludge (IFAS) system were investigated. Lowering the COD/TN ratio from 11.7 to 6.2 exerted a negative impact on shortcut nitrification-denitrification performance. Accordingly, the NH3-N and TN removal rates decreased from 94.4 to 91.2% and 92.3 to 85.9%, respectively. The dynamics of microbial assembly was analyzed by MiSeq sequencing, and the denitrifying functional genes were quantified by qPCR. The results showed that ammonia oxidizing bacteria and amoA gene were more abundant on the biofilm of oxic tank, indicating they play a key role in NH3-N removal. Autotrophic, endogenous, and fast heterotrophic kinetics denitrifiers were coexisted and enriched in the IFAS system with a decreasing of COD/TN ratio. TN removal was mainly affected by denitrifiers (including Arenimonas, Acidovorax, and Thaurea) harboring narG and nirS genes. Canonical correspondence analysis proved that COD/TN ratio was the most critical factor driving the succession of microbial community. Dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH were found positively correlated with denitrifiers at low COD/TN ratio conditions. As a result, NH3-N and TN removal were effectively enhanced when the DO level in the oxic tank of IFAS system was increased to 1.0-3.0 mg/L.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangwu Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Huan Wang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, China
| | - Xingdong Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xin Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Shiyang Dong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Houzhen Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Zhouliang Tan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Microbiology, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China.
- Environmental Microbiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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15
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Wang Z, Zheng M, Duan H, Yuan Z, Hu S. A 20-Year Journey of Partial Nitritation and Anammox (PN/A): from Sidestream toward Mainstream. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:7522-7531. [PMID: 35657148 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c06107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) was discovered as a new microbial reaction in the late 1990s, which led to the development of an innovative energy- and carbon-efficient technology─partial nitritation and anammox (PN/A)─for nitrogen removal. PN/A was first applied to remove the nitrogen from high-strength wastewaters, e.g., anaerobic digestion liquor (i.e., sidestream), and further expanded to the main line of wastewater treatment plants (i.e., mainstream). While sidestream PN/A has been well-established with extensive full-scale installations worldwide, practical application of PN/A in mainstream treatment has been proven extremely challenging to date. A key challenge is achieving stable suppression of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB). This study examines the progress of NOB suppression in both sidestream- and mainstream PN/A over the past two decades. The successful NOB suppression in sidestream PN/A was reviewed, and these successes were evaluated in terms of their transferability into mainstream PN/A. Drawing on the learning over the past decades, we anticipate that a hybrid process, comprised of biofilm and floccular sludge, bears great potential to achieve efficient mainstream PN/A, while a combination of strategies is entailed for stable NOB suppression. Furthermore, the recent discovery of novel nitrifiers would trigger new opportunities and new challenges for mainstream PN/A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyao Wang
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Min Zheng
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Haoran Duan
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Zhiguo Yuan
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Shihu Hu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (ACWEB, formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
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16
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Genome Streamlining, Proteorhodopsin, and Organic Nitrogen Metabolism in Freshwater Nitrifiers. mBio 2022; 13:e0237921. [PMID: 35435701 PMCID: PMC9239080 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02379-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial nitrification is a critical process governing nitrogen availability in aquatic systems. Freshwater nitrifiers have received little attention, leaving many unanswered questions about their taxonomic distribution, functional potential, and ecological interactions. Here, we reconstructed genomes to infer the metabolism and ecology of free-living picoplanktonic nitrifiers across the Laurentian Great Lakes, a connected series of five of Earth’s largest lakes. Surprisingly, ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) related to Nitrosospira dominated over ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) at nearly all stations, with distinct ecotypes prevailing in the transparent, oligotrophic upper lakes compared to Lakes Erie and Ontario. Unexpectedly, one ecotype of Nitrosospira encodes proteorhodopsin, which could enhance survival under conditions where ammonia oxidation is inhibited or substrate limited. Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) “Candidatus Nitrotoga” and Nitrospira fluctuated in dominance, with the latter prevailing in deeper, less-productive basins. Genome reconstructions reveal highly reduced genomes and features consistent with genome streamlining, along with diverse adaptations to sunlight and oxidative stress and widespread capacity for organic nitrogen use. Our findings expand the known functional diversity of nitrifiers and establish their ecological genomics in large lake ecosystems. By elucidating links between microbial biodiversity and biogeochemical cycling, our work also informs ecosystem models of the Laurentian Great Lakes, a critical freshwater resource experiencing rapid environmental change.
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17
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Keuter S, Koch H, Sass K, Wegen S, Lee N, Lücker S, Spieck E. Some like it cold: The cellular organization and physiological limits of cold-tolerant nitrite-oxidizing Nitrotoga. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:2059-2077. [PMID: 35229435 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Chemolithoautotrophic production of nitrate is accomplished by the polyphyletic functional group of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB). A widely distributed and important NOB clade in nitrogen removal processes at low temperatures is Nitrotoga, which however remains understudied due to the scarcity of cultivated representatives. Here, we present physiological, ultrastructural and genomic features of Nitrotoga strains from various habitats, including the first marine species enriched from an aquaculture system. Immunocytochemical analyses localized the nitrite-oxidizing enzyme machinery in the wide irregularly shaped periplasm, apparently without contact to the cytoplasmic membrane, confirming previous genomic data suggesting a soluble nature. Interestingly, in two strains we also observed multicellular complexes with a shared periplasmic space, which seem to form through incomplete cell division and might enhance fitness or survival. Physiological tests revealed differing tolerance limits towards dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentrations and confirmed the generally psychrotolerant nature of the genus was. Moreover, comparative analysis of 15 Nitrotoga genomes showed, e.g., a unique gene repertoire of the marine strain that could be advantageous in its natural habitat and confirmed the lack of genes for assimilatory nitrite reduction in a strain found to require ammonium for growth. Overall, these novel insights largely broaden our knowledge of Nitrotoga and elucidate the metabolic variability, physiological limits and thus potential ecological roles of this group of nitrite oxidizers. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Keuter
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hanna Koch
- Department of Microbiology, RIBES, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Katharina Sass
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Simone Wegen
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Natuschka Lee
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science and Research Infrastructure Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (FISH), Chemical Biological Centre, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,Department of Microbiology, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Sebastian Lücker
- Department of Microbiology, RIBES, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Eva Spieck
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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18
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Wei SP, Stensel HD, Ziels RM, Herrera S, Lee PH, Winkler MKH. Partitioning of nutrient removal contribution between granules and flocs in a hybrid granular activated sludge system. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 203:117514. [PMID: 34407486 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Sludge granulation in continuous-flow systems is an emerging technology to intensify existing activated sludge infrastructure for nutrient removal. In these systems, the nutrient removal contributions and partitioning of microbial functions between granules and flocs can offer insights into process implementations. To this end, a reactor system that simulates the continuous-flow environment using an equal amount of initial granule and floc biomass was investigated. The two operational strategies for maintaining granule growth in the continuous-flow system were (a) the higher solids retention time (SRT) for the granules versus flocs, as well as (b) selective feeding of carbon to the granules. The SRT of the large granule fractions (>425 µm, LG) and floc/small granule fractions (<425 µm, FSG) were controlled at 20 and 2.7-6.0 days, respectively. Long term operation of the hybrid granule/floc system achieved high PO43- and NH4+ removal efficiencies. Higher polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAO) activity was observed in the FSG than LG, while ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) activities were similar in the two biomass fractions. Nitrite shunt was observed in the FSG, possibly due to out-competition by the high NOB activity in LG. More importantly, washing out the FSG caused a reduction in LG's AOB and PAO activity, indicating a possible dependency of LG on FSG for maintaining its nutrient removal capacity. Our findings highlighted the partitioning and potential competition/cooperation of key microbial functional groups between LG and FSG, facilitating nutrient removal in a hybrid granular activated sludge system, as well as implications for practical application of the treatment platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephany P Wei
- University of Washington, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - H David Stensel
- University of Washington, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
| | - Ryan M Ziels
- University of British Columbia, Department of Civil Engineering, Vancouver BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - Stephanie Herrera
- University of Washington, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Po-Heng Lee
- Imperial College London, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Skempton Building, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom.
| | - Mari-K H Winkler
- University of Washington, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
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19
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Spieck E, Wegen S, Keuter S. Relevance of Candidatus Nitrotoga for nitrite oxidation in technical nitrogen removal systems. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 105:7123-7139. [PMID: 34508283 PMCID: PMC8494671 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-021-11487-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Abstract Many biotechnological applications deal with nitrification, one of the main steps of the global nitrogen cycle. The biological oxidation of ammonia to nitrite and further to nitrate is critical to avoid environmental damage and its functioning has to be retained even under adverse conditions. Bacteria performing the second reaction, oxidation of nitrite to nitrate, are fastidious microorganisms that are highly sensitive against disturbances. One important finding with relevance for nitrogen removal systems was the discovery of the mainly cold-adapted Cand. Nitrotoga, whose activity seems to be essential for the recovery of nitrite oxidation in wastewater treatment plants at low temperatures, e.g., during cold seasons. Several new strains of this genus have been recently described and ecophysiologically characterized including genome analyses. With increasing diversity, also mesophilic Cand. Nitrotoga representatives have been detected in activated sludge. This review summarizes the natural distribution and driving forces defining niche separation in artificial nitrification systems. Further critical aspects for the competition with Nitrospira and Nitrobacter are discussed. Knowledge about the physiological capacities and limits of Cand. Nitrotoga can help to define physico-chemical parameters for example in reactor systems that need to be run at low temperatures. Key points • Characterization of the psychrotolerant nitrite oxidizer Cand. Nitrotoga • Comparison of the physiological features of Cand. Nitrotoga with those of other NOB • Identification of beneficial environmental/operational parameters for proliferation Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00253-021-11487-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Spieck
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Simone Wegen
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sabine Keuter
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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20
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Lantz MA, Boddicker AM, Kain MP, Berg OMC, Wham CD, Mosier AC. Physiology of the Nitrite-Oxidizing Bacterium Candidatus Nitrotoga sp. CP45 Enriched From a Colorado River. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:709371. [PMID: 34484146 PMCID: PMC8415719 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.709371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitrogen cycling microbes, including nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB), perform critical ecosystem functions that help mitigate anthropogenic stresses and maintain ecosystem health. Activity of these beneficial nitrogen cycling microbes is dictated in part by the microorganisms’ response to physicochemical conditions, such as temperature, pH, and nutrient availability. NOB from the newly described Candidatus Nitrotoga genus have been detected in a wide range of habitats across the globe, yet only a few organisms within the genus have been physiologically characterized. For freshwater systems where NOB are critical for supporting aquatic life, Ca. Nitrotoga have been previously detected but little is known about the physiological potential of these organisms or their response to changing environmental conditions. Here, we determined functional response to environmental change for a representative freshwater species of Ca. Nitrotoga (Ca. Nitrotoga sp. CP45, enriched from a Colorado river). The physiological findings demonstrated that CP45 maintained nitrite oxidation at pH levels of 5–8, at temperatures from 4 to 28°C, and when incubated in the dark. Light exposure and elevated temperature (30°C) completely halted nitrite oxidation. Ca. Nitrotoga sp. CP45 maintained nitrite oxidation upon exposure to four different antibiotics, and potential rates of nitrite oxidation by river sediment communities were also resilient to antibiotic stress. We explored the Ca. Nitrotoga sp. CP45 genome to make predictions about adaptations to enable survival under specific conditions. Overall, these results contribute to our understanding of the versatility of a representative freshwater Ca. Nitrotoga sp. Identifying the specific environmental conditions that maximize NOB metabolic rates may ultimately direct future management decisions aimed at restoring impacted systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Munira A Lantz
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Andrew M Boddicker
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Michael P Kain
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Owen M C Berg
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Courtney D Wham
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Annika C Mosier
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, United States
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21
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Kim T, Hite M, Rogacki L, Sealock AW, Sprouse G, Novak PJ, LaPara TM. Dissolved oxygen concentrations affect the function but not the relative abundance of nitrifying bacterial populations in full-scale municipal wastewater treatment bioreactors during cold weather. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 781:146719. [PMID: 33812097 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to understand the effect of different dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations on the abundance and performance of nitrifying bacteria in full-scale wastewater treatment bioreactors, particularly during the winter when nitrifying bacterial activity is often negligible. Biomass samples were collected from three parallel full-scale bioreactors with low DO concentrations (<1.3 mg/ L) and from two full-scale bioreactors with higher DO concentrations (~4.0 and ~2.3 mg/ L). The relative abundance of nitrifying bacteria was determined by sequencing of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA gene fragments. In the three bioreactors with low DO concentrations, effluent ammonia concentrations sharply increased with a decline in temperature below approximately 17 °C, while the bioreactors with high DO concentrations showed stable nitrification regardless of temperature. Even with the decline in nitrification during the winter in the three low DO bioreactors, the relative abundance of ammonia oxidizing bacteria (mostly Nitrosomonas spp.) was curiously maintained. The relative abundance of nitrite oxidizing bacteria was similarly maintained, although there were substantial seasonal fluctuations in the relative abundance values of Nitrospira spp. versus Nitrotoga spp. This research suggests that nitrification activity can be controlled during the winter via DO to produce better effluent quality with high DO concentrations or to reduce aeration costs with a concomitant decline in nitrification activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taegyu Kim
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering, University of Minnesota Twin-Cities, 500 Pillsbury Drive S.E., Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Molly Hite
- Water Resources Science Graduate Program, University of Minnesota Twin-Cities, 173 McNeal Hall, 1985 Buford Ave., St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Larry Rogacki
- Metropolitan Council Environmental Services, 2400 Childs Road, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Adam W Sealock
- Metropolitan Council Environmental Services, 2400 Childs Road, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - George Sprouse
- Metropolitan Council Environmental Services, 2400 Childs Road, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Paige J Novak
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering, University of Minnesota Twin-Cities, 500 Pillsbury Drive S.E., Minneapolis, MN, USA; Water Resources Science Graduate Program, University of Minnesota Twin-Cities, 173 McNeal Hall, 1985 Buford Ave., St. Paul, MN, USA; Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, 1479 Gortner Ave, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Timothy M LaPara
- Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering, University of Minnesota Twin-Cities, 500 Pillsbury Drive S.E., Minneapolis, MN, USA; Water Resources Science Graduate Program, University of Minnesota Twin-Cities, 173 McNeal Hall, 1985 Buford Ave., St. Paul, MN, USA; Biotechnology Institute, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, 1479 Gortner Ave, St. Paul, MN, USA.
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22
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Activity-Based Cell Sorting Reveals Resistance of Functionally Degenerate Nitrospira during a Press Disturbance in Nitrifying Activated Sludge. mSystems 2021; 6:e0071221. [PMID: 34282936 PMCID: PMC8407113 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00712-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Managing and engineering activated sludge wastewater treatment microbiomes for low-energy nitrogen removal requires process control strategies to stop the oxidation of ammonium at nitrite. Our ability to out-select nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) from activated sludge is challenged by their metabolic and physiological diversity, warranting measurements of their in situ physiology and activity under selective growth pressures. Here, we examined the stability of nitrite oxidation in activated sludge during a press disturbance induced by treating a portion of return activated sludge with a sidestream flow containing free ammonia (FA) at 200 mg NH3-N/liter. The nitrite accumulation ratio peaked at 42% by day 40 in the experimental bioreactor with the press disturbance, while it did not increase in the control bioreactor. A subsequent decrease in nitrite accumulation within the experimental bioreactor coincided with shifts in dominant Nitrospira 16S rRNA amplicon sequence variants (ASVs). We applied bioorthogonal noncanonical amino acid tagging (BONCAT) coupled with fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) to investigate changes in the translational activity of NOB populations throughout batch exposure to FA. BONCAT-FACS confirmed that the single Nitrospira ASV washed out of the experimental bioreactor had reduced translational activity following exposure to FA, whereas the two Nitrospira ASVs that emerged after process acclimation were not impacted by FA. Thus, the coexistence of functionally degenerate and physiologically resistant Nitrospira populations provided resilience to the nitrite-oxidizing function during the press disturbance. These results highlight how BONCAT-FACS can resolve ecological niche differentiation within activated sludge and inform strategies to engineer and control microbiome function. IMPORTANCE Nitrogen removal from activated sludge wastewater treatment systems is an energy-intensive process due to the large aeration requirement for nitrification. This energy footprint could be minimized with engineering control strategies that wash out nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) to limit oxygen demands. However, NOB populations can have a high degree of physiological diversity, and it is currently difficult to decipher the behavior of individual taxa during applied selective pressures. Here, we utilized a new substrate analog probing approach to measure the activity of NOB at the cellular translational level in the face of a press disturbance applied to the activated sludge process. Substrate analog probing corroborated the time series reactor sampling, showing that coexisting and functionally degenerate Nitrospira populations provided resilience to the nitrite oxidation process. Taken together, these results highlight how substrate analog approaches can illuminate in situ ecophysiologies within shared niches, and can inform strategies to improve microbiome engineering and management.
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23
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Palatsi J, Ripoll F, Benzal A, Pijuan M, Romero-Güiza MS. Enhancement of biological nutrient removal process with advanced process control tools in full-scale wastewater treatment plant. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 200:117212. [PMID: 34029870 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
One of the major challenges in existing WasteWater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) is to comply with the increasingly stringent nutrient discharge limits established by the competent authorities to enhance environmental protection, while keeping operation costs as low as possible. This paper describes the results obtained from upgrading a full-scale WWTP during seven years (2013-2020) applying five different Advanced Process Control (APC) strategies. Results show that implementation of APC and the development of ammonia-based aeration control, aeration/non-aeration cycles, improved internal/external recirculation and chemical dosage controls resulted in an improvement in nutrients removal rates (+25.48% and +9.25%, for nitrogen and phosphorus, respectively) and in a reduction (-21.79%) of the specific energy ratio. In addition, the promotion of an Enhanced Biological Phosphorous Removal (EBPR) process by APC resulted in an improvement in biological phosphorous removal (+43.90%), chemical savings (-20.00%) and nutrient recovery in the dewatered sludge. Molecular biology tools and laboratory batch tests confirmed the Polyphosphate Accumulating Organisms (PAOs) activity, specifically Tetrasphaera genera. Finally, an economic analysis was conducted, showing a rate of return for the incurred capital expenses with the implemented APC systems of about five years, being an affordable alternative to the upgrading existing WWTPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Palatsi
- AQUALIA. Production Area. Cami Sot de Fontanet, 29. 25197, Lleida, Spain.
| | - Ferran Ripoll
- Createch360, Costa d`en Paratge, 22-2°. 08500, Vic-Barcelona, Spain
| | - Albert Benzal
- Createch360, Costa d`en Paratge, 22-2°. 08500, Vic-Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maite Pijuan
- ICRA, Catalan Institute for Water Research, Emili Grahit 101. 17003 Girona, Spain; Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
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24
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Zhao W, Vermace RR, Mattes TE, Just C. Impacts of ammonia loading and biofilm age on the prevalence of nitrogen-cycling microorganisms in a full-scale submerged attached-growth reactor. WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH : A RESEARCH PUBLICATION OF THE WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION 2021; 93:787-796. [PMID: 33124148 DOI: 10.1002/wer.1471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Revised: 10/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This study reports the impacts of seasonal ammonia load changes and biofilm age on the quantity of biomass and on the prevalence of ammonia- and nitrite-metabolizing organisms within a submerged attached-growth reactor (SAGR™) following lagoon treatment. Ammonia (NH3 ) loadings (0.12-3.17 kg/d) in the primary SAGR were measured over 223 days from May to December in 2017. Adjustment of the wastewater flow path on September 1 successfully increased NH3 loading to the primary SAGR, which subsequently caused reactor biomass to increase. The NH3 removal rate in October (0.5 kg/d) was greater than rates in June and July (0.3 and 0.2 kg/d) despite a water temperature decrease from >24 to 15.6°C. This elevated removal rate in October, and the sustained removal rate in December (0.4 kg/d, 5.3°C) were associated with a measured increase in microbial biomass. The relative abundance of the anammox organism C. Brocadia was 5 times greater in the mature biofilm after 686 days of growth, and the genus Pseudomonas increased sevenfold. The presence of Pseudomonas, which contains denitrifying species, and anammox suggests a high potential for removal of total nitrogen in SAGRs. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Pseudomonas prevalence and the presence of anammox suggest a high potential for total nitrogen removal in mature SAGR biofilms. The abundance of the anammox microorganism C. Brocadia was greater after 686 days of biofilm growth compared with 33 days. Simple operational changes can increase biomass in the SAGR to maintain, or even increase, NH3 transformation rates during cold weather.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weilun Zhao
- Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Rebecca R Vermace
- Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Timothy E Mattes
- Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Craig Just
- Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
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25
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Fournier IB, Lovejoy C, Vincent WF. Changes in the Community Structure of Under-Ice and Open-Water Microbiomes in Urban Lakes Exposed to Road Salts. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:660719. [PMID: 33868217 PMCID: PMC8044900 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.660719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Salinization of freshwater is increasingly observed in regions where chloride de-icing salts are applied to the roads in winter, but little is known about the effects on microbial communities. In this study, we analyzed the planktonic microbiomes of four lakes that differed in degree of urbanization, eutrophication and salinization, from an oligotrophic reference lake with no surrounding roads, to a eutrophic, salinized lake receiving runoff from a highway. We tested the hypothesis that an influence of road salts would be superimposed on the effects of season and trophic status. We evaluated the microbial community structure by 16S rRNA sequencing for Bacteria, and by four methods for eukaryotes: 16S rRNA chloroplast analysis, 18S rRNA sequencing, photosynthetic pigment analysis and microscopy. Consistent with our hypothesis, chloride and total nitrogen concentrations were among the most important statistical factors explaining the differences in taxonomic composition. These factors were positively correlated with the abundance of cryptophytes, haptophytes, and cyanobacteria. Ice-cover was also a major structuring factor, with clear differences between the winter communities and those of the open-water period. Nitrifying and methane oxidizing bacteria were more abundant in winter, suggesting the importance of anaerobic sediment processes and release of reduced compounds into the ice-covered water columns. The four methods for eukaryotic analysis provided complementary information. The 18S rRNA observations were strongly influenced by the presence of ribosome-rich ciliates, but revealed a much higher degree of taxonomic richness and greater separation of lakes, seasonal changes and potential salinity effects than the other methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle B. Fournier
- Département de Biologie and Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Centre for Northern Studies (CEN), Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Connie Lovejoy
- Département de Biologie and Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Québec-Océan, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Warwick F. Vincent
- Département de Biologie and Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Centre for Northern Studies (CEN), Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
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26
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Zheng M, Li S, Ni G, Xia J, Hu S, Yuan Z, Liu Y, Huang X. Critical Factors Facilitating Candidatus Nitrotoga To Be Prevalent Nitrite-Oxidizing Bacteria in Activated Sludge. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:15414-15423. [PMID: 33180465 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c04192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Nitrite oxidation is the primary pathway that generates nitrate in engineered systems. However, little is known about the role of a novel nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) genus Candidatus Nitrotoga in activated sludge systems. To elucidate key factors that impact NOB community composition, laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) were designed and operated under the same conditions as real wastewater treatment plants to achieve considerable nitrogen removal and similar community; then, different conditions including temperature (T), dissolved oxygen (DO), free nitrous acid (FNA), and free ammonia (FA) were applied. The 16S rRNA gene-based PCR and sequence analysis illustrated that Ca. Nitrotoga were abundant even at ambient temperature, thus further challenging the previous conception of them being solely cold-adapted. Ca. Nitrotoga are less competitive than Nitrospira during oxygen deficiency, indicating its lower affinity to dissolved oxygen. Ca. Nitrotoga are the dominant nitrite oxidizers under regular exposure to FNA and FA due to their relatively higher resistance than other NOB toward these two effective biocides. Therefore, this study demonstrates that Ca. Nitrotoga can play an important role in biological nitrogen removal and also highlights the need for multiple strategies for NOB suppression for the next-generation, shortcut nitrogen removal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Zheng
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Siqi Li
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Gaofeng Ni
- Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Jun Xia
- Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Shihu Hu
- Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Zhiguo Yuan
- Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Yanchen Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xia Huang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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27
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Park SJ, Andrei AŞ, Bulzu PA, Kavagutti VS, Ghai R, Mosier AC. Expanded Diversity and Metabolic Versatility of Marine Nitrite-Oxidizing Bacteria Revealed by Cultivation- and Genomics-Based Approaches. Appl Environ Microbiol 2020; 86:e01667-20. [PMID: 32917751 PMCID: PMC7642081 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01667-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) are ubiquitous and abundant microorganisms that play key roles in global nitrogen and carbon biogeochemical cycling. Despite recent advances in understanding NOB physiology and taxonomy, currently very few cultured NOB or representative NOB genome sequences from marine environments exist. In this study, we employed enrichment culturing and genomic approaches to shed light on the phylogeny and metabolic capacity of marine NOB. We successfully enriched two marine NOB (designated MSP and DJ) and obtained a high-quality metagenome-assembled genome (MAG) from each organism. The maximum nitrite oxidation rates of the MSP and DJ enrichment cultures were 13.8 and 30.0 μM nitrite per day, respectively, with these optimum rates occurring at 0.1 mM and 0.3 mM nitrite, respectively. Each enrichment culture exhibited a different tolerance to various nitrite and salt concentrations. Based on phylogenomic position and overall genome relatedness indices, both NOB MAGs were proposed as novel taxa within the Nitrospinota and Nitrospirota phyla. Functional predictions indicated that both NOB MAGs shared many highly conserved metabolic features with other NOB. Both NOB MAGs encoded proteins for hydrogen and organic compound metabolism and defense mechanisms for oxidative stress. Additionally, these organisms may have the genetic potential to produce cobalamin (an essential enzyme cofactor that is limiting in many environments) and, thus, may play an important role in recycling cobalamin in marine sediment. Overall, this study appreciably expands our understanding of the Nitrospinota and Nitrospirota phyla and suggests that these NOB play important biogeochemical roles in marine habitats.IMPORTANCE Nitrification is a key process in the biogeochemical and global nitrogen cycle. Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) perform the second step of aerobic nitrification (converting nitrite to nitrate), which is critical for transferring nitrogen to other organisms for assimilation or energy. Despite their ecological importance, there are few cultured or genomic representatives from marine systems. Here, we obtained two NOB (designated MSP and DJ) enriched from marine sediments and estimated the physiological and genomic traits of these marine microbes. Both NOB enrichment cultures exhibit distinct responses to various nitrite and salt concentrations. Genomic analyses suggest that these NOB are metabolically flexible (similar to other previously described NOB) yet also have individual genomic differences that likely support distinct niche distribution. In conclusion, this study provides more insights into the ecological roles of NOB in marine environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo-Je Park
- Department of Biology, Jeju National University, Jeju, Republic of Korea
| | - Adrian-Ştefan Andrei
- Department of Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Paul-Adrian Bulzu
- Department of Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Vinicius S Kavagutti
- Department of Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Department of Ecosystem Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Rohit Ghai
- Department of Aquatic Microbial Ecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Annika C Mosier
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
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28
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Fujitani H, Momiuchi K, Ishii K, Nomachi M, Kikuchi S, Ushiki N, Sekiguchi Y, Tsuneda S. Genomic and Physiological Characteristics of a Novel Nitrite-Oxidizing Nitrospira Strain Isolated From a Drinking Water Treatment Plant. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:545190. [PMID: 33042056 PMCID: PMC7522533 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.545190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) catalyze the second step of nitrification, which is an important process of the biogeochemical nitrogen cycle and is exploited extensively as a biological nitrogen removal process. Members of the genus Nitrospira are often identified as the dominant NOB in a diverse range of natural and artificial environments. Additionally, a number of studies examining the distribution, abundance, and characterization of complete ammonia oxidation (comammox) Nitrospira support the ecological importance of the genus Nitrospira. However, niche differentiation between nitrite-oxidizing Nitrospira and comammox Nitrospira remains unknown due to a lack of pure cultures. In this study, we report the isolation, physiology, and genome of a novel nitrite-oxidizing Nitrospira strain isolated from a fixed-bed column at a drinking water treatment plant. Continuous feeding of ammonia led to the enrichment of Nitrospira-like cells, as well as members of ammonia-oxidizing genus Nitrosomonas. Subsequently, a microcolony sorting technique was used to isolate a novel nitrite-oxidizing Nitrospira strain. Sequences of strains showing the growth of microcolonies in microtiter plates were checked. Consequently, the most abundant operational taxonomic unit (OTU) exhibited high sequence similarity with Nitrospira japonica (98%) at the 16S rRNA gene level. The two other Nitrospira OTUs shared over 99% sequence similarities with N. japonica and Nitrospira sp. strain GC86. Only one strain identified as Nitrospira was successfully subcultivated and designated as Nitrospira sp. strain KM1 with high sequence similarity with N. japonica (98%). The half saturation constant for nitrite and the maximum nitrite oxidation rate of strain KM1 were orders of magnitude lower than the published data of other known Nitrospira strains; moreover, strain KM1 was more sensitive to free ammonia compared with previously isolated Nitrospira strains. Therefore, the new Nitrospira strain appears to be better adapted to oligotrophic environments compared with other known non-marine nitrite oxidizers. The complete genome of strain KM1 was 4,509,223 bp in length and contained 4,318 predicted coding sequences. Average nucleotide identities between strain KM1 and known cultured Nitrospira genome sequences are 76.7-78.4%, suggesting at least species-level novelty of the strain in the Nitrospira lineage II. These findings broaden knowledge of the ecophysiological diversity of nitrite-oxidizing Nitrospira.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirotsugu Fujitani
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan.,Research Organization for Nano & Life Innovation, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kengo Momiuchi
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kento Ishii
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Manami Nomachi
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shuta Kikuchi
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Norisuke Ushiki
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuji Sekiguchi
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Satoshi Tsuneda
- Research Organization for Nano & Life Innovation, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
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29
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Li S, Duan H, Zhang Y, Huang X, Yuan Z, Liu Y, Zheng M. Adaptation of nitrifying community in activated sludge to free ammonia inhibition and inactivation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 728:138713. [PMID: 32380412 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Sludge treatment using free ammonia (FA) is an innovative approach that was recently reported effective achieving stable mainstream nitrogen removal via the nitrite pathway. This study aims to investigate the adaptation of nitrifying community and the response of nitrification performance to high-level of FA exposure under real wastewater conditions. Two parallel lab-scale sequencing batch reactors were operated and fed with real municipal wastewater, with one receiving sludge treatment by FA and another as a control. While the FA approach rapidly achieved partial nitrification with a nitrite accumulation ratio (NAR) of approximately 60%, the partial nitrification eventually failed due to nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) adaptation to FA inactivation. NOB activity in the inoculum was suppressed by 82% after exposure to FA at ~220 mg NH3-N/L. However, towards the end of the experiments, significantly higher NOB activities were observed after exposure to the same level of FA. Distinct behaviours of NOB observed in batch tests during the study supported the reactor operational data and strongly suggested the adaptation of NOB under the FA stress. Furthermore, microbial community analysis revealed the underlying mechanism of the observed adaptation: the dominant NOB changed from Nitrospira to Candidatus Nitrotoga. It is for the first time shown that Ca. Nitrotoga are highly resistant to FA inhibition and inactivation in comparison to Nitrospira and Nitrobacter. In addition, while the Nitrosomonas genus was always the dominant ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) throughout the study, different shift in a species level was observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Li
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Haoran Duan
- Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Yizhen Zhang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xia Huang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Zhiguo Yuan
- Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Yanchen Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Min Zheng
- Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
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30
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Spieck E, Sass K, Keuter S, Hirschmann S, Spohn M, Indenbirken D, Kop LFM, Lücker S, Giaveno A. Defining Culture Conditions for the Hidden Nitrite-Oxidizing Bacterium Nitrolancea. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1522. [PMID: 32849321 PMCID: PMC7365893 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitrification is a key process for N-removal in engineered and natural environments, but recent findings of novel nitrifying microorganisms with surprising features revealed that our knowledge of this functional guild is still incomplete. Especially nitrite oxidation - the second step of nitrification - is catalyzed by a phylogenetically diverse bacterial group, and only recently bacteria of the phylum Chloroflexi have been identified as thermophilic nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB). Among these, Nitrolancea hollandica was isolated from a laboratory-scale nitrifying bioreactor operated at 35°C with a high load of ammonium bicarbonate. However, its distribution remains cryptic as very few closely related environmental 16S rRNA gene sequences have been retrieved so far. In this study, we demonstrate how such thermophilic NOB can be enriched using modified mineral media inoculated with samples from a wastewater side-stream reactor operated at 39.5°C. Distinct cultivation conditions resulted in quick and reproducible high enrichment of two different strains of Nitrolancea, closely related to Nl. hollandica. The same cultivation approach was applied to a complex nitrite-oxidizing pre-enrichment at 42°C inoculated with biomass from a geothermal spring in the Copahue volcano area in Neuquen, Argentina. Here, an additional distinct representative of the genus Nitrolancea was obtained. This novel species had 16S rRNA and nitrite oxidoreductase alpha subunit (nxrA) gene sequence identities to Nl. hollandica of 98.5% and 97.2%, respectively. A genomic average nucleotide identity between the Argentinian strain and Nl. hollandica of 91.9% indicates that it indeed represents a distinct species. All Nitrolancea cultures formed lancet-shaped cells identical to Nl. hollandica and revealed similar physiological features, including the capability to grow at high nitrite concentrations. Growth was optimal at temperatures of 35-37°C and was strongly enhanced by ammonium supplementation. Genomic comparisons revealed that the four Nitrolancea strains share 2399 out of 3387 orthologous gene clusters and encode similar key functions. Our results define general growth conditions that enable the selective enrichment of Nitrolancea from artificial and natural environments. In most natural habitats these NOB apparently are of low abundance and their proliferation depends on the balanced presence of nitrite and ammonium, with an optimal incubation temperature of 37°C.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Spieck
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Sass
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sabine Keuter
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sophia Hirschmann
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Spohn
- Technology Platform Next Generation Sequencing, Heinrich Pette Institut, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniela Indenbirken
- Technology Platform Next Generation Sequencing, Heinrich Pette Institut, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Linnea F. M. Kop
- Department of Microbiology, IWWR, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Sebastian Lücker
- Department of Microbiology, IWWR, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Alejandra Giaveno
- PROBIEN (CONICET-UNCo), Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Neuquén, Argentina
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31
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Mehrani MJ, Sobotka D, Kowal P, Ciesielski S, Makinia J. The occurrence and role of Nitrospira in nitrogen removal systems. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2020; 303:122936. [PMID: 32059161 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.122936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Application of the modern microbial techniques changed the paradigm about the microorganisms performing nitrification. Numerous investigations recognized representatives of the genus Nitrospira as a key and predominant nitrite-oxidizing bacteria in biological nutrient removal systems, especially under low dissolved oxygen and substrate conditions. The recent discovery of Nitrospira capable of performing complete ammonia oxidation (comammox) raised a fundamental question about the actual role of Nitrospira in both nitrification steps. This review summarizes the current knowledge about morphological, physiological and genetic characteristics of the canonical and comammox Nitrospira. Potential implications of comammox for the functional aspects of nitrogen removal have been highlighted. The complex meta-analysis of literature data was applied to identify specific individual variables and their combined interactions on the Nitrospira abundance. In addition to dissolved oxygen and influent nitrogen concentrations, temperature and pH may play an important role in enhancing or suppressing the Nitrospira activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamad-Javad Mehrani
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, Narutowicza Street 11/12, 80-233 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Dominika Sobotka
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, Narutowicza Street 11/12, 80-233 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Przemyslaw Kowal
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, Narutowicza Street 11/12, 80-233 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Sławomir Ciesielski
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, ul. Sloneczna 45G, 10-709 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Jacek Makinia
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, Narutowicza Street 11/12, 80-233 Gdansk, Poland.
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32
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Ishii K, Fujitani H, Sekiguchi Y, Tsuneda S. Physiological and genomic characterization of a new 'Candidatus Nitrotoga' isolate. Environ Microbiol 2020; 22:2365-2382. [PMID: 32285573 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.15015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Oxidation of nitrite to nitrate is an important process in the global nitrogen cycle. Recent molecular biology-based studies have revealed that the widespread nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) belonging to the genus 'Candidatus Nitrotoga' may be highly important for the environment. However, the insufficient availability of pure Nitrotoga cultures has limited our understanding of their physiological and genomic characteristics. Here, we isolated the 'Ca. Nitrotoga' sp. strain AM1P, from a previously enriched Nitrotoga culture, using an improved isolation strategy. Although 'Ca. Nitrotoga' have been recognized as cold-adapted NOB, the strain AM1P had a slightly higher optimum growth temperature at 23°C. Strain AM1P showed a pH optimum of 8.3 and was not inhibited even at high nitrite concentrations (20 mM). We obtained the complete genome of the strain and compared the genome profile to five previously sequenced 'Ca. Nitrotoga' strains. Comparative genomics suggested that lactate dehydrogenase may be only encoded in the strain AM1P and closely related genomes. While the growth yield of AM1P did not change, we observed faster growth in the presence of lactate in comparison to purely chemolithoautotrophic growth. The characterization of the new strain AM1P sheds light on the physiological adaptation of this environmentally important, but understudied genus 'Ca. Nitrotoga'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kento Ishii
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hirotsugu Fujitani
- Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan.,Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yuji Sekiguchi
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Satoshi Tsuneda
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan.,Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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