Jia-Jia Xu

Evaluation of the inhibitory effects of heavy metals on anammox activity: A batch test study.

This study evaluated the interactive effect of Cu(II) and Zn(II) on anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) activity using response surface methodology with a central composite design. A regression model equation was developed and validated to predict the normalized anammox activity (NAA) of anammox granules exposed to various heavy metal concentrations. The joint inhibitory effect tended to exacerbate initially and reversed as the concentrations increased and then moderated again. The most severe inhibition, resulting in a NAA of 20.1%, occurred at Cu(II) and Zn(II) concentrations of 16.3 and 20.0mgL(-1), respectively. Notably, the cumulative toxicity was mitigated with the aid of intermittent exposure acclimatization. Additionally, pre-exposure to Cu(II) in the absence of substrates strongly inhibited anammox activity. However, the presence of NO2(-) significantly enhanced Cu(II) inhibition. Therefore, such conditions should be avoided to minimize the disturbance of the anammox process.

Short-term impacts of Cu, CuO, ZnO and Ag nanoparticles (NPs) on anammox sludge: CuNPs make a difference

The increasing application of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) has posed an emerging challenge to wastewater treatment processes. The short-term impacts of CuNPs, CuONPs, ZnONPs and AgNPs on anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) process were investigated firstly in this study. CuONPs, ZnONPs and AgNPs up to 50mgg-1 suspended solid (SS) did not affect anammox activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production or cell membrane integrity. However, 1.25mgg-1SS CuNPs significantly inhibited the anammox activity and the loads that caused 50% inhibition were 4.64±1.24 and 3.27±0.79mgg-1SS for anammox granules and flocs, respectively. 5mgg-1SS CuNPs caused serious accumulation of the toxic intermediate N2H4. Furthermore, CuNPs interacted with extracellular polymeric substances by specifically bonding to tyrosine or tryptophan-containing groups, C-O-C in polysaccharides and -OH in polymeric compounds. Therefore, this study calls for more attention to the risks of NPs to the anammox-based processes.

Combined impacts of nanoparticles on anammox granules and the roles of EDTA and S2− in attenuation

Previous studies investigating the risk of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) to biological wastewater treatment have primarily tested NPs individually; however, limited data are available on the impact of NPs on the anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) process. In this study, the toxicity of CuNPs on anammox granules was investigated individually and in combination with CuONPs or ZnONPs. Exposure to CuNPs at 5mgg-1 suspended solids (SS) decreased the anammox activity to 47.1±8.5%, increased the lactate dehydrogenase level to 110.5±3.4% and increased the extracellular N2H4 concentration by 16-fold but did not cause oxidative stress. The presence of CuONPs or ZnONPs at 5mgg-1 SS did not significantly aggravate or alleviate the toxicity of the CuNPs; however, the introduction of EDTA or S2- could attenuate the adverse effects of the CuNPs, CuONPs and ZnONPs on the anammox granules. EDTA captured Cu ions, whereas S2- shielded and deactivated Cu ions and passivated CuNPs. Therefore, our results indicated that the toxicity of NPs was dependent on the amount of active metal reaching the anammox cells. Overall, the results of this study have filled knowledge gaps and provided insights into the combined toxicity of NPs on anammox biomass.

Insight into the short- and long-term effects of inorganic phosphate on anammox granule property

The short- and long-term effects of inorganic phosphate on property of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) granule were investigated in this study. Acute exposure to high-level phosphate (⩾50 mM) induced the cytoplasm leakage. During a 195-day continuous-flow operation, the gradually increasing phosphate (up to 500 mgP L(-1)) slightly affected the specific anammox activity, hardly impacted the heme c content, remarkably decreased the extracellular polymeric substances production and significantly stimulated the dehydrogenase activity of anammox granules. Microbial community analysis showed no shift in the dominant anammox strain and higher population but lower relative abundance of anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria compared to the control granules. Interestingly, novel anammox granules with a hydroxyapatite core were cultivated, which possessed excellent settleability, huge granule diameter and superior mechanical strength. This study supported the application of granule-based anammox process as a pre-processing treatment in phosphate-containing and ammonia-rich wastewaters.

Unraveling the impact of nanoscale zero-valent iron on the nitrogen removal performance and microbial community of anammox sludge

Given the increasing use of nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI) particles for environmental remediation and wastewater treatment, their potential impact on anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) bacteria was investigated in this study using anammox sludge. Batch assays showed that NZVI concentrations up to 200mgL-1 did not affect anammox activity, reactive oxygen species production, and cell membrane integrity. The nitrogen removal efficiency of the continuous-flow reactor fluctuated in the presence of 20 or 50mgL-1 NZVI, but it could return to normal over time, even at 200mgL-1 NZVI. 16S rDNA-based high-throughput sequencing indicated that although the presence of 10, 20, 50, and 200mgL-1 NZVI to some extent affected microbial composition, the anammox bacteria (Candidatus Kuenenia) never lost its dominance. The abundance of gene families that are related to the assimilation and utilization of iron was down-regulated in response to the stress of high-level NZVI.

Susceptibility, resistance and resilience of anammox biomass to nanoscale copper stress

The increasing use of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) poses an emerging challenge to biological wastewater treatment. The long-term impact of CuNPs on anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) process was firstly investigated in this study. The nitrogen removal capacity of anammox reactor was nearly deprived within 30days under the stress of 5.0mgL-1 CuNPs and the relative abundance of anammox bacteria (Ca. Kuenenia) was decreased from 29.59% to 17.53%. Meanwhile, copper resistance genes associated with the Cus, Cop and Pco systems were enriched to eliminate excess intracellular copper. After the withdrawal of CuNPs from the influent, the nitrogen removal capacity of anammox biomass recovered completely within 70days. Overall, anammox biomass showed susceptibility, resistance and resilience to the stress of CuNPs. Therefore, the potential impacts of ENPs on anammox-based processes should be of great concern.

Enhanced effects of maghemite nanoparticles on the flocculent sludge wasted from a high-rate anammox reactor: Performance, microbial community and sludge characteristics

Magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely applied in environmental remediation, biomass immobilization and wastewater treatment, but their potential impact on anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) biomass remains unknown. In this study, the short-term and long-term impacts of maghemite NPs (MHNPs) on the flocculent sludge wasted from a high-rate anammox reactor were investigated. Batch assays showed that the presence of MHNPs up to 200 mg L-1 did not affect anammox activity, reactive oxygen species production, or cell membrane integrity. Moreover, long-term addition of 1-200 mg L-1 MHNPs had no adverse effects on reactor performance. Notably, the specific anammox activity, the abundance of hydrazine synthase structural genes and the content of extracellular polymeric substance were increased with elevated MHNP concentrations. Meanwhile, the community structure was shifted to higher abundance of Candidatus Kuenenia indicated by high-throughput sequencing. Therefore, MHNPs could be applied to enhance anammox flocculent sludge due to their favorable biocompatibility.

The short- and long-term effects of Mn2+ on biogranule-based anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox)

The short- and long-term effects of Mn2+ on the performance of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) granules were investigated in the present study. Anammox activity was determined at various Mn2+ concentrations in batch assays, and the 50% inhibition concentration value was determined to be 7.33mgL-1. However, no obvious deterioration of reactor performance was observed during the 150-day continuous-flow operation, and the nitrogen removal efficiency of the test reactor (R1) fluctuated between 91% and 92% as the Mn2+ concentration was increased from 1 to 200mgL-1. Additionally, the specific anammox activity, heme c content and the amounts of extracellular polymeric substances in the anammox biomass increased and then subsequently decreased. The results demonstrated that short-term exposure to Mn2+ has a negative effect on anammox biomass, but the biomass could tolerate Mn2+ stress after acclimation to a high concentration of 200mgL-1 at the end of the continuous-flow experiment.

Inhibitory effects of sulfamethoxazole on denitrifying granule properties: Short- and long-term tests

The broad-spectrum antibiotic sulfamethoxazole (SMX) was chosen to assess its short- and long-term effects on denitrifying granules. The SMX concentration and pre-exposure time in batch testing influenced the denitrifying granule activity. In the continuous-flow experiments, no inhibitory effects on the upflow anaerobic sludge blanket performance were observed at SMX concentrations up to 100mgL-1, probably because of functional redundancy and long-term acclimation. The specific denitrifying activity first decreased to a minimum of 49.3% and then recovered to a level comparable to the initial level as the SMX concentration increased. The changing trend of the extracellular polymer content was consistent with the specific denitrifying activity throughout the process, and relatively high EPS loss ratios (maximum loss of 61.8%) were observed. Additionally, the diameter of the denitrifying granules monophonically increased to a final value of 35.0%. This research provided the application of denitrifying granules to treat wastewater that contained antibiotic.

Roles of MnO 2 on performance, sludge characteristics and microbial community in anammox system

The long-term impacts of MnO2 on performance, sludge characteristics and microbial community of biogranule-based anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) process were evaluated in an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor. It was found that the total nitrogen removal efficiency of reactor was fluctuated between 90%-93% at 1-200mgL-1 MnO2. Notably, the specific anammox activity was increased to maximum value of 657.3±10.6mgTNg-1VSSd-1 at 50mgL-1 MnO2 and then slightly decreased, but still higher than that achieved at 0-15mgL-1 MnO2, which had similar variation trends to the content of heme c and extracellular polymeric substances in anammox granules. High throughput sequencing indicated that MnO2 could improve the microbial richness and diversity of anammox granules and Candidatus Kuenenia was always the dominant species, and its abundance continued to increase to 21.3% at the end of operational experiment. Therefore, MnO2 could be applied to enhance the anammox process and the optimal influent MnO2 concentration was lower than 50mgL-1 in view of the reactor performance and cost issues.