Analysis of nitrifying bacterial communities in aerobic biofilm reactors with different DO conditions using molecular techniques

• Published in: Water science and technology Vol. 57; no. 12; pp. 1889 - 1899
• Main Authors: Park, J.J, Byun, I.G, Yu, J.C, Park, S.R, Ju, D.J, Hur, S.H, Park, T.J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England IWA Publishing 01.01.2008
• Subjects: aerobic conditions; Aerobiosis; Ammonia; Ammonia - metabolism; AmoA gene; Analytical methods; Bacteria; Bacteria, Aerobic - genetics; Bacteria, Aerobic - metabolism; Bacteria, Aerobic - physiology; biofilm; Biofilms; Biomass; Bioreactors; Bioreactors - microbiology; Cloning; community structure; Dissolved oxygen; DNA; Fish; Fluorescence; Fluorescence in situ hybridization; Gel electrophoresis; Gels; genes; Heterotrophic microorganisms; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; microbial activity; Microorganisms; molecular cloning; Nitrification; nitrites; Nitrites - metabolism; Nitrosomonadaceae; Nitrosomonas; Nitrosomonas - genetics; Nitrosomonas - metabolism; Nitrosomonas - physiology; Nucleotide sequence; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxygen - metabolism; PCR; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Reactors; ribosomal RNA; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; rRNA 16S; wastewater treatment
• ISSN: 0273-1223; 1996-9732
• DOI: 10.2166/wst.2008.622

In order to assess the relationship between the dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration and the characteristics of nitrifying bacterial communities in an aerobic biofilm reactor, molecular techniques including denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE)/cloning based on PCR targeting 16S rRNA and the amoA gene and fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) were conducted. The D-1, D-2, D-3 and D-4 reactors with different DO concentrations (1, 3, 5 and 7 mg/L, respectively) were set up in the thermostat and acclimated. The optimal DO concentration with stable nitrification efficiency was above 5.0 mg/L. As was shown by the results of DGGE and cloning, the community of ammonia-oxidising bacteria (AOB) and the ratio of Nitrosomonas sp. changed only slightly despite their differing nitrification efficiencies. The results of FISH indicated that higher DO concentrations resulted in an increase in AOB and nitrite-oxidising bacteria (NOB), and a reduction in heterotrophic microorganisms. The INT-dehydrogenase activity (DHA) test demonstrated that the activity of AOB decreased with reductions in the DO concentration. This means that the DO concentration does not influence the community of AOB, but rather the activity of AOB. In the relationship between the attached biomass and the nitrification efficiency, only the active biomass affected the nitrification efficiencies.