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Nitrifying Biofilm Development with Time: Activity Versus Phylogenetic Composition
Author(s) -
Biesterfeld Sidney,
Figueroa Linda
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
water environment research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.356
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1554-7531
pISSN - 1061-4303
DOI - 10.2175/106143002x140260
Subject(s) - nitrification , nitrifying bacteria , biofilm , environmental chemistry , bacteria , nitrobacter , trickling filter , biology , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , ecology , environmental engineering , environmental science , nitrogen , sewage treatment , organic chemistry , genetics
The development of nitrifying biofilms collected from a full‐scale nitrifying trickling filter was evaluated through the application of fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and by quantification of nitrification rates in bench‐scale reactors. Two sampling campaigns were conducted to evaluate the structure and function of biofilms between 14 and 70 days old. The structure, or number of ammonia‐oxidizing bacteria, was quantified with Nso190. The function was quantified with bench‐scale nitrification rates. The two assays were compared by calculating correlation coefficients by simple linear regression of the two data sets. The number of ammonia‐oxidizing bacteria closely tracked activity data (linear correlation, r 2 > 0.500). Changes in ammonia‐oxidation capacity with time (7‐day intervals) were mirrored by shifts in the percent of ammonia‐oxidizing bacteria present. Nitrification rates did not correlate to the EUB338‐probe stained area ( r 2 < 0.500), suggesting that nonnitrifying bacteria play a larger role in nitrifying biofilm ecology than previously thought. Dry‐weight biomass accumulations did not correlate to either the EUB338‐probe stained area or the bench‐scale nitrification rates. This suggests that inert materials accumulate in the biofilms over time.