Nitrogen processing and the role of epilithic biofilms downstream of a wastewater treatment plant

We investigated how dissolved inorganic N (DIN) inputs from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent are processed biogeochemically by the receiving stream. We examined longitudinal patterns of NH4+ and NO3− concentrations and their 15N signatures along a stream reach downstream of a WWTP. We co...

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Autores: Ribot Bermejo, Miquel, Martí Roca, Eugènia, Schiller Calle, Daniel von, Sabater i Comas, Francesc, Daims, Holger, Battin, Tom J.
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2012
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/173173
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/173173
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Nitrogen
Tractament biològic de depuració d'aigües residuals
Biological treatment of sewage
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spelling Nitrogen processing and the role of epilithic biofilms downstream of a wastewater treatment plantRibot Bermejo, MiquelMartí Roca, EugèniaSchiller Calle, Daniel vonSabater i Comas, FrancescDaims, HolgerBattin, Tom J.NitrogenTractament biològic de depuració d'aigües residualsNitrogenBiological treatment of sewageWe investigated how dissolved inorganic N (DIN) inputs from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent are processed biogeochemically by the receiving stream. We examined longitudinal patterns of NH4+ and NO3− concentrations and their 15N signatures along a stream reach downstream of a WWTP. We compared the δ15N signatures of epilithic biofilms with those of DIN to assess the role of stream biofilms in N processing. We analyzed the δ15N signatures of biofilms coating light- and dark-side surfaces of cobbles separately to test whether light constrains functioning of biofilm communities. We sampled during 2 contrasting periods of the year (winter and summer) to explore whether changes in environmental conditions affected N biogeochemical processes. The study reach had a remarkable capacity for transformation and removal of DIN, but the magnitude and relevance of different biogeochemical pathways of N processing differed between seasons. In winter, assimilation and nitrification influenced downstream N fluxes. These processes were spatially segregated at the microhabitat scale, as indicated by a significant difference in the δ15N signature of light- and dark-side biofilms, a result suggesting that nitrification was mostly associated with dark-side biofilms. In summer, N processing was intensified, and denitrification became an important N removal pathway. The δ15N signatures of the light- and dark-side biofilms were similar, a result suggesting less spatial segregation of N cycling processes at this microhabitat scale. Collectively, our results highlight the capacity of WWTP-influenced streams to transform and remove WWTP-derived N inputs and indicate the active role of biofilms in these in-stream processes.The University of Chicago Press2012info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/2445/173173Articles publicats en revistes (Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals)reponame:Dipòsit Digital de la UBinstname:Universidad de BarcelonaInglésReproducció del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.1899/11-161.1Freshwater Science, 2012, vol. 31, num. 4, p. 1057-1069https://doi.org/10.1899/11-161.1(c) The Society for Freshwater Science, 2012info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/1731732026-05-27T06:46:51Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Nitrogen processing and the role of epilithic biofilms downstream of a wastewater treatment plant
title Nitrogen processing and the role of epilithic biofilms downstream of a wastewater treatment plant
spellingShingle Nitrogen processing and the role of epilithic biofilms downstream of a wastewater treatment plant
Ribot Bermejo, Miquel
Nitrogen
Tractament biològic de depuració d'aigües residuals
Nitrogen
Biological treatment of sewage
title_short Nitrogen processing and the role of epilithic biofilms downstream of a wastewater treatment plant
title_full Nitrogen processing and the role of epilithic biofilms downstream of a wastewater treatment plant
title_fullStr Nitrogen processing and the role of epilithic biofilms downstream of a wastewater treatment plant
title_full_unstemmed Nitrogen processing and the role of epilithic biofilms downstream of a wastewater treatment plant
title_sort Nitrogen processing and the role of epilithic biofilms downstream of a wastewater treatment plant
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Ribot Bermejo, Miquel
Martí Roca, Eugènia
Schiller Calle, Daniel von
Sabater i Comas, Francesc
Daims, Holger
Battin, Tom J.
author Ribot Bermejo, Miquel
author_facet Ribot Bermejo, Miquel
Martí Roca, Eugènia
Schiller Calle, Daniel von
Sabater i Comas, Francesc
Daims, Holger
Battin, Tom J.
author_role author
author2 Martí Roca, Eugènia
Schiller Calle, Daniel von
Sabater i Comas, Francesc
Daims, Holger
Battin, Tom J.
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Nitrogen
Tractament biològic de depuració d'aigües residuals
Nitrogen
Biological treatment of sewage
topic Nitrogen
Tractament biològic de depuració d'aigües residuals
Nitrogen
Biological treatment of sewage
description We investigated how dissolved inorganic N (DIN) inputs from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent are processed biogeochemically by the receiving stream. We examined longitudinal patterns of NH4+ and NO3− concentrations and their 15N signatures along a stream reach downstream of a WWTP. We compared the δ15N signatures of epilithic biofilms with those of DIN to assess the role of stream biofilms in N processing. We analyzed the δ15N signatures of biofilms coating light- and dark-side surfaces of cobbles separately to test whether light constrains functioning of biofilm communities. We sampled during 2 contrasting periods of the year (winter and summer) to explore whether changes in environmental conditions affected N biogeochemical processes. The study reach had a remarkable capacity for transformation and removal of DIN, but the magnitude and relevance of different biogeochemical pathways of N processing differed between seasons. In winter, assimilation and nitrification influenced downstream N fluxes. These processes were spatially segregated at the microhabitat scale, as indicated by a significant difference in the δ15N signature of light- and dark-side biofilms, a result suggesting that nitrification was mostly associated with dark-side biofilms. In summer, N processing was intensified, and denitrification became an important N removal pathway. The δ15N signatures of the light- and dark-side biofilms were similar, a result suggesting less spatial segregation of N cycling processes at this microhabitat scale. Collectively, our results highlight the capacity of WWTP-influenced streams to transform and remove WWTP-derived N inputs and indicate the active role of biofilms in these in-stream processes.
publishDate 2012
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2012
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/2445/173173
url https://hdl.handle.net/2445/173173
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Reproducció del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.1899/11-161.1
Freshwater Science, 2012, vol. 31, num. 4, p. 1057-1069
https://doi.org/10.1899/11-161.1
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv (c) The Society for Freshwater Science, 2012
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv (c) The Society for Freshwater Science, 2012
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv The University of Chicago Press
publisher.none.fl_str_mv The University of Chicago Press
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv Articles publicats en revistes (Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals)
reponame:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
instname:Universidad de Barcelona
instname_str Universidad de Barcelona
reponame_str Dipòsit Digital de la UB
collection Dipòsit Digital de la UB
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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score 15,300719

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