Microbial responses to transient shock loads of quaternary ammonium compounds with different length of alkyl chain in a membrane bioreactor

AMB Express
Xingran ZhangZhiwei Wang

Abstract

Extensive applications of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) in household and industrial products inevitably lead to their release into wastewaters; however, little attention has been paid to the acute effects on activated sludge. In this work, we investigated the responses of microorganisms in a membrane bioreactor (MBR) to transient shock loads of QACs with different alkyl chain length and their impacts on MBR performance. Results showed that QACs affected microbial viability and caused damage to key enzymes (e.g., ammonium monooxygenase and nitrite oxidoreductase), inhibiting organic matter degradation and nitrogen removal. The presence of QACs also caused negative influences on dehydrogenase activity, catalase and superoxide dismutase, thus increasing the production of reactive oxygen species. Moreover, QACs with longer alkyl chains and/or benzyl groups bonded to the nitrogen atom could induce a more severe damage to cell integrity and microbial viability. The interaction with QACs also induced the release of organic matters and the changes of adhesion properties of microbial products, resulting in aggravated membrane fouling in MBRs. Our results demonstrate the acute negative effects of QACs on activated sludge, and spec...Continue Reading

References

Feb 24, 2001·Environmental Pollution·M T GarcíaJ Vives-Rego
Jul 1, 1997·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·B Krause, K H Nealson
Sep 10, 2002·Trends in Biochemical Sciences·John G Scandalios
Jan 15, 2008·Trends in Biotechnology·Simon Judd
Aug 14, 2008·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Srinivasa P S RaoKevin Pethe
Jan 5, 2010·Water Research·Zainab Z IsmailSpyros G Pavlostathis
May 18, 2010·Bioresource Technology·K N Yogalakshmi, Kurian Joseph
Sep 2, 2010·Environmental Science & Technology·Pablo A Lara-MartínBruce J Brownawell
Dec 17, 2010·Environmental Science & Technology·Jeonghwan KimJaeho Bae
Jul 14, 2011·Environmental Science & Technology·Perry L McCartyJeonghwan Kim
Jun 16, 2012·Environmental Science & Technology·Xiong ZhengYinguang Chen
Jul 19, 2013·Water Research·Lilian MalaebPascal E Saikaly
Oct 2, 2013·Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology : RTP·Stephen Wessels, Hanne Ingmer
Dec 11, 2013·Water Research·Victor M MonsalvoPierre Le-Clech
Mar 17, 2015·The Science of the Total Environment·Chang ZhangLiu-qing Shen
Apr 13, 2015·Current Opinion in Biotechnology·Ulas Tezel, Spyros G Pavlostathis
Feb 27, 2017·Water Research·Fangang MengSo-Ryong Chae

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Oct 27, 2021·Critical Reviews in Microbiology·Wolfgang BäumlerWulf Schneider-Brachert

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Methods Mentioned

BETA
quartz crystal microbalance
membrane filtration
environmental stress

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Bioreactors (ASM)

Bioreactors are important devices or systems that utilize living cells or enzymes for a chemical process. These devices carefully control and monitor the environment factors such as pH, nutrients level, and temperature, which can affect the yield in a given process. Discover the latest research here.