Applicability of the Arrhenius model for Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria subjected to temperature time gradients

Abstract

The aim of this work is to identify the range of applicability of Arrhenius type temperature dependence for Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria (AOB) subjected to temperature time gradients through continuous titrimetric tests. An innovative online differential titrimetric technique was used to continuously monitor the maximum biologic ammonia oxidation rate of the biomass selected in a pilot scale membrane bioreactor, as a function of temperature time gradients. The monitoring technique is based on the measurement of alkalinity and hydrogen peroxide consumption rates in two parallel reactors operated in non-limiting substrate conditions for AOB; both reactors were continuously fed with mixed liquor and in one of them AOB were inhibited with allylthiourea. The effects of temperature decrease rates in the range 1 to 4°C·h⁻¹ were evaluated by controlling the titrimetric reactor in the temperature range 10°C–20°C. The dependence of growth kinetics on temperature time gradients and the range of applicability of Arrhenius model for temperature dependency of AOB growth kinetics were assessed. The Arrhenius model was found to be accurate only with temperature gradients lower than 2°C·h⁻¹. The estimated Arrhenius coefficients (θ) were shown to increase from 1.07 to 1.6 when the temperature decrease rate reached 4°C·h⁻¹.

Keywords

nitrification rate / temperature effect / continuous titrimetric tests / time-gradient temperature variations / Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria (AOB)

References

[1] Vladimirov N, Løvdok L, Lebiedz D, Sourjik V. Dependence of bacterial chemotaxis on gradient shape and adaptation rate. PLos Computational Biology, 2008, 4(12): e1000242

[2] Berg H C. Random Walks in Biology.  Princeton, USA: Princeton University Press, 1991

[3] Salman H, Libchaber A. A concentration-dependent switch in the bacterial response to temperature. Nature Cell Biology, 2007, 9(9): 1098–1100

[4] Salman H, Zilman A, Loverdo C, Jeffroy M, Libchaber A. Solitary modes of bacterial culture in a temperature gradient. Physical Review Letters, 2006, 97(11): 118101

[5] Paster E, Ryu W S. The thermal impulse response of Escherichia coli.  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2008, 115(14): 5373–5377 doi: 10.1073/pnas.0709903105

[6] Beales N. Adaptation of microorganisms to cold temperatures, week acid preservatives, low pH and osmotic stress, a review. Comprehensive Review Food Science Safety, 2004, 3(1): 1–20

[7] Lee S, Cho K, Lim J, Kim W, Hwang S. Acclimation and activity of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria with respect to variations in zinc concentration, temperature, and microbial population. Bioresource Technology, 2011, 102(5): 4196–4203

[8] Hébraud M, Potier P. Cold shock response and low temperature adaptation in psychrotrophic bacteria. Journal of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, 1999, 1(2): 211–219

[9] Hwang  J  H,  Oleszkiewicz  J  A.  Effect  of  cold-temperature  shock on  nitrification. Water  Environment  Research,  2007,  79(9):  964–968

[10] Plaza E, Trela J, Hultman B. Impact of seeding with nitrifying bacteria on nitrification process efficiency. Water Science and Technology, 2001, 43(1): 155–163

[11] Head M A, Oleszkiewicz J A. Bioaugmentation for nitrification at cold temperatures. Water Research, 2004, 38(3): 523–530

[12] Salem S, Berends D H, Heijnen J J, Van Loosdrecht M C. Bio-augmentation by nitrification with return sludge. Water Research, 2003, 37(8): 1794–1804

[13] Zhu S, Chen S. The impact of temperature on nitrification rate in fixed film biofilters. Aquacultural Engineering, 2002, 26(4): 221–237

[14] Knowles G, Downing A L, Barrett M J. Determination of kinetic constants for nitrifying bacteria in mixed cultures, with the aid of an electronic computer. Journal of General Microbiology, 1965, 38(2): 263–278

[15] Painter H A, Loveless J E. Effect of temperature and pH value on the growth-rate constant of nitrifying bacteria in the activated-sludge process. Water Research, 1983, 17(3): 237–248

[16] Sözen S, Orhon D, San H A. A new approach for the evaluation of the maximum specific growth rate in nitrification. Water Research, 1996, 30(7): 1661–1669

[17] Henze M, Gujer W, Mino T, van Loosdrecht M C M. Activated Sludge ModelsASM1, ASM2, ASM2d and ASM3.  Scientific and Technical Report No.9. London: IWA Publishing, 2000

[18] Görgün E, Insel G, Artan N, Orhon D. Model evaluation of temperature dependency for carbon and nitrogen removal in a full-scale activated sludge plant treating leather-tanning wastewater. Journal of Environmental Science and Health. Part A, Toxic/Hazardous Substances & Environmental Engineering, 2007, 42(6): 747–756

[19] Salvetti R, Azzellino A, Canziani R, Bonomo L. Effects of temperature on tertiary nitrification in moving-bed biofilm reactors. Water Research, 2006, 40(15): 2981–2993

[20] Munz G, Szoke N, Oleszkiewicz J A. Effect of ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) kinetics on bioaugmentation. Bioresource Technology, 2012, 125(12): 88–96

[21] Oleszkiewicz J A, Berquist S A. Low temperature nitrogen removal in sequencing batch reactors. Water Research, 1988, 22(9): 1163–1171

[22] Ficara E, Rocco A, Rozzi A. Determination of nitrification kinetics by the ANITA-DO stat biosensor. Water Science and Technology, 2000, 41(12): 121–128

[23] Mannucci A, Munz G, Mori G, Lubello C. On-line continuous titrimetry for biological nitrification process control.  In: Proceedings of Asset Management for Enhancing Energy Efficiency in Water and Wastewater System, Marbella 2013. London UK, IWA Publishing, 2013, 271–280

[24] Guo J, Peng Y, Huang H, Wang S, Ge S, Zhang J, Wang Z. Short- and long-term effects of temperature on partial nitrification in a sequencing batch reactor treating domestic wastewater. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2010, 179(1–3): 471–479

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the European Union for supporting this work through the Carbala Marie Curie Irses program (Carbala project 295176).

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2014 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg