title: Spectrometric characterization of the effluent dissolved organic matter from an anammox reactor shows correlation between the EEM signature and anammox growth.
abstract: Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) is a cost-effective process to treat high-strength nitrogenous wastewater. Even without organic carbon input, the effluent contains bioproducts from autotrophic and heterotrophic bacteria. In this work, excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy was used to characterize the effluent dissolved organic matter (EfOM) from an anammox reactor treating synthetic wastewater. Two dominant EEM components were identified as humic acid-like (component 1) and protein-like (component 2) substances with excitation/emission peaks at <240, 355, 420/464 nm and <240, 280, 330/346 nm, respectively. The presence of both compounds in the effluent was tracked during an activity recovery period (nitrogen load increased from 0.2 to 1.3 kg Nm(-3)d(-1)). The effluent concentration of both components increased during this period, indicating correlation between production and bacterial activity. The dynamics of these bioproducts during both substrate consumption and starvation phases was analyzed in batch experiments. Component 1 was only formed during substrate consumption in a rate proportional to ammonium removal and was considered an up-take associated product characteristic of anammox activity. The results show that the composition of the EfOM was qualitatively and quantitatively influenced by process performance. Monitoring the EfOM could, therefore, offer a useful approach to assess anammox process performance and must be further explored.
authors.affiliation: LEQUIA, Institute of the Environment, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, E-17071 Girona, Catalonia, Spain; Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Miljoevej, Building 113, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark. Electronic address: mael@lequia.udg.cat.
authors.forename: Maël
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruscalleda
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Miljoevej, Building 113, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark; Grundfos A/S, Poul Due Jensens Vej 7, Bjerringbro, DK-8850, Denmark.
authors.forename: Bozena
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Seredynska-Sobecka
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Miljoevej, Building 113, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark; Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Bing-Jie
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Miljoevej, Building 113, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arvin
authors.affiliation: LEQUIA, Institute of the Environment, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, E-17071 Girona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: M Dolors
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Balaguer
authors.affiliation: LEQUIA, Institute of the Environment, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, E-17071 Girona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Colprim
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Miljoevej, Building 113, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
authors.forename: Barth F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Smets
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia / Q000378:metabolism*; D000693:Anaerobiosis; D018533:Biomass; D019149:Bioreactors; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D006812:Humic Substances / Q000032:analysis*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000032:analysis / Q000382:microbiology; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000641:Ammonia; D006812:Humic Substances; D009584:Nitrogen; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Anammox; Dissolved organic matter; EEM fluorescence; Nitrogen removal; Soluble microbial product