title: Sulfate reducing bacteria and their activities in oil sands process-affected water biofilm.
abstract: Biofilm reactors were constructed to grow stratified multispecies biofilm in oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) supplemented with growth medium. The development of sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) within the biofilm and the biofilm treatment of OSPW were evaluated. The community structure and potential activity of SRB in the biofilm were investigated with H2S microsensor measurements, dsrB gene-based denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), and the real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Multispecies biofilm with a thickness of 1000 μm was successfully developed on engineered biocarriers. H2S production was observed in the deeper anoxic zone of the biofilm from around 750 μm to 1000 μm below the bulk water-biofilm interface, revealing sulfate reduction in the deeper zone of the stratified biofilm. The biofilm removed chemical oxygen demand (COD), sulfate, and nitrogen. The study expands current knowledge of biofilm treatment of OSPW and the function of anaerobic SRB in OSPW biofilm, and thus provides information for future bioreactor development in the reclamation of OSPW.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2W2, Canada.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2W2, Canada. Electronic address: tong.yu@ualberta.ca.
authors.forename: Tong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton T6G 2W2, Canada. Electronic address: yang.liu@ualberta.ca.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development; D057919:Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; D058645:Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis; D061329:Oil and Gas Fields; D059392:Petroleum Pollution; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Biofilm reactor; Microsensor; Molecular biology; Oil sands process-affected water; Sulfate reducing bacteria