Overlooked nitrogen-cycling microorganisms in biological wastewater treatment

Abstract

• AOA and comammox bacteria can be more abundant and active than AOB/NOB at WWTPs.

• Coupled DNRA/anammox and NO_x-DAMO/anammox/comammox processes are demonstrated.

• Substrate level, SRT and stressors determine the niches of overlooked microbes.

• Applications of overlooked microbes in enhancing nitrogen removal are promising.

Nitrogen-cycling microorganisms play key roles at the intersection of microbiology and wastewater engineering. In addition to the well-studied ammonia oxidizing bacteria, nitrite oxidizing bacteria, heterotrophic denitrifiers, and anammox bacteria, there are some other N-cycling microorganisms that are less abundant but functionally important in wastewater nitrogen removal. These microbes include, but not limited to ammonia oxidizing archaea (AOA), complete ammonia oxidation (comammox) bacteria, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonia (DNRA) bacteria, and nitrate/nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidizing (NO_x-DAMO) microorganisms. In the past decade, the development of high-throughput molecular technologies has enabled the detection, quantification, and characterization of these minor populations. The aim of this review is therefore to synthesize the current knowledge on the distribution, ecological niche, and kinetic properties of these “overlooked” N-cycling microbes at wastewater treatment plants. Their potential applications in novel wastewater nitrogen removal processes are also discussed. A comprehensive understanding of these overlooked N-cycling microbes from microbiology, ecology, and engineering perspectives will facilitate the design and operation of more efficient and sustainable biological nitrogen removal processes.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Ammonia oxidizing archaea (AOA) / Complete ammonia oxidizing (comammox) bacteria / Dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) bacteria / Nitrate/nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidizing (NO _x-DAMO) microorganisms / Engineering application

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