Temperature response of sulfide/ferrous oxidation and microbial community in anoxic sediments treated with calcium nitrate addition

J Environ Manage. 2017 Apr 15:191:209-218. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.01.008. Epub 2017 Jan 16.

Abstract

Nitrate-driven sulfide oxidation has been proved a cost-effective way to control sediments odor which has long been a universal problem for urban rivers in south China areas. In this work, sediments treatment experiments under a dynamic variation of temperature from 5 °C to 35 °C with 3% of calcium nitrate added were conducted to reveal the influence of temperature variation on this process. The results showed that microbial community was remarkably restructured by temperature variation. Pseudomonas (15.56-29.31%), Sulfurimonas (26.81%) and Thiobacillus (37.99%) were dominant genus at temperature of ≤15 °C, 25 °C and 35 °C, respectively. It seemed that species enrichment occurring at different temperature gradient resulted in the distinct variation of microbial community structure and diversity. Moreover, nitrate-driven sulfide and ferrous oxidation were proportionally promoted only when temperature increased above 15 °C. The dominant bacteria at high temperature stage were those genus that closely related to autotrophic nitrate-driven sulfide and ferrous oxidizing bacteria (e.g.Thiobacillus, Sulfurimonas and Thermomonas), revealing that promotion of sulfide/ferrous oxidation could be attributed to the change of dominant bacteria determined by temperature variation. Thus, a higher treatment efficiency by calcium nitrate addition for odor control would be achieved in summer than any other seasons in south China areas.

Keywords: Microbial community; Nitrate-driven sulfide/ferrous oxidation; Odor control; Sediments; Temperature response.

MeSH terms

  • Autotrophic Processes
  • Bacteria / classification
  • Nitrates*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Sulfides
  • Temperature*

Substances

  • Nitrates
  • Sulfides