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Structure and Succession of Bacterial Communities of the Granular Sludge during the Initial Stage of the Simultaneous Denitrification and Methanogenesis Process

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Abstract

Batch experiment at COD/NO3 −-N ratio of 8.0 was conducted to investigate the initial performance of the simultaneous denitrification and methanogenesis (SDM) process and corresponding granular sludge (SDMGS). The results showed a high level of inhibition of methanogenesis activity with nitrate addition, and the particle size, settling performance, and morphologies of the SDMGS were also different from conventional methanogenesis granular sludge. The structure and succession of bacterial communities of the granular sludge during the initial stage of the SDM process were determined using the high-throughput sequencing method. Sequence analysis indicated that diversity of bacterial communities was significantly decreased due to nitrate addition. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Spirochaetes were identified to be the dominant bacterial communities (96.06%) of the SDMGS samples, and microbes associated with anaerobic fermentation were reorganized. Alpha-, Beta- and Gamma-proteobacteria, and Bacteroides might be the sources of denitrificans. Lastly, species associated with animal and human infections, such as Enterobacteriaceae, Bacteroides, and other common human enteric pathogens, were found to be recovered during the initial stage. Short-term assessment of bacterial communities of the SDMGS would strengthen understandings of the effects of nitrate contamination in water bodies and provide vital guidance for operation of nitrate-containing wastewater treatment.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31570568), the State Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper Engineering in China (No. 201535), and Guangdong High-level Talent Project (No. 201339). The authors are thankful to the editors and all the anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments and suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Centre, Guangzhou, 510006, People’s Republic of China

    Xiao-Hui Yi, Jinquan Wan, Yongwen Ma, Yan Wang, Zeyu Guan & Dan-Dan Jing

  2. The Key Lab of Pollution Control and Ecosystem Restoration in Industry Clusters, Ministry of Education, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Centre, Guangzhou, 510006, People’s Republic of China

    Xiao-Hui Yi, Jinquan Wan, Yongwen Ma, Yan Wang, Zeyu Guan & Dan-Dan Jing

  3. State Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, People’s Republic of China

    Jinquan Wan & Yongwen Ma

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  1. Xiao-Hui Yi
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  2. Jinquan Wan
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  4. Yan Wang
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Correspondence to Jinquan Wan.

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Yi, XH., Wan, J., Ma, Y. et al. Structure and Succession of Bacterial Communities of the Granular Sludge during the Initial Stage of the Simultaneous Denitrification and Methanogenesis Process. Water Air Soil Pollut 228, 121 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-016-3168-5

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