Premium
Monochloramine Cometabolism by Nitrifying Biofilm Relevant to Drinking Water
Author(s) -
Wahman David G.,
Maestre Juan P.,
Speitel Gerald E.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal ‐ american water works association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.466
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1551-8833
pISSN - 0003-150X
DOI - 10.5942/jawwa.2016.108.0092
Subject(s) - cometabolism , nitrospira , nitrification , biofilm , nitrosomonas , chloramine , environmental chemistry , chemistry , nitrosomonas europaea , nitrifying bacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , environmental engineering , environmental science , biology , organic chemistry , nitrogen , genetics , chlorine , bioremediation
Biological monochloramine removal (i.e., cometabolism) by a pure culture ammonia‐oxidizing bacteria— Nitrosomonas europaea —and a nitrifying mixed culture have recently been shown to increase monochloramine demand. Although important, these previous suspended‐culture batch kinetic experiments were not representative of drinking water distribution systems, where bacteria grow predominantly as biofilm attached to pipe walls or sediments, and physiological differences may exist between suspension and biofilm growth. The current research made an important next step in extending the previous results by investigating monochloramine cometabolism by biofilm grown in annular reactors under conditions relevant to drinking water. Estimated monochloramine cometabolism kinetics were similar to those of ammonia metabolism, and monochloramine cometabolism was a significant loss mechanism (30–40% of the observed monochloramine loss). These results demonstrate that monochloramine cometabolism occurred in nitrifying biofilm relevant to drinking water; thus, cometabolism may be a significant contribution to monochloramine loss during nitrification episodes in distribution systems.