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Determination of Growth Rate and Yield of Nitrifying Bacteria by Measuring Carbon Dioxide Uptake Rate
Author(s) -
Blackburne Richard,
Vadivelu Vel M.,
Yuan Zhiguo,
Keller Jürg
Publication year - 2007
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 - 10.2175/106143007x212139
Subject(s) - nitrobacter , nitrosomonas , chemistry , nitrite , carbon dioxide , nitrification , activated sludge , environmental chemistry , ammonia , nitrogen , environmental engineering , wastewater , environmental science , biochemistry , nitrate , organic chemistry
Nitrifier growth parameters—the maximum growth rate (μ Amax ) and yield ( Y A )—were estimated by measuring the rate of carbon dioxide uptake and additional rates of oxygen uptake and ammonia (or nitrite) use. Batch tests in a combined titrimetric and offgas analyzer with enriched Nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas cultures and an activated sludge sample were performed. The measured μ Amax values for the Nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas cultures were 0.67 ± 0.03 day −1 and 0.54 ± 0.09 day −1 , while the Y A values were 0.072 ± 0.01 g volatile suspended solids (VSS) · g nitrogen (N) −1 and 0.14 ± 0.02 gVSS · gN −1 , respectively. For the activated sludge sample, μ Amax was observed to increase with pH (μ Amax = 0.72 · 3.3 (pH‐7.1) ) over the range 6.8 to 7.1. All μ Amax and Y A values determined by this method were similar to those previously reported. Compared with other μ Amax and Y A estimation methods, this method allows for unique μ Amax and Y A estimations for given conditions from a single experiment.