Microbial community structure and function in response to the shift of sulfide/nitrate loading ratio during the denitrifying sulfide removal process

Abstract

Influence of acetate-C/NO3(-)-N/S(2-) ratio to the functional microbial community during the denitrifying sulfide removal process is poorly understood. Here, phylogenetic and functional bacterial community for elemental sulfur (S(0)) recovery and nitrate (NO3(-)) removal were investigated with the switched S(2-)/NO3(-) molar ratio ranged from 5/2 to 5/9. Optimized S(2-)/NO3(-) ratio was evaluated as 5/6, with the bacterial genera predominated with Thauera, Enterobacter, Thiobacillus and Stappia, and the sqr gene highly expressed. However, insufficient or high loading of acetate and NO3(-) resulted in the low S(0) recovery, and also significantly modified the bacterial community and genetic activity. With S(2-)/NO3(-) ratio of 5/2, autotrophic S(2-) oxidization genera were dominated and NO3(-) reduction activity was low, confirmed by the low expressed nirK gene. In contrast, S(2-)/NO3(-) ratio switched to 5/8 and 5/9 introduced diverse heterotrophic nitrate reduction and S(0) over oxidization genera in accompanied with the highly expressed nirK and sox genes.

Keywords: Continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR); Denitrifying sulfide removal process; Function; Microbial community structure; Sulfide/nitrate loading ratio.