Nitrate removal and extracellular polymeric substances of autohydrogenotrophic bacteria under various pH and hydrogen flow rates

In recent years there has been an increasing interest in the use of autohydrogenotrophic bacteria to treat nitrate from wastewater. However, our knowledge about the characteristics of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) releasing by these activities is not yet very advanced. This study aimed to investigate the change in EPS compositions under various pH values and hydrogen flow rates, taking into consideration nitrogen removal. Results showed that pH 7.5 and a hydrogen flow rate of 90 mL/min were the optimal operating conditions, resulting in 100% nitrogen removal after 6 hr of operation. Soluble and bound polysaccharides decreased, while bound proteins increased with increasing pH. Polysaccharides increased with increasing hydrogen flow rate. No significant change of bound proteins was observed at various hydrogen flow rates.     

Purification and molecular weight distribution of a key exopolysaccharide component of Bacillus megaterium TF10

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are organic metabolic compounds excreted by microorganisms. They largely impact microbial aggregate structures and functions. Extracellular polysaccharides (EP) in EPS are responsible for the formation of microbial aggregates. In this work, we successfully separated and characterized EP from EPS of the bacterium Bacillus megaterium TF10. Extraction of EP from EPS was optimized using Sevag''s reagent. Chemical characteristics, functional groups, and molecular weight (MW) distribu-tion of EP were compared with the harvested EPS and soluble microbial products (SMP). We found that the polymers of lower MW and free proteins were successfully removed by Sevag''s reagent. The higher MW components of EPS were predominantly polysaccharides, while the polymers of lower MW tended to secrete to the supernatant and were described as SMP. A part of the proteins in the EP was polysaccharide-bonded. Our results can be further used in elucidating the complex flocculation mechanisms in which EP play a major role.     

Insights into sludge granulation during anaerobic treatment of high-strength leachate via a full-scale IC reactor with external circulation system

In this study, a full-scale internal circulation(IC) reactor coupled with an external circulation system was developed to treat high-strength leachate from a municipal solid waste(MSW)incineration plant, in which anaerobic sludge granulation was intensively investigated. Results showed that the IC reactor achieved excellent treatment performance under high organic loading rates(OLR) of 21.06–25.16 kg chemical oxygen demand(COD)/(m3? day). The COD removal efficiency and biogas yield respectively reached 89.4%–93.4% and 0.42–0.50 m3/kg COD.The formation of extracellular polymeric substances(EPS) was closely associated with sludge granulation. Protein was the dominant component in sludge EPS, and its content was remarkably increased from 21.6 to 99.7 mg/g Volatile Suspended Solid(VSS) during the reactor operation. The sludge Zeta potential and hydrophobicity positively correlated with the protein/polysaccharide ratio in EPS, and they were respectively increased from-26.2 m V and 30.35% to-10.6 m V and 78.67%, which was beneficial to microbial aggregation. Three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy(3 D-EEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR)analysis further indicated the importance of protein-like EPS substances in the sludge granulation. Moreover, it was also found that the secondary structures of EPS proteins varied during the reactor operation.     

藻菌生物膜胞外聚合物与铅锌尾矿重金属的络合配位作用

矿产资源开采冶炼产生大量尾矿渣,其中富含的可溶性重金属引发的生态环境问题日益突显.铅锌矿是我国重要的矿产资源,尾矿露天堆放使得其富含的可溶性重金属淋溶迁移,对矿区周边地表环境造成严重污染.为探明自然水体环境中的藻菌生物膜与重金属的作用机理,采用三维荧光光谱技术研究干旱区天然湖泊中的藻菌生物膜EPS（胞外聚合物）与铅锌尾矿渣中5种重金属离子的络合配位作用.结果表明:①从藻菌生物膜EPS荧光光谱图中可检测出两个荧光峰,均来源于芳香类蛋白酪氨酸物质;②铅锌尾矿淋滤液中的重金属元素主要包括Pb、Co、Ni、Zn和Cd,且这5种金属离子均能有效淬灭EPS的荧光强度;③荧光淬灭滴定试验得出,Pb2+与EPS的络合能力最强,最大络合常数为4.523 1,最大结合位点数为1.177 5;Cd2+与EPS的络合能力最弱,最大络合常数为1.957 1,最大结合位点数为0.684 8;Co2+、Ni2+和Zn2+与EPS的络合能力相似.研究显示,藻菌生物膜EPS中含有的荧光基团与重金属离子的作用强度与金属离子的类型相关,二者的络合配位作用可能会影响重金属在水环境中的化学形态、迁移、生物有效性和生态毒性.      

溶菌酶和硫酸铝联用优化污泥脱水性能的研究

以污泥沉降体积、污泥比阻和污泥泥饼含水率为指标,考察了溶菌酶和硫酸铝联用时加药方式和加药剂量对活性污泥沉降性能及脱水性能的影响。结果表明,先投加溶菌酶后投加硫酸铝时污泥的脱水性能更佳,硫酸铝和溶菌酶的最佳投加量均为0.10 g/g TS(总固体),此时,污泥泥饼含水率和污泥比阻分别可达71.84%和0.68×1012m/kg,相比于硫酸铝单独调理分别降低了约5%和0.23×1012m/kg。污泥胞外聚合物(EPS)含量分析表明,溶菌酶和硫酸铝联用时显著降低了污泥中LB-EPS(松散附着性EPS)含量,在最佳投量下可将原污泥的LB-EPS中的蛋白质和多糖依次从(13.44±2.11)mg/L和(23.97±3.44)mg/L降至(1.72±0.32)mg/L和(8.69±0.15)mg/L,表明联合处理使得EPS中的水分得到释放,提高了脱水性能。     

曝气强度对膜生物反应器污泥混合液可滤性的影响

主要研究了曝气强度对膜生物反应器(MBR)膜污染的影响.2套MBR采用恒流出水模式连续运行60 d,曝气强度分别为500及100 L/h,应用死端过滤装置来检测不同阶段污泥混合液的可滤性.实验中对不同曝气强度下的溶解性微生物代谢产物(SMP)分子质量分布、颗粒粒径分布、胞外聚合物(EPS)含量进行了测定.结果表明,过高的曝气强度将恶化污泥混合液的可滤性,增加了膜污染速率.进一步研究表明,曝气强度的增加导致了污泥混合液上清液中相对分子质量>10000的SMP浓度的增加,此部分大分子有机物浓度直接影响了污泥混合液的可滤性.过高的曝气强度也导致了污泥絮体中1～10μm细小颗粒和EPS含量的增加.     

铁盐和铝盐混凝对水中天然有机物的去除特性研究

以三氯化铁和硫酸铝为研究对象,探讨了2种混凝剂对水中天然有机物的去除效果及特点.结果表明,低投量下,硫酸铝对天然有机物的去除效果要好于三氯化铁,混凝剂投量高于15mg/L时,三氯化铁的效果较好.如混凝剂投量为10mg/L时,硫酸铝和三氯化铁处理水的TOC分别为4.19mg/L和9mg/L;当混凝剂投量为20mg/L时, TOC分别降至2.44mg/L和1.69mg/L.三氯化铁混凝后水的pH值降低幅度高于硫酸铝,形成的水解产物所带正电荷密度升高,水中有机物的质子化程度高,有利于对有机物的吸附去除.通过对UV254出和SUVA的考察可知,三氯化铁对共轭结构及不饱和有机物的去除能力要高于硫酸铝.2种混凝剂对水中不同性质有机物的去除效果不同,三氯化铁对亲水性有机物去除效果较好,对小分子量有机物去除高于硫酸铝,如混凝剂投量为20mg/L时,三氯化铁和硫酸铝对相对分子质量区间小于10 000的有机物去除率分别为16.4%和6.1%,而硫酸铝对大分子量有机物去除效率较高.     

曝气量对SBAR中好氧颗粒污泥特性的影响

采用SBAR反应器对比研究了颗粒化后表观气速为1.8 cm·s-1和0.9cm·s-1时对成熟好氧颗粒污泥形态结构、粒径、强度等物理特性和硝化性能以及胞外聚合物代谢的影响.结果表明,颗粒化后降低曝气量增加颗粒形态不规则程度,空隙增大;55d试验中,与高曝气量下相比,降低曝气量使表观污泥产率提高33%,颗粒粒径平均增长速率提高25%,相对颗粒强度降低6%, EP5含量平均降低12%.两反应器颗粒污泥SVI值均在10～15 mL·g-1,沉降性能良好,且均具有良好硝化性能和降解COD能力.与高曝气量下相比,低曝气量下硝化菌群活性低,而异养菌活性高.     

胞外聚合物对MBR中改性无纺布过滤性能的影响

采用统计分析方法研究了胞外聚合物(extra-cellular polymeric sub6tances, EPS)对浸渍式膜生物反应器(submerged membrane bioreactor, SMBR)中聚乙烯醇改性聚丙烯无纺布过滤性能的影响.结果表明,无纺布膜组件表面污泥的溶解性EPS(soluble EPS, EPSs)、EPSs,组成(protein/carbohydrate, P/C)以及相对疏水性(relative hydrophobicity, RH)对膜的过滤性能有显著影响,与膜污染阻力的皮尔逊相关系数(rp)分别为:0.868、0.840、0.890;改性无纺布膜组件能有效抑制EPSs,的吸附、降低EPSs组分中P/C的比率、减少活性污泥的沉积.表明聚丙烯无纺布通过亲水改性后,过滤性能得到明显改善,表现出一定的耐污染性.     

强化混凝去除微污染湖泊水浊度及TOC的研究

通过烧杯混凝试验和动态连续混凝试验,就混凝剂种类、投药量、pH值、水温等因素,研究强化混凝对水中浊度和TOC去除效果的影响。试验结果表明:PAC最佳投量为30mg/L,浊度去除率为90.19%,TOC去除率为38.2%,水温高于20℃时,聚合氯化铝对浊度和TOC去除率分别高达84.95%、33.18%以上。虽然pH值是影响有机物去除的主要参数,动态连续混凝试验表明,不改变pH值,强化混凝工艺依然能极大地改善出水水质,滤后水质浊度为0.1NTU,TOC为6.23mg/L。