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Results for “Autotrophic Processes”

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At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed2004

[Detection of organic autotrophic particles by FCM (flow cytometry) in an oligotrophic lake].

Organic autotrophic particles were detected by flow cytometry (FCM) in an oligotrophic lake. Utilizing scattering signals and fluorescence of their natural pigments, different populations could be rapidly discriminated and enumerated. We found that they belonged to three populations. R1 were the smallest population, while R3 were the largest one. R1 contained phycoerythrin but lacked chlorophyll. On the contrary, R3 contained a large amount of chlorophyll but lacked phycoerythrin. R2 contained not only chlorophyll but also a great deal of phycoerythrin. Organic autotrophic particles account for the most proportion of the total particles that were smaller than 50 microm. They represented 70.24% of the total particles. In this study, we found that flow cytometry is particularly suited to the analysis of organic autotrophic particles that are difficult to study with traditional methods.

Autotrophic Processes↗

PubMed2003

[Expression of phosphofructokinase gene from Escherichia coli K-12 in obligately autotrophic bacterium Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans].

A plasmid pSDK-1 containing the Escherichia coli phosphofructokinase-1 (EC 2.7.1. 11) gene (pfkA) was constructed and transferred into Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans Tt-Z2 by conjugation. The transfer frequency of plasmid from E. coli to Tt-Z2 was 2.6 x 10(-6). More than 68% of Tt-Z2 cells carried the recombinant plasmids after being cultured for 50 generations without selective pressure, which showed that pSDK-1 was maintained consistently in Tt-Z2. The pfkA gene from E. coli could be expressed in this obligately autotrophic bacterium but the enzyme activity (14 U/g was lower than that in E. coli (K-12: 86 U/g; DF1010 carrying plasmid pSDK-1: 97 U/g). In th presence of glucose, the Tt-Z2 transconjugant consumed glucose leading to a better growth yield.

Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Succession processes in a food web of a two autotroph--one herbivore system.

This paper deals with the succession process of a food web model consisting of one herbivore, two autotrophs and available nutrient in the environment in a closed nutrient flux. The model provides a way of describing successional changes in the form of species replacement with increasing nutrient levels. It is shown that distinct threshold (with upper and lower) values of nutrient are required for progression of succession process.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

[Peculiarities of growth and morphogenesis of syphoneal alga vaucheria sessilis in microgravity].

The space experiment was aimed at studying the dependence on the gravity of intracellular processes in an autotrophic organism deprived of pronounced gravitropisms and gravitaxis. The experiment demonstrated an immediate gravitational effect on intercellular processes involving the syphoneal alga Vausheira sessilis cytoskeleton. In the absence of the force of gravity algal growth and morphogenesis are inhibited more significantly than under the condition of the Earth's gravity.

Cytoskeleton↗

PubMed2006

Coupling of Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus methane formation and growth in fed-batch and continuous cultures under different H2 gassing regimens.

In nature, H2- and CO2-utilizing methanogenic archaea have to couple the processes of methanogenesis and autotrophic growth under highly variable conditions with respect to the supply and concentration of their energy source, hydrogen. To study the hydrogen-dependent coupling between methanogenesis and growth, Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus was cultured in a fed-batch fermentor and in a chemostat under different 80% H(2)-20% CO2 gassing regimens while we continuously monitored the dissolved hydrogen partial pressures (pH2). In the fed-batch system, in which the conditions continuously changed the uptake rates by the growing biomass, the organism displayed a complex and yet defined growth behavior, comprising the consecutive lag, exponential, and linear growth phases. It was found that the in situ hydrogen concentration affected the coupling between methanogenesis and growth in at least two respects. (i) The microorganism could adopt two distinct theoretical maximal growth yields (YCH4 max), notably approximately 3 and 7 g (dry weight) of methane formed mol-1, for growth under low (pH2 < 12 kPa)- and high-hydrogen conditions, respectively. The distinct values can be understood from a theoretical analysis of the process of methanogenesis presented in the supplemental material associated with this study. (ii) The in situ hydrogen concentration affected the "specific maintenance" requirements or, more likely, the degree of proton leakage and proton slippage processes. At low pH2 values, the "specific maintenance" diminished and the specific growth yields approached YCH4 max, indicating that growth and methanogenesis became fully coupled.

Autotrophic Processes↗

PubMed2002

Improving the predictions of ASM2d through modelling in practice.

The paper presents the adjustments carried out on the structure and in some default values of the kinetic coefficients of the ASM2d model in order to get an improved prediction for the experimental results obtained in pilot scale plants studies with different activated sludge treatment processes for carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous removal. In order to predict the high effluent filtered COD experimentally observed in high rate processes for carbon removal, a new model structure has been proposed, incorporating into the carbon model a soluble fraction of the slowly biodegradable substrate. Studies with the step feed and the alternating processes showed simultaneous nitrification-denitrification in aerated reactors which was predicted with increased values in the oxygen saturation coefficients for heterotrophic and autotrophic biomass. Both processes also showed loss of the denitrification capacity under unfavourable conditions, such us rains and low anoxic fraction, which required a very large decrease in the value of the reduction factor for denitrification so as to improve the predictions for effluent nitrate experimental results. Regarding phosphorus removal, the ASM2d model showed a satisfactory predictive capacity. For improved predictions of phosphorus release in anaerobic conditions, high values of the rate constant for storage of X(PHA) and low values of the anaerobic hydrolysis reduction factor were used. For phosphorus uptake in aerobic and anoxic conditions satisfactory predictions were obtained using the default values.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗

PubMed2002

Light-induced mass turnover in a mono-species community of mixotrophs.

We formulate a simple model for growth of a facultative photoautotroph with chemoheterotrophic capabilities. The organism is described by zero, one or three reserve components, and one structural component, all taken to be generalized compounds. The rules of synthesizing units are used for interactions among the uptake processes of the various nutrients and light (parallel processing), and for the merging of autotrophic and heterotrophic activities (sequential processing). For simplicity, we focus on the assimilation of inorganic carbon, inorganic nitrogen and light, and of two organic compounds (dead reserves and dead structure) that originate from aging. The process of resource recycling in a closed environment, as driven by light, and its links with community's structure (amount of biomass) is analysed in this simplest of all communities. Explicit analytical expressions for the steady states show how structure and function depend on the system parameters light, total carbon and total nitrogen. The behaviour resembles the Monod model for the Canonical Community, a three-species ecosystem consisting of producers, consumers and decomposers. If trophic preferences of a mixotroph are allowed to follow a random walk across generations, a trophic structure evolves where mixotrophs coexist with auto- and heterotrophs. Depth profiles are presented for the implied steady-state concentrations of dissolved inorganic carbon and nitrogen.

Aging↗

PubMed2005

Partitioning of CO(2) incorporation among planktonic microbial guilds and estimation of in situ specific growth rates.

Partitioning of CO(2) incorporation into oxygenic phototrophic, anoxygenic phototrophic, and chemolithoautotrophic guilds was determined in a freshwater lake (Lake Cisó, Banyoles, Spain). CO(2) incorporation into the different types of microorganisms was studied at different depths, during diel cycles, and throughout the year. During winter holomixis, the whole lake became anoxic and both the anoxygenic and chemolithoautotrophic guilds were more active at the surface of the lake, whereas the activity of the oxygenic guild was negligible. During stratification, the latter guild was more active in the upper metalimnion, whereas the anoxygenic guild was more active in the lower metalimnion. Specific growth rates and doubling times were estimated for the most conspicuous phototrophic microorganisms. Doubling times for Cryptomonas phaseolus ranged between 0.5 and 192 days, whereas purple sulfur bacteria (Chromatiaceae-like) ranged between 1.5 and 238 days. These growth rates were similar to those calculated with a different approach in previous papers and indicate slow-growing populations with very large biomass. Overall, the annual total CO(2) incorporation in Lake Cisó was 220 g C m(-2). Most of the CO(2) incorporation, however, was due to the chemolithoautotrophic guild (61% during holomixis and 56% during stratification), followed by the anoxygenic phototrophic guild (35 and 19%, respectively) and the oxygenic phototrophs (4 and 25%, respectively), making dark carbon fixation the key process in the autotrophic metabolism of the lake.

Carbon Dioxide↗

PubMed2006

Acidophilic microbial communities catalyzing sludge bioleaching monitored by fluorescent in situ hybridization.

Biological autotrophic sulfur oxidation processes have been proposed to remove heavy metals from wastewater treatment sludge by bioleaching. We made a characterization of the microbial population in batch and continuous sludge bioleaching reactors using fluorescent in situ hybridization of fluorescently-labeled oligonucleotidic probes targeting rRNA in a 'top to bottom approach'. Batch incubations of sludge with 0.2% (w/v) elemental sulfur resulted in a pH value of 5. Alpha-Proteobacteria hybridizing with probe ALF1b were dominant in this incubation. Members of the Acidophilium-group (hybridizing with probe Acdp821) of Nitrospira/Leptospirillum phylum (Ntspa712 probe) and from the archaeal domain (ARCH915) were also detected. When sludge was incubated with 1% elemental sulfur in batch or continuous reactor experiments, final pH values were always below 2. Active microbial communities consisted almost exclusively of gamma-Proteobacteria (hybridizing with probe GAM42a). However, further hybridization experiments with probe Thio820 targeting Acidithiobacillus ferroxidans and Acidithiobacillus thioxidans gave negative results. A new probe, named THIO181, encompassing all known members of the genus was designed. Hybridization perfomed with THIO181 and GAM42a showed a perfect co-localization of the hybridization signals. Further hybridization experiments with probe THIO181 and THC642, specific for the species Acidithiobacillus caldus, confirmed that this bacteria was largely responsible for the sulfur oxidation reaction in our acidophilic sludge bioleaching reactors.

Acidithiobacillus↗

PubMed2005

The contribution of species richness and composition to bacterial services.

Bacterial communities provide important services. They break down pollutants, municipal waste and ingested food, and they are the primary means by which organic matter is recycled to plants and other autotrophs. However, the processes that determine the rate at which these services are supplied are only starting to be identified. Biodiversity influences the way in which ecosystems function, but the form of the relationship between bacterial biodiversity and functioning remains poorly understood. Here we describe a manipulative experiment that measured how biodiversity affects the functioning of communities containing up to 72 bacterial species constructed from a collection of naturally occurring culturable bacteria. The experimental design allowed us to manipulate large numbers of bacterial species selected at random from those that were culturable. We demonstrate that there is a decelerating relationship between community respiration and increasing bacterial diversity. We also show that both synergistic interactions among bacterial species and the composition of the bacterial community are important in determining the level of ecosystem functioning.

Bacteria↗

PubMed2004

Metabolic stoichiometry and the fate of excess carbon and nutrients in consumers.

Animals encountering nutritionally imbalanced foods should release elements in excess of requirements in order to maintain overall homeostasis. Quantifying these excesses and predicting their fate is, however, problematic. A new model of the stoichiometry of consumers is formulated that incorporates the separate terms in the metabolic budget, namely, assimilation of ingested substrates and associated costs, protein turnover, other basal costs, such as osmoregulation, and the use of remaining substrates for production. The model indicates that release of excess C and nonlimiting nutrients may often be a significant fraction of the total metabolic budget of animals consuming the nutrient-deficient forages that are common in terrestrial and aquatic systems. The cost of maintenance, in terms of not just C but also N and P, is considerable, such that food quality is important even when intake is low. Many generalist consumers experience short-term and unpredictable fluctuations in their diets. Comparison of model output with data for one such consumer, Daphnia, indicates that mechanisms operating postabsorption in the gut are likely the primary means of regulating excess C, N, and P in these organisms, notably respiration decoupled from biochemical or mechanical work and excretion of carbon and nutrients. This stoichiometrically regulated release may often be in organic rather than inorganic form, with important consequences for the balance of autotrophic and heterotrophic processes in ecosystems.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Autotrophic nitrogen removal from anaerobic supernatant of Florence's WWTP digesters.

In municipal WWTP with anaerobic sludge digestion, 10-20% of total nitrogen load comes from the return supernatant produced by the final sludge dewatering. In recent years a completely autotrophic nitrogen removal process based on Anammox biomass has been tested in a few European countries, in order to treat anaerobic supernatant and to increase the COD/N ratio in municipal wastewater. This work reports the experimental results of the SHARON-ANAMMOX process application to anaerobic supernatant taken from the urban Florentine area wastewater treatment plant (S. Colombano WWTP). A nitritation labscale chemostat (7.4 L) has been started-up seeded with the S. Colombano WWTP nitrifying activated sludge. During the experimental period, nitrite oxidising bacteria wash-out was steadily achieved with a retention time ranging from 1 to 1.5 d at 35 degrees C. The Anammox inoculum sludge was taken from a pilot plant at EAWAG (Zurich). Anammox biomass has been enriched at 33 degrees C with anaerobic supernatant diluted with sodium nitrite solution until reaching a maximum specific nitrogen removal rate of 0.065 kgN kg(-1) VSS d(-1), which was 11 times higher than the one found in inoculum sludge (0.005 kgN kg(-1) VSS d(-1). In a lab-scale SBR reactor (4 L), coupled with nitritation bioreactor, specific nitrogen removal rate (doubling time equal to 26 d at 35 degrees C and at nitrite-limiting condition) reached the value of 0.22 kgN kg(-1) VSS d(-1), which was approximately 44 times larger than the rate measured in the inoculum Anammox sludge.

Anaerobiosis↗

PubMed2002

Nitrate removal rate in a continuous column denitrification reactor using hydrogen generated by electrolysis with carbon anodes and stainless cathodes.

An autotrophic continuous denitrification process, using hydrogen generated by electrolysis with activated carbon anodes, was experimentally demonstrated to be an effective nitrate removal process. Several fixed bed columns with polypropylene packing and honeycomb shaped activated carbon anodes and stainless rod cathodes were set in a thermostat chamber at 30 degrees C, and potassium nitrate enriched tap water as influent was supplied at various flow rates and electric currents. Although the anode is in the same column where microbial biomass grows, sufficient nitrate removal was observed. For example, almost complete removal of nitrate and nitrite was observed at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) as short as 1.8 h. A model assuming successive denitrification reactions and plug-flow process, nitrate reduction rate = k1 [NO3-] [H2], and nitrite reduction rate = k2 [NO2-] [H2](1.5) was proposed. Calculated results with k1 = 1.3 mmol(-1) h(-1) and k2 = 3.3 mmol(-1.5) x h(-1) agreed well with all the experimental results.

Biofilms↗

PubMed2005

Upgrading of Florence wastewater treatment plant: co-digestion and nitrogen autotrophic removal.

In recent years a completely autotrophic nitrogen removal process based on Anammox biomass has been tested in a few European countries in order to treat anaerobic supernatant and to increase the COD/N ratio in municipal wastewater. This work reports experimental results on a possible technical solution to upgrade the S. Colombano treatment plant which treats wastewater from the Florentine urban area. The idea is to use 50% of the volume of the anaerobic digester in order to treat external sewage sludge (as septic tank sludge) together with waste activated sludge and to treat the resulting effluent on a SHARON-ANAMMOX process in order to remove nitrogen from the anaerobic supernatant. Anaerobic co-digestion, tested in a 200 L pilot plant, enables low cost treatment of septic tank sludge and increases biogas production; however, it also increases the nitrogen load re-circulated to the WWTP, where nitrogen removal efficiency is already low (<50%), due to the low COD/N ratio, which limits predenitrification efficiency. Experimental results from a SHARON process tested in a lab-scale pilot plant show that nitrite oxidising bacteria are washed-out and steady nitrite production can be achieved at retention times in the range 1 - 1.5 days, at 35 degrees C. In a lab-scale SBR reactor, coupled with a nitration bioreactor, maximum specific nitrogen removal rate under nitrite-limiting conditions (with doubling time equal to about 26 days at 35 degrees C) was equal to 0.22 kgN/kgSSV/d, about 44 times the rate measured in inoculum Anammox sludge. Finally, a cost analysis of the proposed upgrade is reported.

Bacteria, Anaerobic↗

PubMed2006

[Start-up experiment on nitrification of mid-low ammonia concentration wastewater in SBR biofilm reactor].

The start-up experiment on nitrification of mid-low NH4+ -N concentration wastewater was carried out in four SBR biofilm reactors for the establishment of completely autotrophic nitrogen removal process by the control of DO and HRT and different medias. The results show that on the conditions of temperature 30 degrees C +/-2 degrees C, ammonia concentration 60-120 mg/L, DO 0.8 - 1.0 mg/L and hydraulic retention time 24 h, the inoculating general active aerobic sludge and anaerobic sludge was nitrified stably after 130 days, and the YJZH media was more suitable for microorganism coherence.

Ammonia↗

PubMed2004

Comparative analysis of genetic diversity and expression of amoA in wastewater treatment processes.

The genetic diversity and expression of amoA of autotrophic ammonia oxidizers in wastewater treatment processes were investigated by RT-PCR and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) in order to identify active components of ammonia-oxidizer populations in a such processes. Ammonia oxidizers, evidenced by the presence of amoA mRNA, were regarded as metabolically active. The DGGE profiles derived from amoA mRNA and from its gene, which were amplified by RT-PCR or PCR using samples collected from a bench-scale reactor treating high concentration of inorganic ammonia, were similar. In contrast, RNA and DNA-derived DGGE profiles from three domestic wastewater treatment facilities were different from each other. These data indicate that the dominant ammonia oxidizers in the bench-scale reactor exhibited ammonia-oxidizing activity, whereas some ammonia oxidizers in the domestic wastewater treatment facilities apparently did not express high levels of amoA mRNA.

Ammonia↗

PubMed2001

[Autotrophic ammonium-removal of sludge liquor].

The autotrophic ammonium-removal process was realized in floating bed reactors with sludge liquor as substrate. Biofilm of autotrophic bacteria were formed on the surface of carriers in reactors. The main operation conditions of the reactors were as the following: T = 28 degrees C, pH = 8.0 and DO = 0.8-1.0 mg/L. The average surface load of two reactors in series was NH4(+)-N 3-4 g/(m2.d), and the general autotrophic ammonium-removal efficiency was about 70%. The Autotrophic ammonium-removal technology promises considerable savings in regard to the oxygen consumption and external organic carbon addition compared with the conventional nitrification-denitrification technology when it was used to treat ammonium-rich and unfavourable C/N ratio wastewater.

Biofilms↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Autotrophic arsenic oxidation by a Pseudomonas arsenitoxidans culture].

A microorganism oxidizing As(III) to As(V) was isolated from the water of a gold-arsenic deposit; the process occurs under the autotrophic conditions. The microorganism is a motile Gram-negative rod with one flagellum. It does not assimilate organic carbon sources and grows in a mineral medium with 1.3 g of As(III) per litre and acidification of the medium from the pH 7.5-8 to 4.5. The source of nitrogen for the growth is ammonium salts, the source of phosphorous is KH2PO4. It can assimilate up to 41.2-41.7% of the carbon from carbonates as was shown using labeled carbon. The organism is capable of changing the crystal structure of arsenopyrite. In its physiologo-biochemical properties, the organism does not resemble any species described by Bergey (1975) and therefore referred to as Pseudomonas arsenitoxidans.

Arsenic↗