Tallinn University of Technology

About: Tallinn University of Technology is a education organization based out in Tallinn, Estonia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: European union & Computer science. The organization has 3688 authors who have published 10313 publications receiving 145058 citations. The organization is also known as: Tallinn Technical University & Tallinna Tehnikaülikool.

Droplet-based digital antibiotic susceptibility screen reveals single-cell clonal heteroresistance in an isogenic bacterial population.

Abstract: Since antibiotic resistance is a major threat to global health, recent observations that the traditional test of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) is not informative enough to guide effective antibiotic treatment are alarming. Bacterial heteroresistance, in which seemingly susceptible isogenic bacterial populations contain resistant sub-populations, underlies much of this challenge. To close this gap, here we developed a droplet-based digital MIC screen that constitutes a practical analytical platform for quantifying the single-cell distribution of phenotypic responses to antibiotics, as well as for measuring inoculum effect with high accuracy. We found that antibiotic efficacy is determined by the amount of antibiotic used per bacterial colony forming unit (CFU), not by the absolute antibiotic concentration, as shown by the treatment of beta-lactamase-carrying Escherichia coli with cefotaxime. We also noted that cells exhibited a pronounced clustering phenotype when exposed to near-inhibitory amounts of cefotaxime. Overall, our method facilitates research into the interplay between heteroresistance and antibiotic efficacy, as well as research into the origin and stimulation of heterogeneity by exposure to antibiotics. Due to the absolute bacteria quantification in this digital assay, our method provides a platform for developing reference MIC assays that are robust against inoculum-density variations.

Sulfate-reducing anaerobic ammonium oxidation as a potential treatment method for high nitrogen-content wastewater

Abstract: After sulfate-reducing ammonium oxidation (SRAO) was first assumed in 2001, several works have been published describing this process in laboratory-scale bioreactors or occurring in the nature. In this paper, the SRAO process was performed using reject water as a substrate for microorganisms and a source of NH4 +, with SO4 2− being added as an electron acceptor. At a moderate temperature of 20°C in a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) sulfate reduction along with ammonium oxidation were established. In an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (UASBR) the SRAO process took place at 36°C. Average volumetric TN removal rates of 0.03 kg-N/m³/day in the MBBR and 0.04 kg-N/m³/day in the UASBR were achieved, with long-term moderate average removal efficiencies, respectively. Uncultured bacteria clone P4 and uncultured planctomycete clone Amx-PAn30 were detected from the biofilm of the MBBR, from sludge of the UASBR uncultured Verrucomicrobiales bacterium clone De2102 and Uncultured bacterium clone ATB-KS-1929 were found also. The stoichiometrical ratio of NH4 + removal was significantly higher than could be expected from the extent of SO4 2− reduction. This phenomenon can primarily be attributed to complex interactions between nitrogen and sulfur compounds and organic matter present in the wastewater. The high NH4 + removal ratio can be attributed to sulfur-utilizing denitrification/denitritation providing the evidence that SRAO is occurring independently and is not a result of sulfate reduction and anammox. HCO3 – concentrations exceeding 1,000 mg/l were found to have an inhibiting effect on the SRAO process. Small amounts of hydrazine were naturally present in the reaction medium, indicating occurrence of the anammox process. Injections of anammox intermediates, hydrazine and hydroxylamine, had a positive effect on SRAO process performance, particularly in the case of the UASBR.

A pilot study of three-stage biological–chemical treatment of landfill leachate applying continuous ferric sludge reuse in Fenton-like process

Abstract: This pilot study describes a three-stage continuous process for treating landfill leachate containing significant concentrations of recalcitrant organic substances. The proposed technological scheme consisted of an activated sludge pre-treatment combined with a Fenton-like process enhanced by continuous sludge reuse and followed by an activated sludge post-oxidation. Biological pre-treatment removed >99, 86, >99, 83 and 86 % of BOD7, COD, NH4 +–N, phenols and the sum of lignin and tannins, respectively. Operational conditions in the ferric sludge-catalysed Fenton-like process stage were carefully adjusted in order to maintain the efficacy and practicability of combined treatment scheme. Although the application of ferric sludge as a catalyst in the Fenton-like oxidation reduced COD removal efficiency by 32 % as compared to the conventional Fenton process, lower process efficiency was compensated by reducing the water exchange ratio to 50 % without increasing the consumption of reagents. Moreover, an intermittent addition (added to every second treatment cycle) of fresh ferrous iron catalyst at a H2O2/Fe2+ w/w ratio of 20/1 increased the BOD7/COD ratio from 0.04 to 0.32 and resulted in 60 % COD removal. A cyclic addition (added to every treatment cycle) of the same amount of catalyst increased the BOD7/COD ratio from 0.09 to 0.32, and a 10 % higher COD removal efficiency as compared to intermittent catalyst addition was achieved. Finally, biological post-treatment of the leachate resulted in more than 95 % removal of each measured parameter. Overall, the combined technological scheme with continuous ferric sludge reuse in the Fenton-like stage proved promising alternative for landfill leachate treatment.