Research on polyhydroxyalkanoates and glycogen transformations: Key aspects to biologic nitrogen and phosphorus removal in low dissolved oxygen systems

In this paper, a study was conducted on the effect of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) and glycogen transformations on biologic nitrogen and phosphorus removal in low dissolved oxygen (DO) systems. Two laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactors (SBR1 and SBR2) were operating with anaerobic/aerobic (low DO, 0.15–0.45 mg·L^-1) configurations, which cultured a propionic to acetic acid ratio (molar carbon ratio) of 1.0 and 2.0, respectively. Fewer poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB), total PHA, and glycogen transformations were observed with the increase of propionic/acetic acid, along with more poly-3-hydroxyvalerate (PHV) and poly-3-hydroxy-2-methyvalerate (PH2MV) shifts. The total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiency was 68% and 82% in SBR1 and SBR2, respectively. In the two SBRs, the soluble ortho-phosphate (SOP) removal efficiency was 94% and 99%, and the average sludge polyphosphate (poly-P) content (g·g-MLVSS^-1) was 8.3% and 10.2%, respectively. Thus, the propionic to acetic acid ratio of the influent greatly influenced the PHA form and quantity, glycogen transformation, and poly-P contained in activated sludge and further determined TN and SOP removal efficiency. Moreover, significant correlations between the SOP removal rate and the (PHV+ PH2MV)/PHA ratio were observed (R²>0.99). Accordingly, PHA and glycogen transformations should be taken into account as key components for optimizing anaerobic/aerobic (low DO) biologic nitrogen and phosphorus removal systems.     

Nitrifying population dynamics in a redox stratified membrane biofilm reactor (RSMBR) for treating ammonium-rich wastewater

Nitrogen removal performance and nitrifying population dynamics were investigated in a redox stratified membrane biofilm reactor (RSMBR) under oxygen limited condition to treat ammonium-rich wastewater. When the NH4+-N loading rate increased from 11.1±1.0 to 37.2±3.2 gNH4+-N·m-2·d-1, the nitrogen removal in the RSMBR system increased from 18.0±9.6 mgN·d^-1 to 128.9±61.7 mgN·d^-1. Shortcut nitrogen removal was achieved with nitrite accumulation of about 22.3±5.3 mgNO2--N·L-1. Confocal micrographs showed the stratified distributions of nitrifiers and denitrifiers in the membrane aerated biofilms (MABs) at day 120, i.e., ammonia and nitrite oxidizing bacteria (AOB and NOB) were dominant in the region adjacent to the membrane, while heterotrophic bacteria propagated at the top of the biofilm. Real-time qPCR results showed that the abundance of amoA gene was two orders of magnitude higher than the abundance of nxrA gene in the MABs. However, the nxrA gene was always detected during the operation time, which indicates the difficulty of complete washout of NOB in MABs. The growth of heterotrophic bacteria compromised the dominance of nitrifiers in biofilm communities, but it enhanced the denitrification performance of the RSMBR system. Applying a high ammonia loading together with oxygen limitation was found to be an effective way to start nitrite accumulation in MABs, but other approaches were needed to sustain or improve the extent of nitritation in nitrogen conversion in MABs.     

Toxicological impact of anilofos on some physiological processes of a rice field cyanobacterium Anabaena torulosa

This study deals with the toxicological impact of the herbicide anilofos on photosynthesis, respiration, nitrogen assimilation, and antioxidant system in a diazotrophic rice field cyanobacterium Anabaena torulosa. Treatment of anilofos (1.25, 2.5, and 5?mg?L^?1) affected growth, photosynthetic pigments, photosynthesis, and respiration of the cyanobacterium. Although all the photosynthetic pigments were affected, a maximum effect of the herbicide was observed on phycocyanin (51% reduction) followed by the carotenoids. The effect of the herbicide on photosynthetic pigments resulted in 57% decrease in photosynthetic O₂ evolution. Studies on the photochemical activity demonstrated that both photosystems (PS I and PS II) were affected by the herbicide. Decrease in the photosynthesis rate resulted in decreased nitrogen assimilation, as revealed by reduced nitrate (20%) and ammonium (26%) uptake and decreased activities of nitrogenase (63% decrease) and glutamine synthetase (22% decrease). This ultimately resulted in the reduced growth of the organism. Activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase in the presence of anilofos increased by 1.8–3.5 times over control cultures. Proline content increased by 1.6 times, while the content of ascorbate decreased slightly. These results indicate that the organism was able to tolerate the herbicide stress by activating oxidative stress defense mechanism.     

洞庭湖沉积物不同形态氮赋存特征及其释放风险

为了揭示湖泊沉积物中氮的空间分布特征及其释放风险,采用连续分级提取法研究了洞庭湖表层沉积物中EN(可交换态氮)、HN(酸解态氮)及NHN(非酸解态氮)的赋存特征;同时,结合BN(生物可利用态氮)的含量和释放通量的大小,探讨了各形态氮对BN的贡献及与释放通量的相关关系. 结果表明,受水动力和湖盆地形的影响,沉积物中各形态氮含量空间差异较大. 全湖w(TN)在735.91~2846.51mg/kg之间,平均值为1371.85mg/kg,东洞庭湖、西洞庭湖、南洞庭湖、洞庭湖出口w(TN)的平均值分别为1513.43、1173.14、1262.76和1363.31mg/kg. 从各形态氮含量占w(TN)的比例来看,w(HN)最高,平均占66.74%;其次是w(NHN),平均占21.46%;w(EN)最小,仅占11.80%. 东洞庭湖、西洞庭湖、南洞庭湖、洞庭湖出口w(BN)的平均值分别为189.31、170.16、152.87和139.51mg/kg,其值大小主要受w(EN)和w(HN)的影响. 东洞庭湖、西洞庭湖、南洞庭湖、洞庭湖出口沉积物中NH₄+-N释放通量的平均值分别为6.32、7.03、7.78和146.96mg/(m2·d),沉积物中NH₄+-N释放通量主要受EN控制,其中尤其受可交换态NH₄+-N的控制,而沉积物中的HN和TN尚不是影响沉积物氮释放的主要因素.      

我国七个站点降雨和森林穿冠水中硝态氮同位素丰度

采集了我国7个站点的降雨和森林穿冠水样品,分析测定了水样中硝态氮和总氮的同位素丰度.降雨中硝态氮δ15N值范围为-9.00‰至9.71‰,其中北方站点冬季降雨中硝态氮δ15N值要远高于其他站点,可能是由于北方冬季燃煤供暖所致.穿冠水中硝态氮δ15N值范围为-16.59‰至-0.32‰,比降雨中的硝态氮δ15N值要低,其可能原因是林冠层中存在硝态氮的交换过程,从而产生了分馏作用.降雨和穿冠水中TN的δ15N值范围分别为-7.94‰至-3.07‰和-4.55‰至-1.73‰,其中穿冠水中TN的δ15N值要略高于降雨中的值.     

洱海表层沉积物中总氮含量及氨氮的释放特征

通过现场调查和室内模拟试验,对洱海具有代表性的9个表层沉积物样品中w(TN)的分布特征以及沉积物中NH₄+-N释放动力学特征进行了研究. 结果表明,洱海表层沉积物中w(TN)在2.0844～6.5153g/kg之间,平均值为3.5378g/kg,北部西岸为高值区,南部(靠近大理市)为次高值区. 一级动力学模型可很好地拟合洱海表层沉积物NH₄+-N释放动力学特征,NH₄+-N最大释放量在0.1209～0.2810g/kg之间;释放主要集中在0~5min内,约占最大释放量的68%~83%;随后释放速率逐渐放缓,到120min后基本达到释放平衡.运用无限稀释法对沉积物NH₄+-N释放潜能进行测定表明,洱海沉积物NH₄+-N释放潜能在1.7001~3.5879 g/kg之间,在水土质量比约为2500时,NH₄+-N释放量达到最大,随后释放逐渐趋于平衡. 洱海沉积物NH₄+-N释放潜能及最大释放量均与其w(TN)呈显著正相关. 洱海沉积物中w(TN)与NH₄+-N释放潜能和最大释放量均高于长江中下游湖泊,具有较大的氮释放风险.      

液氮冻融破碎生物污泥制备生物絮凝剂

利用城市剩余生物污泥,采用液氮冻融破碎、提取液提取的方法制备了生物污泥絮凝剂。对絮凝剂的制备条件及其絮凝性能进行了研究,结果表明:采用液氮冻融破碎,pH为1.0的稀盐酸溶液作为提取液提取所制备的絮凝剂,对高岭土悬浮液的絮凝效率可达98.5%。液氮冻融破碎的次数对絮凝剂制备没有明显影响。同时考察了絮凝剂投加量以及絮凝体系的pH对絮凝剂絮凝活性的影响。     

Trophic transfer of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polychlorinated biphenyls in a tidal freshwater marsh

The John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) at Tinicum Marsh contains one of the last remaining tidal freshwater marsh communities along the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River Estuary. The marsh receives a significant load of nutrients and sediment-associated contaminants and is hypothesised to act as an effective trap for these chemicals. The goal of this study was to quantify the levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at various trophic levels at two sites within Tinicum Marsh and assess the factors important in determining their bioaccumulation and trophic transfer. For both PCBs and PBDEs, lipid variation for all species was a large factor in determining contaminant body burden. Also, concentrations in biota increased with increasing trophic level as determined by nitrogen isotope analysis (δ¹⁵N values) at the downstream site within Tinicum Marsh. This trend was less apparent at the upstream site and may be due to differences in feeding behaviours among species between the two sites and/or differences in carbon and nitrogen sources and recycling. These data are valuable in assisting bioaccumulation/trophic transfer studies and serve as benchmarks to which future PCB and PBDE concentrations will be compared.     

Changes in nutrient content and stable isotope ratios of C and N during decomposition of seagrasses and mangrove leaves along a nutrient availability gradient in Florida Bay,USA

The decomposition of the mangrove Rhizophora mangle and the seagrass Thalassia testudinum was examined using litterbags along a natural gradient in nutrient availability. Seagrass leaves had a higher fraction of their biomass in the labile pool (57%), compared to mangrove leaves (36%) and seagrass rhizomes (29%); the overall decomposition rates of the starting material reflected the fractionation into labile and refractory components. There was no relationship between the N or P content of the starting material and the decomposition rate.

Nutrient availability had no influence on decomposition rate, and mass was lost at the same rate from litterbags that were buried in the sediment and litterbags that were left on the sediment surface. The dynamics of N and P content during decomposition varied as a function of starting material and burial state. N content of decomposing mangrove leaves increased, but seagrass rhizomes decreased in N content during decomposition while there was no change in seagrass leaf N content. These same general patterns held for P content, but buried seagrass leaves increased in P content while surficial leaves decreased. δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N changed by as much as 2‰ during decomposition.     

洱海北部2种典型种植制度下农田氮污染负荷研究

洱海北部区域农村面源污染是富营养化初期湖泊——洱海氮磷负荷的主要来源.以洱海北部2种典型种植制度下的农田为研究对象,采用现场调查与采样分析相结合的方法,定量分析氮的输入通量(农作物施肥、大气降水降尘、灌水和生物固氮)及输出通量(农田收获物和生物脱氮),并计算其对水环境产生的氮污染负荷净排放量(包括农田地表径流和地下渗透流).结果表明,在水稻-蚕豆种植制度下,农田为环境友好型,基本不向水环境排放氮负荷,净排放量为-30.73 kg·hm-2·a-1,主要氮输入通量为生物固氮(占43.3％),其次为有机肥(占35.O％),且输出通量主要为农作物吸收(占98.5％).在水稻-大蒜种植制度下,农田为环境污染型,净排放量为306.75 kg·hm-2·a-1,主要氮输入通量为肥料(占84.7％),其中化肥占62.1％,而输出通量中水环境排放占45.4％.水稻-大蒜种植制度亟需采取合理施肥和提高肥料利用率等农田污染防治对策.