Effect of peracetic acid solution on a nitrifying culture: Kinetics, inhibition, cellular and transcriptional responses. (1st July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chen, Jinchen; Song, Tianze; Long, Sha; Zhu, Kevin J.; Pavlostathis, Spyros G.
• Is Part Of: Water research. Volume 219(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-07-01
• Subjects: Nitrification -- Ammonia oxidation -- Nitrite oxidation -- Cell viability -- Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) -- Gene expression; Water -- Pollution -- Research -- Periodicals; 363.7394
• DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118543
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0043-1354

Abstract

Highlights: PAA/H2 O2 at 3/0.42 mg/L inhibited ammonia and nitrite removal by 64 and 77%. Decreased nitrification rates due to enzyme inhibition, not to loss of nitrifiers. H2 O2 up to 3 mg/L did not impact nitrification and cell viability. Addition of H2 O2 and PAA resulted in major microbial community shift. Nitrogen metabolism and oxidase genes upregulated in PAA- and H2 O2 -amended cultures. Abstract: Peracetic acid (PAA) has been widely used as a disinfectant in many industries. However, information related to the potential inhibitory effect of PAA solutions (PAA and H2 O2 ) on biological wastewater treatment processes is very limited. The work reported here assessed the effect of PAA and H2 O2 solutions on nitrification kinetics and inhibition, cellular level responses and gene expression of a suspended-growth nitrifying culture. The initial ammonia removal and nitrate production rates significantly decreased at 1/0.14 to 3/0.42 mg/L PAA/H2 O2 . H2 O2 up to 3 mg/L did not impact nitrification, cell viability or related respiratory activities; thus, the impact of the PAA solution is attributed to PAA alone or in some combination with H2 O2 . Nitrification inhibition by PAA was predominantly related to enzyme inhibition, rather than to loss of cell viability and/or cell lysis. PAA and H2 O2 negatively affected Nitrosomonas but resulted in Nitrosospira enrichment. Most nitrogen metabolism-related genes (e.g., hydroxylamine oxidoreductase and nitrite oxidoreductase genes) as well as oxidase genes (e.g., cytochrome c oxidase, catalase-peroxidase, and peroxidase genes) were upregulated in PAA- and H2 O2 -amended cultures. Major ATPase genes were downregulated while ATP synthase genes upregulated under the effect of PAA and/or H2 O2 . Upregulation of ATP-dependent protease genes indicates protein damage predominantly caused by PAA rather than H2 O2 . The transcriptional level of genes related to cell division and DNA repair did not show a particular pattern; thus, cell division functionality and DNA integrity were not significantly affected by PAA or H2 O2 . The results of this study have significant implications in the design and operation of effective biological nitrogen removal systems for the treatment of PAA-bearing wastewater. Graphical abstract: Image, graphical abstract