Shifts of microbial community structure along substrate concentration gradients in immobilized biomass for nitrogen removal

Immobilized biomass technology has been regarded as an effective strategy to enhance simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) in existing aerobic biological wastewater treatment processes. Nevertheless, the mechanisms of SND in an aerobic immobilized biomass need to be proven. In this study, waste sludge from municipal wastewater treatment plants was immobilized by cellulose triacetate as bioplates, and an immobilized bioplate reactor (IBPR) was successfully established for nitrogen removal tests. The SND efficiency of the IBPR was increased 18% under the intermittent aeration (IA) mode compared with that under the continuous aeration (CA) mode. During IA operation, the IBPR achieved 96% COD removal and 76% NH4+-N removal, with 71% SND. The results of microbial community analysis by high-throughput sequencing showed that nitrogen-related functional bacteria were more abundant in the bioplates than in the attached biofilms. The colocalization of nitrifiers and denitrifiers in the bioplates was observed, and the microbial community of nitrogen-related functional bacteria clearly shifted with the substrate concentration gradients.

Automated summary

This study demonstrated the enhanced simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) in aerobic immobilized biomass using cellulose triacetate as bioplates. The immobilized bioplate reactor (IBPR) achieved higher SND efficiency under intermittent aeration (IA) mode compared to continuous aeration (CA) mode. Microbial community analysis showed that nitrogen-related functional bacteria were more abundant in the bioplates, with colocalization of nitrifiers and denitrifiers observed.