Abstract
A bench-scale biological aerated filter (BAF) was operated under a range of substrate loadings and C/N influent ratios. Start-up with a substrate loading of 4.8 COD kg m-3 d-1 and an influent C/N ratio of 1.5 gave no nitrification, due to the high biofilm detachment rate caused by the daily backwashing. Subsequent runs with lower substrate loadings and backwashing rates allowed stable nitrification. A final run with the initial substrate loading and backwash rate gave stable nitrification. Oligonucleotide probes targeted to the 16S rRNA of the nitrifiers, as well as to other types of microorganisms, were used to characterize how the changes in loading and detachment affected the microbial structure in the biofilms. The proportion of nitrifiers decreased with increasing C/N ratio. The biofilm remaining after backwashing also contained a higher fraction of nitrifiers than did the backwash solids stripped from the outer layers of biofilm, which consisted mainly of active heterotrophs. Thus, stable nitrification was possible only when the nitrifiers became established deeper inside the biofilm.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 75-84 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Water Science and Technology |
| Volume | 32 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1995 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- 16S rRNA
- Biofilm
- Biological aerated filter
- C/N ratio
- Heterotrophs
- Nitrification
- Nitrifiers
- Oligonucleotide probe
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Water Science and Technology
Cite this
Influence of substrate C/N ratio on the structure of multi-species biofilms consisting of nitrifiers and heterotrophs. / Ohashi, A.; De Silva, D. G V; Mobarry, B.; Manem, J. A.; Stahl, D. A.; Rittmann, Bruce.
In: Water Science and Technology, Vol. 32, No. 8, 1995, p. 75-84.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Influence of substrate C/N ratio on the structure of multi-species biofilms consisting of nitrifiers and heterotrophs
AU - Ohashi, A.
AU - De Silva, D. G V
AU - Mobarry, B.
AU - Manem, J. A.
AU - Stahl, D. A.
AU - Rittmann, Bruce
PY - 1995
Y1 - 1995
N2 - A bench-scale biological aerated filter (BAF) was operated under a range of substrate loadings and C/N influent ratios. Start-up with a substrate loading of 4.8 COD kg m-3 d-1 and an influent C/N ratio of 1.5 gave no nitrification, due to the high biofilm detachment rate caused by the daily backwashing. Subsequent runs with lower substrate loadings and backwashing rates allowed stable nitrification. A final run with the initial substrate loading and backwash rate gave stable nitrification. Oligonucleotide probes targeted to the 16S rRNA of the nitrifiers, as well as to other types of microorganisms, were used to characterize how the changes in loading and detachment affected the microbial structure in the biofilms. The proportion of nitrifiers decreased with increasing C/N ratio. The biofilm remaining after backwashing also contained a higher fraction of nitrifiers than did the backwash solids stripped from the outer layers of biofilm, which consisted mainly of active heterotrophs. Thus, stable nitrification was possible only when the nitrifiers became established deeper inside the biofilm.
AB - A bench-scale biological aerated filter (BAF) was operated under a range of substrate loadings and C/N influent ratios. Start-up with a substrate loading of 4.8 COD kg m-3 d-1 and an influent C/N ratio of 1.5 gave no nitrification, due to the high biofilm detachment rate caused by the daily backwashing. Subsequent runs with lower substrate loadings and backwashing rates allowed stable nitrification. A final run with the initial substrate loading and backwash rate gave stable nitrification. Oligonucleotide probes targeted to the 16S rRNA of the nitrifiers, as well as to other types of microorganisms, were used to characterize how the changes in loading and detachment affected the microbial structure in the biofilms. The proportion of nitrifiers decreased with increasing C/N ratio. The biofilm remaining after backwashing also contained a higher fraction of nitrifiers than did the backwash solids stripped from the outer layers of biofilm, which consisted mainly of active heterotrophs. Thus, stable nitrification was possible only when the nitrifiers became established deeper inside the biofilm.
KW - 16S rRNA
KW - Biofilm
KW - Biological aerated filter
KW - C/N ratio
KW - Heterotrophs
KW - Nitrification
KW - Nitrifiers
KW - Oligonucleotide probe
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0029554211&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0029554211&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/0273-1223(96)00010-8
DO - 10.1016/0273-1223(96)00010-8
M3 - Article
VL - 32
SP - 75
EP - 84
JO - Water Science and Technology
JF - Water Science and Technology
SN - 0273-1223
IS - 8
ER -