Simultaneous partial nitrification and 2-fluorophenol biodegradation with aerobic granular biomass: Reactor performance and microbial communities

An aerobic granular bioreactor was operated for over 4 months, treating a synthetic wastewater with a high ammonium content (100 mg N L⁻¹). The inoculum was collected from a bioreactor performing simultaneous partial nitrification and aromatic compounds biodegradation. From day-56 onwards, 2-fluorop...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Ramos Quiroz, Carlos Antonio|||0000-0002-6683-7175, Amorim, Catarina L., Mesquita, Daniela P., Ferreira, Eugénio C., Carrera, Julian|||0000-0002-2599-2312, Castro, Paula M. L.
Format: article
Publication Date:2017
Country:España
Institution:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repository:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:181919
Online Access:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/181919
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2017.03.173
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Granulation
Bioaugmentation
Nitritation
Phenolic compound
Molecular biology
Description
Summary:An aerobic granular bioreactor was operated for over 4 months, treating a synthetic wastewater with a high ammonium content (100 mg N L⁻¹). The inoculum was collected from a bioreactor performing simultaneous partial nitrification and aromatic compounds biodegradation. From day-56 onwards, 2-fluorophenol (2-FP) (12.4 mg L⁻¹) was added to the feeding wastewater and the system was bioaugmented with a 2-FP degrading bacteria (Rhodococcus sp. FP1). By the end of operation, complete 2-FP biodegradation and partial nitrification were simultaneously achieved. Aerobic granules remained stable over time. During the 2-FP loading, a shift in the community structure occurred, coinciding with the improvement of 2-FP degradation. DGGE analysis did not allow to infer on the bioaugmented strain presence but pyrosequencing analysis detected Rhodococcus genus by the end of operation. Together with other potential phenolic-degraders within granules, these microorganisms were probably responsible for 2-FP degradation.