Long-term effects of cupric oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) on the performance, microbial community and enzymatic activity of activated sludge in a sequencing batch reactor. (1st February 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Sen; Li, Zhiwei; Gao, Mengchun; She, Zonglian; Ma, Bingrui; Guo, Liang; Zheng, Dong; Zhao, Yangguo; Jin, Chunji; Wang, Xuejiao; Gao, Feng
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental management. Volume 187(2017)
• Page Start: 330
• Page End: 339
• Publication Date: 2017-02-01
• Subjects: Cupric oxide nanoparticles -- Nitrogen and phosphorus removal -- Microbial enzymatic activity -- Reactive oxygen species -- Activated sludge; Environmental policy -- Periodicals; Environmental management -- Periodicals; Environment -- Periodicals; Ecology -- Periodicals; 363.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2016.11.071
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0301-4797

Abstract

Abstract: The long-term effects of cupric oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) on the performance, microbial activity and microbial community of activated sludge were investigated in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR). The SBR performance had no evident change at 0–10 mg/L CuO NPs, whereas the CuO NPs concentration at 30–60 mg/L affected the COD, NH4 + -N and soluble orthophosphate (SOP) removal, nitrogen and phosphorus removal rate and microbial enzymatic activity of activated sludge. Some CuO NPs might be absorbed on the surface of activated sludge or penetrate the microbial cytomembrane into the microbial cell interior of activated sludge. Compared to 0 mg/L CuO NPs, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release increased by 43.6% and 56.4% at 60 mg/L CuO NPs, respectively. The variations of ROS production and LDH release demonstrated that CuO NPs could induce the toxicity towards the microorganisms and destroy the integrity of microbial cytomembrane in the activated sludge. High throughput sequencing of 16S rDNA indicated that CuO NPs could evidently impact on the microbial richness, diversity and composition of activated sludge in the SBR. Highlights: Some CuO NPs appeared on the sludge surface or in the interior of microbial cells. The variation of microbial community was analyzed at phylum, class and genus level. The ROS and LDH respectively increased by 43.6% and 56.4% at 60 mg/L CuO NPs. CuO NPs at 60 mg/L respectively reduced SAOR and SNOR by 13.4% and 24.5%. SPUR and SPRR decreased at 0–10 mg/L CuO NPs and slightly increased at 60 mg/L.