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Nitrifying biofilms deprived of organic carbon show higher functional resilience to increases in carbon supply

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Navada, Sharada, Knutsen, Maja F., Bakke, Ingrid, Vadstein, Olav·2020·Scientific Reports
DOI 10.1038/s41598-020-64027-yPMC PMC7189377
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Abstract

In nitrifying biofilms, the organic carbon to ammonia nitrogen (C/N) supply ratio can influence resource competition between heterotrophic and nitrifying bacteria for oxygen and space. We investigated the impact of acute and chronic changes in carbon supply on inter-guild competition in two moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBR), operated with (R1) and without (R0) external organic carbon supply. The microbial and nitrifying community composition of the reactors differed significantly. Interestingly, acute increases in the dissolved organic carbon inhibited nitrification in R1 ten times more than in R0. A sustained increase in the carbon supply decreased nitrification efficiency and increased denitrification activity to a greater extent in R1, and also increased the proportion of potential denitrifiers in both bioreactors. The findings suggest that autotrophic biofilms subjected to increases in carbon supply show higher nitrification and lower denitrification activity than carbon-fed biofilms. This has significant implications for the design of nitrifying bioreactors. Specifically, efficient removal of organic matter before the nitrification unit can improve the robustness of the bioreactor to varying influent quality. Thus, maintaining a low C/N ratio is important in nitrifying biofilters when acute carbon stress is expected or when anoxic activity (e.g. denitrification or H 2 S production) is undesirable, such as in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS).

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Figure 1 Nitrification performance in reactors R0 and R1 during the experimental period. (a) Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate concentration, (b) ammonia and nitrite oxidation efficiency (AOX and NOX, respectively), and (c) nitrogen mass balance. During phase 1 (days 1–52), R0 and R1 were operated at influent C/N ratios of 0 and 1, respectively. Phase 2 was started on day 52 by increasing the influent C/N ratio to 3 in both reactors (dashed line). Phase 3 was started on day 59 by doubling the medium flow rate to both reactors (vertical solid grey line). The nitrogen loss was calculated as the difference between the influent ammonia concentration (~101 mgN L−1) and the total effluent nitrogen species concentration (NH4+-N, NO2−-N, and NO3−-N). In phase 2, the flow rates were irregular and larger volumes of water were extracted for analyses, resulting in large variations in the nitrogen mass balance.
Figure 1 Nitrification performance in reactors R0 and R1 during the experimental period. (a) Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate concentration, (b) ammonia and nitrite oxidation efficiency (AOX and NOX, respectively), and (c) nitrogen mass balance. During phase 1 (days 1–52), R0 and R1 were operated at influent C/N ratios of 0 and 1, respectively. Phase 2 was started on day 52 by increasing the influent C/N ratio to 3 in both reactors (dashed line). Phase 3 was started on day 59 by doubling the medium flow rate to both reactors (vertical solid grey line). The nitrogen loss was calculated as the difference between the influent ammonia concentration (~101 mgN L−1) and the total effluent nitrogen species concentration (NH4+-N, NO2−-N, and NO3−-N). In phase 2, the flow rates were irregular and larger volumes of water were extracted for analyses, resulting in large variations in the nitrogen mass balance.CC BY · PubMed Central
Figure 2 Graphs show the short-term response during the first days of phases 2 (a,b,c; C/N increased to 3) and 3 (d,e,f; medium flowrate doubled). Graphs show, as a function of time: (a,d) ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate concentration; (b,e) nitrogen mass balance as the sum of inorganic nitrogen species concentration (NH4+-N, NO2−-N, and NO3−-N); and (c,f) acetate concentration. Note the different y-axes scales.
Figure 2 Graphs show the short-term response during the first days of phases 2 (a,b,c; C/N increased to 3) and 3 (d,e,f; medium flowrate doubled). Graphs show, as a function of time: (a,d) ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate concentration; (b,e) nitrogen mass balance as the sum of inorganic nitrogen species concentration (NH4+-N, NO2−-N, and NO3−-N); and (c,f) acetate concentration. Note the different y-axes scales.CC BY · PubMed Central
Figure 3 Test for inhibition of nitrification by acute carbon addition, conducted in batch reactors on day 20. The graph shows a dose-response curve for each treatment as the percent inhibition in nitrate production capacity (NPRmax) as a function of the acetate concentration.
Figure 3 Test for inhibition of nitrification by acute carbon addition, conducted in batch reactors on day 20. The graph shows a dose-response curve for each treatment as the percent inhibition in nitrate production capacity (NPRmax) as a function of the acetate concentration.CC BY · PubMed Central
Figure 4 Relative abundance of nitrifying bacteria in the biofilm during the experimental period. Graphs a and b show the relative abundance of nitrifying families in treatments R0 and R1, respectively. Graphs c and d show the relative abundance of different nitrifying OTUs in treatments R0 and R1, respectively. OTUs 10, 21, and 465 were classified as nitrite oxidizing bacteria, whereas the rest were ammonia oxidizing bacteria. The influent C/N to both reactors was increased to 3 on day 52 (dashed line). The medium flow rate to both reactors was doubled on day 59 (solid line).
Figure 4 Relative abundance of nitrifying bacteria in the biofilm during the experimental period. Graphs a and b show the relative abundance of nitrifying families in treatments R0 and R1, respectively. Graphs c and d show the relative abundance of different nitrifying OTUs in treatments R0 and R1, respectively. OTUs 10, 21, and 465 were classified as nitrite oxidizing bacteria, whereas the rest were ammonia oxidizing bacteria. The influent C/N to both reactors was increased to 3 on day 52 (dashed line). The medium flow rate to both reactors was doubled on day 59 (solid line).CC BY · PubMed Central
Figure 5 Ordination by principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) based on Bray-Curtis dissimilarity including a) all OTUs, and b) nitrifying OTUs in the biofilm samples. Labels indicate sampling day. The influent C/N to both reactors was increased to 3 on day 52. The medium flow rate to both reactors was doubled on day 59. Square brackets show percent variance explained by each coordinate axis.
Figure 5 Ordination by principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) based on Bray-Curtis dissimilarity including a) all OTUs, and b) nitrifying OTUs in the biofilm samples. Labels indicate sampling day. The influent C/N to both reactors was increased to 3 on day 52. The medium flow rate to both reactors was doubled on day 59. Square brackets show percent variance explained by each coordinate axis.CC BY · PubMed Central

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Metadata

Authors
Navada, S., Knutsen, M. F., Bakke, I., & Vadstein, O.
Affiliations
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NO)
Corresponding author
Navada, Sharada
ORCID
Venue
Scientific Reports
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2020-04-28
Volume
10
Issue
1
Pages
7121-7121
ISSN
2045-2322 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1038/s41598-020-64027-y
PMC
PMC7189377
OpenAlex
W3020027093
Cited by
59
References
65
Citations by year
2026: 20 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 1
FWCI
1.30
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Scientific Reports (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • NORA - Norwegian Open Research Archives (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • NORA - Norwegian Open Research Archives (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
Norges Forskningsråd (247558, 270888)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Wastewater Treatment and Nitrogen Removal
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Aquatic Science › Innovations in Aquaponics and Hydroponics Systems
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Water Treatment and Disinfection
Keywords
nitrifying biofilm, organic carbon supply, C/N ratio, nitrification, denitrification, moving bed biofilm reactor, dissolved organic carbon, recirculating aquaculture system, heterotrophic bacteria, microbial community composition
MeSH terms
Bacteria, Carbon, Organic Chemicals, Aquaculture, Biofilms, Bioreactors, Nitrification

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: Nitrifying biofilms deprived of organic carbon show higher functional resilience to increases in carbon supply. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1038/s41598-020-64027-y
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Navada, S., Knutsen, M. F., Bakke, I., & Vadstein, O. (2020). Nitrifying biofilms deprived of organic carbon show higher functional resilience to increases in carbon supply. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-64027-y