Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 14, 2026
08:13
A Novel Bioreactor for High Density Cultivation of Diverse Microbial Communities
Published on: December 25, 2015
Analysis of microbial population dynamics in a partial nitrifying SBR at ambient temperature
Taotao Zeng1, Dong Li, Huiping Zeng
1School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, People's Republic of China. biowater@126.com
Current Microbiology
|February 5, 2013
Summary
This study achieved effective partial nitrification in a sequencing batch reactor at ambient temperatures. Higher ammonia concentrations reduced ammonia-oxidizing bacteria diversity, with Nitrosomonas dominating the microbial community.
Area of Science:
- Environmental microbiology
- Wastewater treatment technologies
Background:
- Partial nitrification is a key step in nitrogen removal from wastewater.
- Maintaining partial nitrification at ambient temperatures presents operational challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the feasibility of achieving partial nitrification in a lab-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) at ambient temperatures (16-22 °C).
- To analyze the microbial population dynamics, particularly ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), during partial nitrification.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a lab-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) operated at ambient temperatures.
- Employed denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), cloning, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for microbial analysis.
- Manipulated influent ammonium concentrations to study responses.
Main Results:
- Effective partial nitrification was achieved by adjusting influent ammonium concentrations.
- Higher ammonia concentrations correlated with reduced diversity of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB).
- Phylogenetic analysis identified Nitrosomonas as the predominant AOB genus.
- FISH confirmed AOB as the dominant nitrifying bacteria during partial nitrification.
Conclusions:
- Partial nitrification is achievable in SBRs at ambient temperatures.
- Ammonium concentration is a critical factor influencing AOB diversity and community structure.
- Nitrosomonas species are key players in ambient temperature partial nitrification processes.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:25Microbial Mats
Microbial communities forming biofilms and mats represent complex, spatially structured ecosystems where metabolic processes are stratified according to light, oxygen, and nutrient gradients. Biofilms are initial colonization stages, only a few millimeters thick, while mature microbial mats can reach centimeter-scale thickness and display intricate vertical organization. Their structural and functional heterogeneity allows microorganisms to occupy distinct ecological niches within a few...
01:27Microbial Growth Measurement: Indirect Methods
Estimating microbial growth is essential for understanding population dynamics and environmental adaptations. Indirect methods provide valuable insights by measuring parameters such as turbidity, metabolic activity, and biomass, enabling efficient and reproducible assessments.During exponential growth, microbial cells scatter light proportionally to their biomass, a principle used in turbidity measurements. About one million cells per milliliter produce detectable scattering, which a...
01:22Microenvironments
Microorganisms inhabit highly localized spaces known as microenvironments, which are defined by distinct physical and chemical characteristics. These include oxygen concentration, pH, temperature, light availability, and nutrient levels. The conditions within a microenvironment can differ markedly from those in the surrounding area and significantly influence microbial growth, metabolism, and community structure.Microenvironments often display sharp physicochemical gradients over small spatial...
01:23Microbial Growth Measurement: Direct Methods
Direct methods for measuring microbial populations in a culture are essential tools in microbiology, providing quantitative data for various applications. Among these, microscopic counts, plate counts, and serial dilution are widely used techniques, each with unique principles and applications.Microscopic CountsMicroscopic counting involves the use of a Petroff-Hausser chamber, a specialized microscope slide with a grid and defined depth. By observing a liquid culture under a microscope,...
01:30Methods to Assess Microbial Populations
Assessing microbial populations is crucial for understanding microbial roles in health, ecology, and industry. Various complementary techniques—both culture-based and molecular—enable detailed analysis of microbial abundance, diversity, and function.Viable Plate CountThe viable plate count is a traditional culture-based method used to estimate the number of living microbes in a sample. After serial dilution, the sample is spread onto nutrient agar plates. Each viable cell forms a visible...
01:30Marine Microbial Ecology
Marine microbial ecosystems are shaped by distinct physicochemical limits, including high salinity, low nutrient availability, and fluctuating oxygen levels. These conditions favor smaller microbial cell sizes, which maximize their surface-to-volume ratio for efficient nutrient uptake.Microbial activity and community composition are closely linked to biogeochemical cycles, particularly in dynamic environments like estuaries, where halotolerant microbes thrive in response to variable salinity...