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Response of performance and bacterial community to oligotrophic stress in biofilm systems for raw water pretreatment

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Abstract

Understanding the dynamics of performance and bacterial community of biofilm under oligotrophic stress is necessary for the process optimization and risk management in biofilm systems for raw water pretreatment. In this study, biofilm obtained from a pilot-scale biofilm reactor was inoculated into a pilot-scale experimental tank for the treatment of oligotrophic raw water. Results showed that the removal of NH4 +–N was impaired in biofilm systems when influent NH4 +–N was less than 0.35 mg L−1 or NH4 +–N loading rate of less than 7.51 mg L−1 day−1. The dominant bacteria detected in biofilm of different carrier were obvious distinct from phylum to genus level under oligotrophic stress. The dominant bacteria in elastic stereo media carrier changed from Proteobacteria (51.1%) to Firmicutes (32.7%), while Proteobacteria was always dominant in suspended ball carrier after long-term operation under oligotrophic conditions. Oligotrophic stress largely decreased the functional bacteria for the removal of nitrogen and organics including many genera in Proteobacteria and Nitrospirae, but increased several genera with spore forming organisms or potential bacterial pathogens in ESM carrier mainly including Bacillus, Mycobacterium, Pseudomonas, etc.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province, China (No. LQ15E080012 and No. LQ17E090002) and Yumiao Talent Projects of Zhejiang Ocean University (YMJH201606).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang Ocean University, No.1 Haida South Road, Zhoushan, 316022, People’s Republic of China

    Li-juan Feng, Rong Jia, Jing-ya Sun, Jing Wang, Zheng-hui Lv, Jun Mu & Guang-feng Yang

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  1. Li-juan Feng
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  2. Rong Jia
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  3. Jing-ya Sun
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  4. Jing Wang
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  5. Zheng-hui Lv
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  7. Guang-feng Yang
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Correspondence to Guang-feng Yang.

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Feng, Lj., Jia, R., Sun, Jy. et al. Response of performance and bacterial community to oligotrophic stress in biofilm systems for raw water pretreatment. Biodegradation 28, 231–244 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-017-9792-y

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