Physiological adaptation and population dynamics of a nitrifying sludge exposed to ampicillin

Antibiotics in wastewater treatment plants can alter the physiological activity and the structure of microbial communities through toxic and inhibitory effects. Physiological adaptation, kinetic, and population dynamics behavior of a nitrifying sludge was evaluated in a sequential batch reactor (SBR) fed with 14.4 mg/L of ampicillin (AMP). The addition of AMP did not affect ammonium consumption (100 mg NH₄⁺-N/L) but provoked nitrite accumulation (0.90 mg NO₂^--N formed/mg NH₄⁺-N consumed) and an inhibition of up to 67% on the nitrite oxidizing process. After 30 cycles under AMP feeding, the sludge recovered its nitrite oxidizing activity with a high nitrate yield (Y_NO3-) of 0.87 ± 0.10 mg NO₃^--N formed/mg NH₄⁺-N consumed, carrying out again a stable and complete nitrifying process. Increases in specific rate of nitrate production (q_NO3-) showed the physiological adaptation of the nitrite oxidizing bacteria to AMP inhibition. Ampicillin was totally removed since the first cycle of addition. Exposure to AMP had effects on the abundance of bacterial populations, promoting adaptation of the nitrifying sludge to the presence of the antibiotic and its consumption. Nitrosomonas and Nitrosospira always remained within the dominant genera, keeping the ammonium oxidizing process stable while an increase in Nitrospira abundance was observed, recovering the stability of the nitrite oxidizing process. Burkholderia, Pseudomonas, and Thauera might be some of the heterotrophic bacteria involved in AMP consumption.