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Distribution of Nitrosomonas ‐Related Ammonia‐Oxidizing Bacteria and Nitrobacter ‐Related Nitrite‐Oxidizing Bacteria in Two Full‐Scale Biological Nutrient Removal Plants
Author(s) -
Ramdhani Nishani,
Kumari Sheena,
Bux Faizal
Publication year - 2013
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 - 10.2175/106143013x13596524516022
Subject(s) - nitrobacter , nitrosomonas , nitrification , biology , nitrifying bacteria , nitrosomonas europaea , nitrite , bacteria , nitrospira , microbiology and biotechnology , 16s ribosomal rna , environmental chemistry , chemistry , ecology , nitrate , nitrogen , genetics , organic chemistry
The dominant nitrifying bacterial communities and nitrification performance of two biological nutrient removal plants were evaluated. Fluorescent in situ hybridization was used to detect and quantify the dominant nitrifying bacteria and polymerase chain reaction; cloning and sequence analysis of 16S rRNA genes was done for phylogenetic analysis. Fluorescent in situ hybridization‐confocal scanning laser microscopy studies revealed the presence and dominance of Nitrosomonas ‐related ammonia‐oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and Nitrobacter ‐related nitrite‐oxidizing bacteria (NOB); however, a significant variation in AOB/NOB ratios was recorded. The plant with an overall higher AOB/NOB ratio (≥1.0) and dissolved oxygen concentration (1.8 to 2.5 mg/L) showed a higher nitrification rate. This study has also shown the co‐existence and variation in phylogenetically diverse Nitrosomonas ‐related AOB and Nitrobacter ‐related NOB at these two plants. These dissimilar, distinct distribution patterns of nitrifying communities could be attributed to wastewater characteristics and the process configuration, which, in turn, would have also affected the nitrification performance of the systems.