Investigation into the effect of high concentrations of volatile fatty acids in anaerobic digestion on methanogenic communities

A study was conducted to determine whether differences in the levels of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in anaerobic digester plants could result in variations in the indigenous methanogenic communities. Two digesters (one operated under mesophilic conditions, the other under thermophilic conditions) were monitored, and sampled at points where VFA levels were high, as well as when VFA levels were low. Physical and chemical parameters were measured, and the methanogenic diversity was screened using the phylogenetic microarray ANAEROCHIP. In addition, real-time PCR was used to quantify the presence of the different methanogenic genera in the sludge samples. Array results indicated that the archaeal communities in the different reactors were stable, and that changes in the VFA levels of the anaerobic digesters did not greatly alter the dominating methanogenic organisms. In contrast, the two digesters were found to harbour different dominating methanogenic communities, which appeared to remain stable over time. Real-time PCR results were inline with those of microarray analysis indicating only minimal changes in methanogen numbers during periods of high VFAs, however, revealed a greater diversity in methanogens than found with the array.     

晚期垃圾渗滤液的部分亚硝化

利用实验室小试SBR在(33±1)℃的条件下,通过动态调控溶氧浓度(DO)(2～7 mg/L)和水力停留时间(2～5 d),经过130 d的运行成功启动了晚期垃圾渗滤液(NH4+-N含量1 227～2 133 mg/L)的部分亚硝化,使出水NO2--N∶NH4+-N稳定维持在1∶1左右,为后续的厌氧氨氧化工艺创造了进水条件。利用实时荧光定量PCR研究启动过程中的特异微生物氨氧化细菌的含量变化表明,氨氧化细菌的含量与NO2--N的生成速率和出水NO2--N稳定性有着显著相关性。     

实时荧光定量PCR对A2/O短程硝化系统内氨氧化菌的定量分析

通过控制好氧区低DO浓度以及缩短好氧实际水力停留时间(actual hydraulic retention time,AHRT),在处理低C/N比实际生活污水的A2/O工艺中,成功启动并维持了短程硝化反硝化;系统亚硝酸盐积累率稳定维持在90%左右,氨氮去除率在95%以上。通过提取富集氨氧化菌(ammonia oxidizing bacteria,AOB)的基因组DNA,经两次常规PCR扩增和琼脂糖凝胶电泳,以纯化回收的DNA扩增片段作为实时荧光定量PCR检测AOB数量的DNA标准品,建立了检测AOB数量的实时荧光定量PCR标准曲线。利用实时荧光定量PCR技术比较了A2/O系统在不同运行条件及亚硝酸盐积累率情况下AOB菌群数量。结果表明,随着系统亚硝酸盐积累率的上升,系统内AOB菌群数量也大幅上升。全程硝化和短程硝化时,系统内的AOB菌群数量分别为5.28×109cells/g MLVSS和3.95×1010cells/g MLVSS。此外,亚硝酸盐积累率的下降相对于AOB菌群数量的下降有一定的滞后性。     

pH、盐度对微生物还原硫酸盐的影响研究

采用厌氧生物处理工艺,研究了在不同盐度下pH连续降低对硫酸盐还原和有机物去除率的影响。实验结果表明,硫酸盐还原菌有很强的适应pH变化的能力,在pH值达到4以下仍有60％的硫酸盐去除率。NaCl浓度由4g／L增加到50g／L抑制了各厌氧菌的活性,导致硫酸盐和有机物去除率的下降,但硫酸盐还原菌耐受性高于产甲烷菌等其他厌氧菌,在NaCl浓度为50g／L下,硫酸盐去除率能达到50％,而有机物去除率则低于30％。qRT—PCR表明了系统菌落中SRB随着环境的变化情况与化学指标结果相一致,该反应器体系中SRB在整个厌氧菌群落中只占了很小部分。     

Soil nitrogen transformations under elevated atmospheric CO₂ and O₃ during the soybean growing season

We investigated the influence of elevated CO₂ and O₃ on soil N cycling within the soybean growing season and across soil environments (i.e., rhizosphere and bulk soil) at the Soybean Free Air Concentration Enrichment (SoyFACE) experiment in Illinois, USA. Elevated O₃ decreased soil mineral N likely through a reduction in plant material input and increased denitrification, which was evidenced by the greater abundance of the denitrifier gene nosZ. Elevated CO₂ did not alter the parameters evaluated and both elevated CO₂ and O₃ showed no interactive effects on nitrifier and denitrifier abundance, nor on total and mineral N concentrations. These results indicate that elevated CO₂ may have limited effects on N transformations in soybean agroecosystems. However, elevated O₃ can lead to a decrease in soil N availability in both bulk and rhizosphere soils, and this likely also affects ecosystem productivity by reducing the mineralization rates of plant-derived residues.