title: Respirometric response and microbial succession of nitrifying sludge to m-cresol pulses in a sequencing batch reactor.
abstract: A nitrifying consortium was kinetically, stoichiometrically and molecularly characterized via the in situ pulse respirometric method and pyrosequencing analysis before and after the addition of m-cresol (25 mg C L-1) in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR). Five important kinetic and stoichiometric parameters were determined: the maximum oxygen uptake rate, the maximum nitrification rate, the oxidation yield, the biomass growth yield, and the substrate affinity constant. An inhibitory effect was observed in the nitrification process with a recovery of this by up to eight SBR cycles after m-cresol was added to the system. However, full recovery of the nitrification process was not observed, as the maximum oxygen uptake rate was 25% lower than that of the previous operation without m-cresol addition. Furthermore, the pyrosequencing analyses of the nitrifying consortium after the addition of only two pulses of 25 mg C L-1m-cresol showed an important microbial community change represented by a decrease in the nitrifying populations and an increase in the populations degrading phenolic compounds.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Estudios Superiores de Tultitlan, Universidad Mexiquense del Bicentenario, Av. Ex-Hacienda de Portales s/n Villa Esmeralda, C.P. 54910, Tultitlán de Mariano Escobedo, Mexico.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ordaz
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Campus de Ingenierías y Ciencias Exactas periférico norte km 33.5, C.P. 97203, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Campus de Ingenierías y Ciencias Exactas periférico norte km 33.5, C.P. 97203, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rivera
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Campus de Ingenierías y Ciencias Exactas periférico norte km 33.5, C.P. 97203, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Campus de Ingenierías y Ciencias Exactas periférico norte km 33.5, C.P. 97203, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico. alejandro.zepeda@correo.uady.mx.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0587-5039
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zepeda
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D018533:Biomass; D019149:Bioreactors; D003408:Cresols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D058465:Nitrification; D012722:Sewage
chemical_list: D003408:Cresols; D012722:Sewage; C032538:4-cresol
keywords: Inhibition; Nitrification; Pyrosequencing; Recovery; Respirometry; m-Cresol