Sequentially aerated membrane biofilm reactors for autotrophic nitrogen removal: microbial community composition and dynamics.

ABSTRACT: Membrane-aerated biofilm reactors performing autotrophic nitrogen removal can be successfully applied to treat concentrated nitrogen streams. However, their process performance is seriously hampered by the growth of nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB). In this work we document how sequential aeration can bring the rapid and long-term suppression of NOB and the onset of the activity of anaerobic ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AnAOB). Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analyses confirmed that such shift in performance was mirrored by a change in population densities, with a very drastic reduction of the NOB Nitrospira and Nitrobacter and a 10-fold increase in AnAOB numbers. The study of biofilm sections with relevant 16S rRNA fluorescent probes revealed strongly stratified biofilm s

SUBMITTER: Pellicer-Nacher C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3896934 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature