NANOlab Center of Excellence literature database -- Query Results

“Empowering a mesophilic inoculum for thermophilic nitrification : growth mode and temperature pattern as critical proliferation factors for archaeal ammonia oxidizers”. Courtens ENP, Vandekerckhove T, Prat D, Vilchez-Vargas R, Vital M, Pieper DH, Meerbergen K, Lievens B, Boon N, Vlaeminck SE, Water research 92, 94 (2016). http://doi.org/10.1016/J.WATRES.2016.01.022 Abstract: Cost-efficient biological treatment of warm nitrogenous wastewaters requires the development of thermophilic nitrogen removal processes. Only one thermophilic nitrifying bioreactor was described so far, achieving 200 mg N L-1 d-1 after more than 300 days of enrichment from compost samples. From the practical point of view in which existing plants would be upgraded, however, a more time-efficient development strategy based on mesophilic nitrifying sludge is preferred. This study evaluated the adaptive capacities of mesophilic nitrifying sludge for two linear temperature increase patterns (non-oscillating vs. oscillating), two different slopes (0.25 vs. 0.08 °C d-1) and two different reactor types (floc vs. biofilm growth). The oscillating temperature pattern (0.25 °C d-1) and the moving bed biofilm reactor (0.08 °C d-1) could not reach nitrification at temperatures higher than 46°C. However, nitrification rates up to 800 mg N L-1 d-1 and 150 mg N g-1 volatile suspended solids d-1 were achieved at a temperature as high as 49°C by imposing the slowest linear temperature increase to floccular sludge. Microbial community analysis revealed that this successful transition was related with a shift in ammonium oxidizing archaea dominating ammonia oxidizing bacteria, while for nitrite oxidation Nitrospira spp. was constantly more abundant than Nitrobacter spp.. This observation was accompanied with an increase in observed sludge yield and a shift in maximal optimum temperature, determined with ex-situ temperature sensitivity measurements, predicting an upcoming reactor failure at higher temperature. Overall, this study achieved nitrification at 49°C within 150 days by gradual adaptation of mesophilic sludge, and showed that ex-situ temperature sensitivity screening can be used to monitor and steer the transition process. Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL) DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2016.01.022 Additional Links: UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles show.php?record=7900
“A robust nitrifying community in a bioreactor at 50 degrees C opens up the path for thermophilic nitrogen removal”. Courtens ENP, Spieck E, Vilchez-Vargas R, Bode S, Boeckx P, Schouten S, Jauregui R, Pieper DH, Vlaeminck SE, Boon N, The ISME journal : multidisciplinary journal of microbial ecology 10, 2293 (2016). http://doi.org/10.1038/ISMEJ.2016.8 Abstract: The increasing production of nitrogen-containing fertilizers is crucial to meet the global food demand, yet high losses of reactive nitrogen associated with the food production/consumption chain progressively deteriorate the natural environment. Currently, mesophilic nitrogen-removing microbes eliminate nitrogen from wastewaters. Although thermophilic nitrifiers have been separately enriched from natural environments, no bioreactors are described that couple these processes for the treatment of nitrogen in hot wastewaters. Samples from composting facilities were used as inoculum for the batch-wise enrichment of thermophilic nitrifiers (350 days). Subsequently, the enrichments were transferred to a bioreactor to obtain a stable, high-rate nitrifying process (560 days). The community contained up to 17% ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOAs) closely related to 'Candidatus Nitrososphaera gargensis', and 25% nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOBs) related to Nitrospira calida. Incorporation of C-13-derived bicarbonate into the respective characteristic membrane lipids during nitrification supported their activity as autotrophs. Specific activities up to 198 +/- 10 and 894 +/- 81 mg N g(-1) VSS per day for AOAs and NOBs were measured, where NOBs were 33% more sensitive to free ammonia. The NOBs were extremely sensitive to free nitrous acid, whereas the AOAs could only be inhibited by high nitrite concentrations, independent of the free nitrous acid concentration. The observed difference in product/substrate inhibition could facilitate the development of NOB inhibition strategies to achieve more cost-effective processes such as deammonification. This study describes the enrichment of autotrophic thermophilic nitrifiers from a nutrient-rich environment and the successful operation of a thermophilic nitrifying bioreactor for the first time, facilitating opportunities for thermophilic nitrogen removal biotechnology. Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL) DOI: 10.1038/ISMEJ.2016.8 Additional Links: UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles show.php?record=7397
“Biofilms for one-stage autotrophic nitrogen removal”. Carvajal-Arroyo JM, Vitor Akaboci TR, Ruscalleda M, Colprim J, Courtens E, Vlaeminck SE page 205 (2016). Keywords: H3 Book chapter; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL) Additional Links: UA library record show.php?record=7559
“The rise of thermophilic biotechnology for nitrogen removal”. Vandekerckhove TGL, Courtens ENP, Prat D, Boon N, Vlaeminck SE, , 17 p. T2 (2016) Keywords: P3 Proceeding; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL) Additional Links: UA library record show.php?record=8481
“Some like it hot : perspectives for thermophilic nitrogen removal”. Vlaeminck SE, Courtens ENP, Vandekerckhove TGL, Boon N, , 4 p. T2 (2015) Keywords: P3 Proceeding; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL) Additional Links: UA library record show.php?record=8552
“Toward energy autarky : carbon redirection coupled with shortcut nitrogen processes”. De Clippeleir H, Vlaeminck SE, Courtens ENP, Jimenez J, Wadhawan T, Zhang Q page 129 (2015). Keywords: H3 Book chapter; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL) Additional Links: UA library record show.php?record=8676
“Transitioning from mesophilic to thermophilic nitrification: shaping a niche for archaeal ammonia oxidizers”. Vandekerckhove T, Courtens ENP, Prat D, Vilchez-Vargas R, Vital M, Pieper DH, Meerbergen K, Lievens B, Boon N, Vlaeminck SE, , 9 p. T2 (2016) Keywords: P3 Proceeding; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL) Additional Links: UA library record show.php?record=8697

“Empowering a mesophilic inoculum for thermophilic nitrification : growth mode and temperature pattern as critical proliferation factors for archaeal ammonia oxidizers”. Courtens ENP, Vandekerckhove T, Prat D, Vilchez-Vargas R, Vital M, Pieper DH, Meerbergen K, Lievens B, Boon N, Vlaeminck SE, Water research 92, 94 (2016). http://doi.org/10.1016/J.WATRES.2016.01.022

Abstract: Cost-efficient biological treatment of warm nitrogenous wastewaters requires the development of thermophilic nitrogen removal processes. Only one thermophilic nitrifying bioreactor was described so far, achieving 200 mg N L-1 d-1 after more than 300 days of enrichment from compost samples. From the practical point of view in which existing plants would be upgraded, however, a more time-efficient development strategy based on mesophilic nitrifying sludge is preferred. This study evaluated the adaptive capacities of mesophilic nitrifying sludge for two linear temperature increase patterns (non-oscillating vs. oscillating), two different slopes (0.25 vs. 0.08 °C d-1) and two different reactor types (floc vs. biofilm growth). The oscillating temperature pattern (0.25 °C d-1) and the moving bed biofilm reactor (0.08 °C d-1) could not reach nitrification at temperatures higher than 46°C. However, nitrification rates up to 800 mg N L-1 d-1 and 150 mg N g-1 volatile suspended solids d-1 were achieved at a temperature as high as 49°C by imposing the slowest linear temperature increase to floccular sludge. Microbial community analysis revealed that this successful transition was related with a shift in ammonium oxidizing archaea dominating ammonia oxidizing bacteria, while for nitrite oxidation Nitrospira spp. was constantly more abundant than Nitrobacter spp.. This observation was accompanied with an increase in observed sludge yield and a shift in maximal optimum temperature, determined with ex-situ temperature sensitivity measurements, predicting an upcoming reactor failure at higher temperature. Overall, this study achieved nitrification at 49°C within 150 days by gradual adaptation of mesophilic sludge, and showed that ex-situ temperature sensitivity screening can be used to monitor and steer the transition process.

Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)

DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2016.01.022

Additional Links: UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles

show.php?record=7900

“A robust nitrifying community in a bioreactor at 50 degrees C opens up the path for thermophilic nitrogen removal”. Courtens ENP, Spieck E, Vilchez-Vargas R, Bode S, Boeckx P, Schouten S, Jauregui R, Pieper DH, Vlaeminck SE, Boon N, The ISME journal : multidisciplinary journal of microbial ecology 10, 2293 (2016). http://doi.org/10.1038/ISMEJ.2016.8

Abstract: The increasing production of nitrogen-containing fertilizers is crucial to meet the global food demand, yet high losses of reactive nitrogen associated with the food production/consumption chain progressively deteriorate the natural environment. Currently, mesophilic nitrogen-removing microbes eliminate nitrogen from wastewaters. Although thermophilic nitrifiers have been separately enriched from natural environments, no bioreactors are described that couple these processes for the treatment of nitrogen in hot wastewaters. Samples from composting facilities were used as inoculum for the batch-wise enrichment of thermophilic nitrifiers (350 days). Subsequently, the enrichments were transferred to a bioreactor to obtain a stable, high-rate nitrifying process (560 days). The community contained up to 17% ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOAs) closely related to 'Candidatus Nitrososphaera gargensis', and 25% nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOBs) related to Nitrospira calida. Incorporation of C-13-derived bicarbonate into the respective characteristic membrane lipids during nitrification supported their activity as autotrophs. Specific activities up to 198 +/- 10 and 894 +/- 81 mg N g(-1) VSS per day for AOAs and NOBs were measured, where NOBs were 33% more sensitive to free ammonia. The NOBs were extremely sensitive to free nitrous acid, whereas the AOAs could only be inhibited by high nitrite concentrations, independent of the free nitrous acid concentration. The observed difference in product/substrate inhibition could facilitate the development of NOB inhibition strategies to achieve more cost-effective processes such as deammonification. This study describes the enrichment of autotrophic thermophilic nitrifiers from a nutrient-rich environment and the successful operation of a thermophilic nitrifying bioreactor for the first time, facilitating opportunities for thermophilic nitrogen removal biotechnology.

Keywords: A1 Journal article; Engineering sciences. Technology; Sustainable Energy, Air and Water Technology (DuEL)

DOI: 10.1038/ISMEJ.2016.8

Additional Links: UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles

show.php?record=7397

“Biofilms for one-stage autotrophic nitrogen removal”. Carvajal-Arroyo JM, Vitor Akaboci TR, Ruscalleda M, Colprim J, Courtens E, Vlaeminck SE page 205 (2016).

“The rise of thermophilic biotechnology for nitrogen removal”. Vandekerckhove TGL, Courtens ENP, Prat D, Boon N, Vlaeminck SE, , 17 p. T2 (2016)

“Some like it hot : perspectives for thermophilic nitrogen removal”. Vlaeminck SE, Courtens ENP, Vandekerckhove TGL, Boon N, , 4 p. T2 (2015)

“Toward energy autarky : carbon redirection coupled with shortcut nitrogen processes”. De Clippeleir H, Vlaeminck SE, Courtens ENP, Jimenez J, Wadhawan T, Zhang Q page 129 (2015).

“Transitioning from mesophilic to thermophilic nitrification: shaping a niche for archaeal ammonia oxidizers”. Vandekerckhove T, Courtens ENP, Prat D, Vilchez-Vargas R, Vital M, Pieper DH, Meerbergen K, Lievens B, Boon N, Vlaeminck SE, , 9 p. T2 (2016)