1
|
Jiang M, Khunjar W, Li A, Chandran K. Divergent microbial structure still results in convergent microbial function during arrested anaerobic digestion of food waste at different hydraulic retention times. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2024; 393:130069. [PMID: 38000643 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.130069] [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: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
In this study, two arrested anaerobic digestion bioreactors, fed with food waste, operated under different hydraulic retention times (HRTs) exhibited similar total volatile fatty acid (VFA) yields (p = 0.09). 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed distinct microbial structure (p = 0.02) at the two HRTs. However, between the two HRTs, there were no differences in potential (DNA) and extant (mRNA) functionality for the production of acetic (AA)-, propionic (PA)-, butyric (BA)- and valeric-acid (VA), as indicated by the metagenome and metatranscriptome data, respectively. The highest potential and extant functionality for PA production in the reactor microbiomes mirrored the highest abundance of PA in the reactor effluents. Meta-omics analysis of BA production indicated possible metabolite exchange across different community members. Notably, the basis for similar VFA production performance observed under the HRTs tested lies in the community-level redundancy in convergent acidification functions and pathways, rather than trends in community-level structure alone.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Minxi Jiang
- Earth and Environmental Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | | | - Anjie Li
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Kartik Chandran
- Earth and Environmental Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Andersen MH, Thomsen L, Stokholm-Bjerregaard M, Eriksen S, Hansen SH, Albertsen M, Nielsen PH. Fast DNA-analyses for surveillance of microbial communities in full-scale deammonification tanks: Potential for control and troubleshooting. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 236:119919. [PMID: 37031530 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119919] [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: 08/07/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The partial nitritation/anammox process is a popular process for sidestream nitrogen removal, but the process is sensitive to disturbances and requires extensive surveillance and monitoring for optimal performance. We followed two parallel sidestream full-scale deammonification reactors treating digester centrate for a year with high time-resolution of both online sensor data and microbial community as measured by Nanopore DNA sequencing. DNA surveillance revealed system disturbances and allowed for detection of process and equipment upsets, and it facilitated remediating operational actions. Surveillance of anammox bacteria (Ca. Brocadia) revealed unexpected variations, and the composition and dynamics of the flanking community indicated causes for occasional process disturbances with poor nitrogen removal. Monitoring the ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) could potentially allow reactor operation with increased dissolved oxygen (DO), yielding higher ammonia conversion while keeping NOB in control. The use of fast and frequent DNA sequencing (sampling 3-5 times a week, analysed once per week) was an important supplement, and in many cases superior, to the online sensor data for process surveillance, understanding and control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Hjorth Andersen
- Center for Microbial Communities, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Lisette Thomsen
- Center for Microbial Communities, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | | | | | - Susan Hove Hansen
- Center for Microbial Communities, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Mads Albertsen
- Center for Microbial Communities, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Per Halkjær Nielsen
- Center for Microbial Communities, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Podmirseg SM, Gómez-Brandón M, Muik M, Stres B, Hell M, Pümpel T, Murthy S, Chandran K, Park H, Insam H, Wett B. Microbial response on the first full-scale DEMON® biomass transfer for mainstream deammonification. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 218:118517. [PMID: 35512538 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Sidestream partial nitritation and deammonification (pN/A) of high-strength ammonia wastewater is a well-established technology. Its expansion to the mainstream is, however mainly impeded by poor retention of anaerobic ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AnAOB), insufficient repression of nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) and difficult control of soluble chemical oxygen demand and nitrite levels. At the municipal wastewater treatment plant in Strass (Austria) the microbial consortium was exhaustively monitored at full-scale over one and a half year with regular transfer of sidestream DEMON® biomass and further retention and enrichment of granular anammox biomass via hydrocyclone operation. Routine process parameters were surveyed and the response and evolution of the microbiota was followed by molecular tools, ex-situ activity tests and further, AnAOB quantification through particle tracking and heme measurement. After eight months of operation, the first anaerobic, simultaneous depletion of ammonia and nitrite was observed ex-situ, together with a direction to higher nitrite generation (68% of total NOx-N) as compared to nitrate under aerobic conditions. Our dissolved oxygen (DO) scheme allowed for transient anoxic conditions and had a strong influence on nitrite levels and the NOB community, where Nitrobacter eventually dominated Nitrospira. The establishment of a minor but stable AnAOB biomass was accompanied by the rise of Chloroflexi and distinct emergence of Chlorobi, a trend not seen in the sidestream system. Interestingly, the most pronounced switch in the microbial community and noticeable NOB repression occurred during unfavorable conditions, i.e. the cold winter season and high organic load. Further abatement of NOB was achieved through bioaugmentation of aerobic ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AerAOB) from the sidestream-DEMON® tank. Performance of the sidestream pN/A was not impaired by this operational scheme and the average volumetric nitrogen removal rate of the mainstream even doubled in the second half of the monitoring campaign. We conclude that a combination of both, regular sidestream-DEMON® biomass transfer and granular SRT increase via hydrocyclone operation was crucial for AnAOB establishment within the mainstream.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Marie Podmirseg
- Department of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25d, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; alpS GmbH, Grabenweg 68, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - María Gómez-Brandón
- Department of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25d, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; alpS GmbH, Grabenweg 68, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; Grupo Ecoloxía Animal (GEA), Centro di Investigación Mariña (CIM), Universidade de Vigo, E-36310, Spain
| | - Markus Muik
- Department of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25d, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Blaz Stres
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Geodetic and Civil Engineering, Jamova 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Martin Hell
- Achental-Inntal-Zillertal Water Board, Hausnummer 150, 6261 Strass i.Z., Austria.
| | - Thomas Pümpel
- Department of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25d, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
| | | | - Kartik Chandran
- Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering, Columbia University, 500 West 120th Street, NY 10027, United States.
| | - Hongkeun Park
- Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering, Columbia University, 500 West 120th Street, NY 10027, United States.
| | - Heribert Insam
- Department of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25d, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Bernhard Wett
- ARAconsult GmbH, Unterbergerstraße 1, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Yuan Q, Wang K, He B, Liu R, Qian L, Wan S, Zhou Y, Cai H, Gong H. Spontaneous mainstream anammox in a full-scale wastewater treatment plant with hybrid sludge retention time in a temperate zone of China. WATER ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH : A RESEARCH PUBLICATION OF THE WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION 2021; 93:854-864. [PMID: 33150637 DOI: 10.1002/wer.1476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Spontaneous anammox bacteria enrichment at mainstream conditions was reported in a full-scale Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) in a temperate zone of China. The mainstream anammox was observed after WWTP process retrofit, which constructed a hybrid sludge retention time (SRT) system by providing moving carriers in the anaerobic/anoxic tank and was initially designed to enhance the denitrification process in a conventional anaerobic/anoxic/oxic process. The hybrid SRT system achieved 86.0 ± 4.6% total nitrogen (TN) removal via combined mainstream anammox and conventional denitrification. Autotrophic denitrification via mainstream anammox was confirmed by various shreds of evidence including high-throughput sequencing, specific anammox activity test, and 15 N isotopic tracing. Long-term anammox bacteria existence in the biofilm of the carrier in anoxic zones was detected in a much higher relative abundance compared with other spots. The contribution of anammox activity to TN removal was estimated at around 20%-30%. The reasons leading to spontaneous anammox enrichment were mainly attributed to the carriers for slow-growing bacteria growth and dissolved oxygen gradient in the anoxic tank (caused by intermittent aeration) for nitrite production. The insights of this full-scale case study provide important perspectives for future mainstream anammox application, and also the design of an energy-neutral WWTP process. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Spontaneous mainstream anammox in a full-scale WWTP after its retrofit in a temperate zone of China was reported. Anammox bacteria enrichment and long-term stability on moving carriers at mainstream conditions was achieved by modified hybrid SRT system. The hybrid SRT system achieve stable nitrogen removal even in cold winter and high BOD/N situation by combining mainstream anammox with conventional denitrification. Long term full-scale operation demonstrated excellent nitrogen removal with about 20%-30% contribution of mainstream anammox. This full-scale case study provided perspectives for future optimizing mainstream anammox application, and also energy-neutral WWTP process design.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Quan Yuan
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Kaijun Wang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | | | | | | | - Shuo Wan
- Thunip Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Yaxu Zhou
- Xi'an Wastewater Treatment Co. Ltd., Xi'an, China
| | - Hulin Cai
- Xi'an Wastewater Treatment Co. Ltd., Xi'an, China
| | - Hui Gong
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Influence of Season, Occupancy Pattern, and Technology on Structure and Composition of Nitrifying and Denitrifying Bacterial Communities in Advanced Nitrogen-Removal Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems. WATER 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/w12092413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Advanced onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) use biological nitrogen removal (BNR) to mitigate the threat that N-rich wastewater poses to coastal waterbodies and groundwater. These systems lower the N concentration of effluent via sequential microbial nitrification and denitrification. We used high-throughput sequencing to evaluate the structure and composition of nitrifying and denitrifying bacterial communities in advanced N-removal OWTS, targeting the genes encoding ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) and nitrous oxide reductase (nosZ) present in effluent from 44 advanced systems. We used QIIME2 and the phyloseq package in R to examine differences in taxonomy and alpha and beta diversity as a function of advanced OWTS technology, occupancy pattern (seasonal vs. year-round use), and season (June vs. September). Richness and Shannon’s diversity index for amoA were significantly influenced by season, whereas technology influenced nosZ diversity significantly. Season also had a strong influence on differences in beta diversity among amoA communities, and had less influence on nosZ communities, whereas technology had a stronger influence on nosZ communities. Nitrosospira and Nitrosomonas were the main genera of nitrifiers in advanced N-removal OWTS, and the predominant genera of denitrifiers included Zoogloea, Thauera, and Acidovorax. Differences in taxonomy for each gene generally mirrored those observed in diversity patterns, highlighting the possible importance of season and technology in shaping communities of amoA and nosZ, respectively. Knowledge gained from this study may be useful in understanding the connections between microbial communities and OWTS performance and may help manage systems in a way that maximizes N removal.
Collapse
|