Nitrification and microbiological evolution during aerobic treatment of municipal solid wastes

• Published in: Bioresource technology 2012-04, Vol.110, p.144-152
• Main Authors: Zeng, Yang, De Guardia, Amaury, Ziebal, Christine, De Macedo, Flávia Junqueira, Dabert, Patrick
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerobic treatment; Aerobiosis; ammonia; Ammonia - metabolism; Ammonia emissions; Archaea; bacteria; Bacteria - genetics; Bacteria - metabolism; biogeochemical cycles; ecosystems; emissions; Environmental Sciences; evolution; mineralization; municipal solid waste; Municipal solid wastes; nitrates; Nitrification; nitrites; Nitrogen; nitrogen balance; Nitrosomonas europaea; nitrous oxide; oxidation; Oxidation-Reduction; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; Refuse Disposal; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2012.01.135

► Nitrogen dynamic was studied during aerobic treatment of fine organic fraction of municipal solid wastes. ► Evolution of different groups of microorganisms was investigated. ► Nitrification occurred only during the maturation stage. ► Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria were responsible for ammonia oxidation during treatment. Nitrification is a key step in the nitrogen cycle in various ecosystems. In this study, the nitrogen dynamic and the evolution of groups of microorganisms were studied during aerobic treatment of fine organic fraction of municipal solid wastes. Mineralization of organic nitrogen exhibited two phases and resulted in two ammonia emissions peaks. The nitrogen balance indicated the onset of nitrification only during the maturation stage, which was confirmed by the accumulations of both nitrite and nitrate and the nitrous oxide emissions in this period. A significant development of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria correlated to the onset of nitrification. On the contrary, ammonia-oxidizing archaea were less abundant and declined through treatment. Identification of these ammonia oxidizers indicates that the Nitrosomonas europaea/eutropha-like ammonia oxidizing bacteria were responsible for ammonia oxidation instead of other groups of ammonia oxidizers during aerobic treatment of fine organic fraction of municipal solid wastes.