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Efficiency of Nitrifying and Denitrifying Bacteria in Removing Micropollutants in Water Samples

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Abstract

Several regions of the world have been suffering from problems of water quality degradation caused mainly by the input of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, resulting from anthropic activities. In excess, these nutrients can be considered micropollutants that could be responsible for the blooms of aquatic plant species, algae, and potentially toxic cyanobacteria, resulting in the interference of water quality in the socio-economic and environmental sector. Biological mitigation measures using specific microorganisms have been applied for the removal of micro pollutants due to their high efficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus. The present study analyzed the efficiency of nitrifying bacteria such as N. europaea and N. winodradskyi and P. denitrificans denitrifying bacteria, individually and as a bacterial pool (formed by N. europaea, N. winodradskyi, and P. denitrificans), in removing NH3, NO2−, NO3−, N, P, and PO43−, in pure water samples at times 0 to 1440 min and 0 to 7200 min. N. europaea and N. winodradskyi presented 100% removal efficiency for compounds NH3 and NO2− respectively, and bacterial pool removed 100% of compounds NO2− and P at time 1440 min (24 h). At time 7200 min (120 h), P. denitrificans obtained 100% removal of NO2− and NO3−. Over time, the bacterial pool obtained 100% removal for all compounds analyzed in the present study. This paper demonstrated the excellent performance of microorganisms in the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus compounds in pure water samples.

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  1. Department of Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Polytechnic School, Rua Professor Aristídes Novis, 2, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

    Jaqueline Souza & Terencio Rebello de Aguiar Junior

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  1. Jaqueline Souza
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Highlights

• Biological treatment is an effective way to remove micropollutants.

• Bacteria efficiency is related to contact time with nitrogen and phosphorus.

• Bacterial pool removes 100% of nitrogen and phosphorus.

• The bacteria can be applied as water micro pollutant remediators.

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Souza, J., de Aguiar Junior, T.R. Efficiency of Nitrifying and Denitrifying Bacteria in Removing Micropollutants in Water Samples. Water Air Soil Pollut 231, 180 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-020-04523-z

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