Deammonification in biofilm systems: population structure and function.
For the development of alternative concepts for the cost effective treatment of wastewaters with high ammonium content and low C/N-ratio, autotrophic consortia of micro-organisms with the ability to convert ammonium directly into N2 are of particular interest. Several full-scale industrial biofilm plants eliminating nitrogen without carbon source for years in a stable process, are suspected for some time to harbor active anaerobic ammonium oxidizers in deeper, oxygen-limited biofilm layers. In order to identify the processes of the single-stage nitrogen elimination (deammonification) in biofilm systems and to allocate them to the responsible micro-organisms, a deammonifying moving-bed pilot plant was investigated in detail. 15N-labelled tracer compounds were used as well as 16S rDNA libraries and in situ identification of dominant organisms. The usage of rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes (FISH) was particularly emphasized on the ammonium oxidizers of the beta-subclass of Proteobacteria and on the members of the order Planctomycetales. The combined application of these methods led to a deeper insight into the population structure and function of a deammonifying biofilm.
Helmer-Madhok
C
C
Institute for Water Quality and Waste Management, University of Hannover, Germany.
Schmid
M
M
Filipov
E
E
Gaul
T
T
Hippen
A
A
Rosenwinkel
K H
KH
Seyfried
C F
CF
Wagner
M
M
Kunst
S
S
D018441:Biofilms; D019149:Bioreactors; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011157:Population Dynamics; D020560:Proteobacteria / Q000502:physiology*; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid
D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012722:Sewage