scispace - formally typeset
Search or ask a question
Journal ArticleDOI

The sequencing batch reactor as a powerful tool for the study of slowly growing anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing microorganisms

27 Nov 1998-Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology (Springer-Verlag)-Vol. 50, Iss: 5, pp 589-596
TL;DR: It is suggested that the SBR could be used for the enrichment and quantitative study of a large number of slowly growing microorganisms that are currently out of reach for microbiological research.
Abstract: Currently available microbiological techniques are not designed to deal with very slowly growing microorganisms. The enrichment and study of such organisms demands a novel experimental approach. In the present investigation, the sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was applied and optimized for the enrichment and quantitative study of a very slowly growing microbial community which oxidizes ammonium anaerobically. The SBR was shown to be a powerful experimental set-up with the following strong points: (1) efficient biomass retention, (2) a homogeneous distribution of substrates, products and biomass aggregates over the reactor, (3) reliable operation for more than 1 year, and (4) stable conditions under substrate-limiting conditions. Together, these points made possible for the first time the determination of several important physiological parameters such as the biomass yield (0.066 ± 0.01 C-mol/mol ammonium), the maximum specific ammonium consumption rate (45 ± 5 nmol/mg protein/min) and the maximum specific growth rate (0.0027 · h−1, doubling time 11 days). In addition, the persisting stable and strongly selective conditions of the SBR led to a high degree of enrichment (74% of the desired microorganism). This study has demonstrated that the SBR is a powerful tool compared to other techniques used in the past. We suggest that the SBR could be used for the enrichment and quantitative study of a large number of slowly growing microorganisms that are currently out of reach for microbiological research.
Citations
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
29 Jul 1999-Nature
TL;DR: The discovery of this missing lithotroph and its identification as a new, autotrophic member of the order Planctomycetales, one of the major distinct divisions of the Bacteria makes an important contribution to the problem of unculturability.
Abstract: With the increased use of chemical fertilizers in agriculture, many densely populated countries face environmental problems associated with high ammonia emissions. The process of anaerobic ammonia oxidation ('anammox') is one of the most innovative technological advances in the removal of ammonia nitrogen from waste water. This new process combines ammonia and nitrite directly into dinitrogen gas. Until now, bacteria capable of anaerobically oxidizing ammonia had never been found and were known as "lithotrophs missing from nature". Here we report the discovery of this missing lithotroph and its identification as a new, autotrophic member of the order Planctomycetales, one of the major distinct divisions of the Bacteria. The new planctomycete grows extremely slowly, dividing only once every two weeks. At present, it cannot be cultivated by conventional microbiological techniques. The identification of this bacterium as the one responsible for anaerobic oxidation of ammonia makes an important contribution to the problem of unculturability.

1,475 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This work presents a summary of PN/A technologies that have been successfully developed, implemented and optimized for high-strength ammonium wastewaters with low C:N ratios and elevated temperatures and discusses the remaining obstacles.

1,363 citations


Cites background from "The sequencing batch reactor as a p..."

  • ...In this process, ammonium as electron donor and nitrite as electron acceptor are converted anaerobically into mainly nitrogen gas and some nitrate by anammox bacteria (Strous et al., 1998)....

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The physiology of anaerobic ammonium oxidizing (anammox) aggregates grown in a sequencing batch reactor was investigated quantitatively and the anammox process was completely inhibited by nitrite concentrations higher than 0.1 g of nitrogen per liter.
Abstract: The physiology of anaerobic ammonium oxidizing (anammox) aggregates grown in a sequencing batch reactor was investigated quantitatively. The physiological pH and temperature ranges were 6.7 to 8.3 and 20 to 43°C, respectively. The affinity constants for the substrates ammonium and nitrite were each less than 0.1 mg of nitrogen per liter. The anammox process was completely inhibited by nitrite concentrations higher than 0.1 g of nitrogen per liter. Addition of trace amounts of either of the anammox intermediates (1.4 mg of nitrogen per liter of hydrazine or 0.7 mg of nitrogen per liter of hydroxylamine) restored activity completely.

1,274 citations


Cites background from "The sequencing batch reactor as a p..."

  • ...In the present study, we have investigated the physiology of aggregated anammox biomass (80% enriched in the morphotypical microorganism) grown in a sequencing batch reactor (4)....

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A consistent and descriptive nomenclature is suggested for reactors in which the anammox process is employed, and Reactors with a high specific surface area like the granular sludge reactor employed in Rotterdam provide the highest volumetric loading rates.

1,055 citations


Cites background or methods from "The sequencing batch reactor as a p..."

  • ....nl (W.R.L. van der Star). requirement due to the slow growth rate) leads to an overall stoichiometry showing a relatively low biomass yield (Strous et al., 1998): NH4þ þ 1:32 NO2 þ 0:066 HCO3 þ 0:13 Hþ !...

    [...]

  • ...The process is performed by bacteria in the order of the Planctomycetales (Strous et al., 1999a) and is—with an estimated doubling time of 11 days (Strous et al., 1998)—characterized by an extremely slow growth rate....

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The test period showed that the combined SHARON-Anammox system can work stably over long periods and the process is ready for full-scale implementation.

856 citations


Cites background from "The sequencing batch reactor as a p..."

  • ...The bacteria responsible for the process have been enriched in a sequencing batch reactor on a synthetic medium containing ammonium, nitrite and bicarbonate (Strous et al., 1998, 1999b)....

    [...]

  • ...…Schmid et al. 2000 Packed Bed NH4-medium Anoxic –/+ Ashbolt pers. comm. Fluid Bed NH4-medium Anoxic –/+ Jetten et al. 1998 SBR NH4-medium Anoxic –/+ Strous et al. 1998 SBR Sludge liquor Anoxic –/+ This paper Downloaded from https://iwaponline.com/wst/article-pdf/44/1/153/429959/153.pdf by guest…...

    [...]

  • ...This indicated that the washed out biomass from the SHARON system (which operates without biomass U . van D ongen et al. 157 Table 2 Reports on Anammox like activity and presence of planctomycete like Anammox bacteria System Influent Conditions FISH Neu/Amx Reference RBC Wastewater O2-limited +/+ Siegrist et al. 1998 RBC Leachate O2-limited +/+ Hippen et al. 1996 Helmer 1998 Trickling Filter NH4-medium O2-limited +/+ Schmid et al. 2000 Packed Bed NH4-medium Anoxic –/+ Ashbolt pers. comm. Fluid Bed NH4-medium Anoxic –/+ Jetten et al. 1998 SBR NH4-medium Anoxic –/+ Strous et al. 1998 SBR Sludge liquor Anoxic –/+ This paper Downloaded from https://iwaponline.com/wst/article-pdf/44/1/153/429959/153.pdf by guest on 05 December 2019 retention) has no negative effect on the Anammox process when it is performed in a granular sludge reactor....

    [...]

References
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Phylogenetic analysis of the retrieved rRNA sequence of an uncultured microorganism reveals its closest culturable relatives and may, together with information on the physicochemical conditions of its natural habitat, facilitate more directed cultivation attempts.

9,017 citations


"The sequencing batch reactor as a p..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Furthermore, the low levels of ribosomal RNA frequently encountered in natural samples (Amann et al. 1995) indicate that many of these interesting organisms can be expected to have a low growth rate, such as the anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing population studied in our laboratory....

    [...]

  • ...Furthermore, the low levels of ribosomal RNA frequently encountered in natural samples ( Amann et al. 1995 ) indicate that many of these interesting organisms can be expected to have a low growth rate, such as the anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing population studied in our laboratory....

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, an analysis for the rapid determination of nitrate-N in plant extracts is described. And the complex formed by nitration of salicylic acid under highly acidic conditions absorbs maximally at 410 nm in basic (pH>12) solutions.
Abstract: An analysis is described for the rapid determination of nitrate‐N in plant extracts. The complex formed by nitration of salicylic acid under highly acidic conditions absorbs maximally at 410 nm in basic (pH>12) solutions. Absorbance of the chromophore is directly proportional to the amount of nitrate‐N present. Ammonium, nitrite, and chloride ions do not interfere.

2,870 citations


"The sequencing batch reactor as a p..." refers methods in this paper

  • ...Analytical procedures Nitrogen compounds Nitrate was measured colorimetrically after a reaction with salicylic acid (detection range 0.2±10 mM; Cataldo et al. 1975)....

    [...]

  • ...Nitrate was measured colorimetrically after a reaction with salicylic acid (detection range 0.2±10 mM; Cataldo et al. 1975)....

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI
02 May 1997-Science
TL;DR: Over three decades of molecular-phylogenetic studies, researchers have compiled an increasingly robust map of evolutionary diversification showing that the main diversity of life is microbial, distributed among three primary relatedness groups or domains: Archaea, Bacteria, and Eucarya.
Abstract: Over three decades of molecular-phylogenetic studies, researchers have compiled an increasingly robust map of evolutionary diversification showing that the main diversity of life is microbial, distributed among three primary relatedness groups or domains: Archaea, Bacteria, and Eucarya. The general properties of representatives of the three domains indicate that the earliest life was based on inorganic nutrition and that photosynthesis and use of organic compounds for carbon and energy metabolism came comparatively later. The application of molecular-phylogenetic methods to study natural microbial ecosystems without the traditional requirement for cultivation has resulted in the discovery of many unexpected evolutionary lineages; members of some of these lineages are only distantly related to known organisms but are sufficiently abundant that they are likely to have impact on the chemistry of the biosphere.

2,650 citations


"The sequencing batch reactor as a p..." refers background in this paper

  • ...In the past years molecular ecology has indicated that classical microbiological studies have been devoted to only a small part of the natural diversity (Pace 1997; Raskin et al. 1995, Ward et al.1990)....

    [...]

  • ...In the past years molecular ecology has indicated that classical microbiological studies have been devoted to only a small part of the natural diversity ( Pace 1997; Raskin et al. 1995, Ward et al.1990)....

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In comparison with other methods in current use, this method has distinct advantages in sensitivity, simplicity, and precision, thus economizing in time, sample volume, reagents, and equipment.
Abstract: A method is described for the determination of urea in plasma and urine. The effects of variations in the experimental conditions are examined and the results of recovery experiments and other tests of precision and accuracy are reported. In comparison with other methods in current use, this method has distinct advantages in sensitivity, simplicity, and precision, thus economizing in time, sample volume, reagents, and equipment.

2,428 citations


"The sequencing batch reactor as a p..." refers methods in this paper

  • ...Ammonium was measured colorimetrically after a reaction with phenol (detection range 0.01‐0.2 mM) ( Fawcett and Scott 1960 )....

    [...]

  • ...Ammonium was measured colorimetrically after a reaction with phenol (detection range 0.01±0.2 mM) (Fawcett and Scott 1960)....

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Anaerobic ammonium oxidation is a new process in which ammonium is oxidized with nitrate serving as the electron acceptor under anaerobic conditions, producing dinitrogen gas, and has been given the name ‘Anammox’ (anaerobic ammonia oxidation), and has be patented.

1,648 citations


"The sequencing batch reactor as a p..." refers methods in this paper

  • ...A 2 l SBR (SBR 2 l) was inoculated at t 0 with 0.45 g dry weight of Anammox granules (Mulder et al. 1995)....

    [...]

  • ...Inoculum Granules from a 27-l denitrifying ± and anaerobic ammoniumoxidizing ± ¯uidized bed reactor (Mulder et al. 1995) were used as the source of the biomass....

    [...]