Effect of Newly Synthesized Salts and Three Common Micropollutants on the Biochemical Activity of Nitrifiers

Dorota Olejnik, Malgorzata Galamon, Ewa Liwarska-Bizukojc, Elisabeth Delbeke, Kevin M. Van Geem and Christian V. Stevens
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Dorota Olejnik: Institute of Environmental Engineering and Building Installations, Lodz University of Technology, al. Politechniki 6, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
Malgorzata Galamon: Institute of Environmental Engineering and Building Installations, Lodz University of Technology, al. Politechniki 6, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
Ewa Liwarska-Bizukojc: Institute of Environmental Engineering and Building Installations, Lodz University of Technology, al. Politechniki 6, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
Elisabeth Delbeke: Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
Kevin M. Van Geem: Department of Materials, Textile and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Ghent University, Technologieparl 914, B-9052 Ghent-Zwijnaarde, Belgium
Christian V. Stevens: Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 13, 1-10

Abstract: Often, different types of contaminants in wastewater are suspected of adversely affecting the treatment efficiency of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Therefore, it is essential to study the effects of newly synthesized substances on the activity of activated sludge microorganisms. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of innovative biosurfactants, i.e., sophorolipids quaternary ammonium salts (SQAS), and three common micropollutants (MPs), i.e., diclofenac (DCP), 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2), and 4-nonylenol (4-NP), on the biochemical activity of activated sludge microorganisms. The effect of all tested substances was more significant on nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) than on ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), and least on the respiratory activity of heterotrophic organisms (HET). SQAS inhibited nitrification even at the lowest concentration tested (5 mg L −1 ) and the inhibition degree was in the range of 37% to 78%; at the highest concentration of SQAS studied (160 mg L −1 ), it was about 45–96%. In most cases, the degree of inhibition increased when the SQAS concentration approached 80–160 mg L −1 . MPs influenced the activity of nitrifiers to a lower extent than SQAS. The inhibition degree varied from 25% to 75%, depending on the micropollutant tested and its concentration.

Keywords: MPs; nitrifying bacterial activities; nitrification inhibition; wastewater treatment; SQAS (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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