Hydrogen oxidizing bacteria are capable of removing orthophosphate to ultra-low concentrations in a fed batch reactor configuration. (September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Barbosa, Raquel G.; Sleutels, Tom; Verstraete, Willy; Boon, Nico
• Is Part Of: Bioresource technology. Volume 311(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-09
• Subjects: Hydrogen oxidizing bacteria -- HOB -- Phosphate removal -- Eutrophication; Biomass -- Periodicals; Biomass energy -- Periodicals; Bioremediation -- Periodicals; Agricultural wastes -- Periodicals; Factory and trade waste -- Periodicals; Organic wastes -- Periodicals; Bioénergie -- Périodiques; Déchets agricoles -- Périodiques; Déchets industriels -- Périodiques; Déchets organiques -- Périodiques; Déchets (Combustible) -- Périodiques; 662.88
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.123494
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-8524

Abstract

Highlights: A hydrogenotrophic trickling filter was developed for orthophosphate removal. Residual levels reached 0.008 mg PO4 −3 -P/L using hydrogen oxidizing bacteria. Operational time is comparable to alternative chemical phosphate removal strategies. Bioassays confirm that treated water no longer supports cyanobacterial growth. The selected bioreactor enables to treat small and large volumes of water. Abstract: This paper proposes the use of hydrogen oxidizing bacteria (HOB) for the removal of orthophosphate from surface water as treatment step to prevent cyanobacterial blooms. To be effective as an orthophosphate removal strategy, an efficient transfer of hydrogen to the HOB is essential. A trickling filter was selected for this purpose. Using this system, a removal rate of 11.32 ± 0.43 mg PO4 −3 -P/L.d was achieved. The HOB biomass, developed on the trickling filter, is composed of 1.25% phosphorus on dry matter, which suggests that the orthophosphate removal principle is based on HOB growth. Cyanobacterial growth assays of the untreated and treated water showed that Synechocystis sp was only able to grow in the untreated water. Orthophosphate was removed to average residual values of 0.008 mg/L. In this proof of principle study, it is shown that HOB are able to remove orthophosphate from water to concentrations that prevent cyanobacterial growth.