Role of nitrification in the biodegradation of selected artificial sweetening agents in biological wastewater treatment process

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 161; pp. 40 - 46
• Main Authors: Tran, N.H., Nguyen, V.T., Urase, T., Ngo, H.H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.06.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Activated sludge; Ammonia; Ammonia monooxygenase; Ammonium Compounds - metabolism; Applied sciences; Artificial sweeteners; Autotrophic ammonia oxidizers; Biodegradation; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of waters; Biotechnology; Co-metabolism; Degradation; Environment and pollution; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Microorganisms; Nitrification; Oxidizers; Pollution; Sweetening Agents - chemistry; Sweetening Agents - metabolism; Wastewater treatment; Wastewaters; Water Purification; Water treatment and pollution; Artificial sweeteners; Autotrophic ammonia oxidizers; Co-metabolism; Nitrification; Ammonia monooxygenase; Biodegradation; Enzyme; Ammoxidation; Autotrophy; Metabolism; Biological purification; Oxygenase; Ammonia; Sweetener; Oxidoreductases; Waste water purification
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2014.02.116

•Role of nitrification in the biodegradation of ASs was first examined.•Removal efficiency of ASs was enhanced under high initial NH4-N concentrations.•There was a relationship between nitrification rate and biodegradation rate of ASs.•Ammonia monooxygenase played a key role in biodegradation of acesulfame and sucralose. The biodegradation of the six artificial sweetening agents including acesulfame (ACE), aspartame (ASP), cyclamate (CYC), neohesperidindihydrochalcone (NHDC), saccharin (SAC), and sucralose (SUC) by nitrifying activated sludge was first examined. Experimental results showed that ASP and NHDC were the most easily degradable compounds even in the control tests. CYC and SAC were efficiently biodegraded by the nitrifying activated sludge, whereas ACE and SUC were poorly removed. However, the biodegradation efficiencies of the ASs were increased with the increase in initial ammonium concentrations in the bioreactors. The association between nitrification and co-metabolic degradation was investigated and a linear relationship between nitrification rate and co-metabolic biodegradation rate was observed for the target artificial sweeteners (ASs). The contribution of heterotrophic microorganisms and autotrophic ammonia oxidizers in biodegradation of the ASs was elucidated, of which autotrophic ammonia oxidizers played an important role in the biodegradation of the ASs, particularly with regards to ACE and SUC.