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Updated: Dec 25, 2025

A Novel Bioreactor for High Density Cultivation of Diverse Microbial Communities
Published on: December 25, 2015
Immobilized-microbial bioaugmentation protects aerobic denitrification from heavy metal shock in an activated-sludge
Xuan Yu1, Juanjuan Shi2, Aman Khan2
1Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Science, Lanzhou University, Tianshuinanlu #222, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, PR China; Key Laboratory for Resources Utilization Technology of Unconventional Water of Gansu Province, Gansu Academy of Membrane Science and Technology, Lanzhou 730020, Gansu, PR China.
Abstract:
The inhibition of denitrification by heavy metals is a problem in nitrogen wastewater treatment, but the solutions are rarely studied. In this study, Pseudomonas brassicacearum LZ-4, immobilized in sodium alginate-kaolin, was applied in an activated-sludge reactor to protect denitrifiers from hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)). Q-PCR result showed that the strain LZ-4 was incorporated into activated sludge under the help of immobilization. In the non-bioaugmentation system, the removal efficiency of nitrate was decreased by 86.07% by 30 mg/L Cr(VI). Whereas, denitrification was protected and 95% of nitrate was removed continuously in immobilized-cell bioaugmentation system. Miseq sequencing data showed that bioaugmentation decreased the impact of Cr(VI) on microbial communities and increased the abundance of denitrifiers. Based on the results of biomass and extracellular polymers, activated sludge was protected from Cr(VI) toxicity. This discovery will provide a feasible technique for nitrogen wastewater treatment in the presence of distressing heavy metals.
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