Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of continuous Cd feeding on the performance of a nitrification reactor

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Biodegradation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The inhibitory effect of Cd on nitrification was investigated in a continuous-flow system with enriched nitrifying bacteria. The maximum specific ammonium utilization rate and the half-saturation constant were found as 671 mg NH4–N/g VSS day and 0.48 mg/l, respectively. In the case of continuous Cd input at 1 and 2.5 mg/l, nitrification was inhibited by 30% and 47%, respectively. Inhibition ranged from 20% to 40% and no further increase in inhibition was exhibited in new runs except at 10 mg/l influent Cd. At 10 mg/l influent Cd, specific ammonium utilization and nitrate production rates were inhibited by 90%. On the contrary, a serious nitrite accumulation was not observed during this period. When Cd feeding was stopped, recovery from inhibition was observed after 37 day which was seen by the improvement in ammonium utilization and nitrate production rates. A shift in microbial population from the initial Nitrosomonas sp. to the Cd-tolerant Nitrosospira sp. was observed in the recovery period from severe Cd inhibition. After the domination of Nitrosospira species, redosing at 10 mg/l and then at 15 mg/l did not affect the performance as before.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

Cdbio :

Biosorbed Cd, mg Cd/g MLSS

Cdvolt :

Labile Cd concentration in bulk solution, measured by voltammetry (Cd2+ and Cd in weak complexes), mg/l

K I :

Inhibition coefficient, mg/l

\( K_{{{\text{S}},{\text{NH}}_{4} \hbox{-} {\text{N}}}} \) :

Half-saturation constant for ammonium, mg/l

qNH4–N:

Specific ammonium utilization rate, mg NH4–N/g VSS day

qNO3–N:

Specific nitrate production rate, mg NO3–N/g VSS day

\( q_{{\max ,{\text{NH}}_{4} - {\text{N}}}} \) :

Maximum specific ammonium utilization rate, mg NH4–N/g VSS day

\( q_{{\max ,{\text{NO}}_{3} \hbox{-} {\text{N}}}} \) :

Maximum specific nitrate production rate, mg NO3–N/g VSS day

\( q_{{\max ,{\text{NH}}_{4} \hbox{-} {\text{N,app}}}} \) :

Apparent maximum specific ammonium utilization rate, mg NH4–N/g VSS day

S :

NH4–N in bulk solution, mg/l

References

  • APHA, AWWA, WPCF (1998) Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater, 20th edn. American Public Health Association, Washington

    Google Scholar 

  • Beg SA, Siddiqi RH, Ilias S (1982) Inhibition of nitrification by arsenic, chromium, and flouride. J Water Pollut Control Fed 54(5):482–488

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • EPA (1993) Nitrogen control manual. EPA/625/R-93/010, US EPA, Washington, DC

  • Gernaey K, Verschuere L, Luyten L, Verstraete W (1997) Fast and sensitive acute toxicity detection with an enrichment nitrifying culture. Water Environ Res 69:1163–1169. doi:10.2175/106143097X125911

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gikas P, Romanos P (2006) Effects of tri-valent (Cr(III)) and hexa-valent (Cr(VI)) chromium on the growth of the activated sludge. J Hazard Mater B133:212–217. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2005.10.023

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gökçay CF, Yetiş Ü (1991) Effect of chromium (VI) on activated sludge. Water Res 25(1):65–73. doi:10.1016/0043-1354(91)90100-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hu Z, Chandran K, Grasso D, Smets BF (2002) Effect of nickel and cadmium speciation on nitrification inhibition. Environ Sci Technol 36(14):3074–3078. doi:10.1021/es015784a

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu Z, Chandran K, Grasso D, Smets BF (2004) Comparison of nitrification inhibition by metals in batch and continuous-flow reactors. Water Res 38:3949–3959. doi:10.1016/j.watres.2004.06.025

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jianlong W, Ning Y (2004) Partial nitrification under limited dissolved oxygen conditions. Process Biochem 39:1223–1229

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jönsson K, Aspichueta E, de la Sota A, la Jansen JC (2001) Evaluation of nitrification-inhibition measurements. Water Sci Technol 43(1):201–208

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lee Y-W, Ong S-K, Sato C (1997) Effects of heavy metals on nitrifying bacteria. Water Sci Technol 36(12):69–74. doi:10.1016/S0273-1223(97)00730-0

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lewandowski Z (1987) Behaviour of biological reactors in the presence of toxic compounds. Water Res 21(2):147–153. doi:10.1016/0043-1354(87)90043-1

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Madoni P, Davoli D, Guglielmi L (1999) Response of SOUR and AUR to heavy metal contamination in activated sludge. Water Res 33(10):2459–2464. doi:10.1016/S0043-1354(98)00455-2

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mazierski J (1995) Effect of chromium (Cr(VI)) on the growth rate of activated sludge. Water Res 29:1479–1482. doi:10.1016/0043-1354(94)00315-X

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mertoglu B, Semerci N, Guler N, Calli B, Cecen F, Saatci A M (2008) Monitoring of population shifts in an enriched nitrifying system under gradually increased cadmium loading. doi.:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.03.056

  • Neufeld RD, Hermann ER (1975) Heavy metal removal by acclimated activated sludge. J Water Pollut Control Fed 47(2):310–329

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ren S, Frymier PD (2003) Kinetics of the toxicity of heavy metals to luminescent bacteria. Adv Environ Res 7(2):537–547. doi:10.1016/S1093-0191(02)00022-9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schramm A, de Beer D, den van Heuvel JC, Ottengraf S, Amann R (1999) Microscale distribution of populations and activities of Nitrosospira and Nitrospira spp. along a macroscale gradient in a nitrifying bioreactor: quantification by in situ hybridization. Appl Environ Microbiol 65(8):3690–3696

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Semerci N (2007) Effect of heavy metal speciation on nitrification inhibition. PhD Dissertation, Boğaziçi University, İstanbul

  • Semerci N, Çeçen F (2007) Importance of cadmium speciation in nitrification inhibition. J Hazard Mater 147(1):503–512. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2007.01.041

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stephen RJ, Chang Y-J, Macnaughton SJ, Kowalchuk GA, leung KT, Flemming CA (1999) Effect of toxic metals on indigenous soil β-Subgroup proteobacterium ammonia oxidizers community structure and protection against toxicity by inoculated metal-resistant bacteria. Appl Environ Microbiol 65(1):95–101

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tsai YP, You SJ, Pai TY, Chen KW (2005) Effect of cadmium on composition and diversity of bacterial communities in activated sludges. Int Biodeterior Biodegradation 55:285–291. doi:10.1016/j.ibiod.2005.03.005

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tyagi RD, Couillard D, Tran FT (1991) Analysis of final settling tank in relation to control of metal inhibition in the activated sludge process. Can J Chem Eng 69:534–543

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yetiş Ü, Gökçay CF (1989) Effect of nickel (II) on activated sludge. Water Res 23(8):1003–1007. doi:10.1016/0043-1354(89)90174-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zarnozsky L, Derco J, Kuffa R, Drtil M (1994) The influence of cadmium on activated sludge activity. Water Sci Technol 30(11):235–242

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

The financial support of this study by the Research Fund of Boğaziçi University (Project No: B.A.P. 03S103), TUBITAK (Project No: ICTAG Ç067, Project No: Ç106) is gratefully acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Engineering, Marmara University, Kuyubasi, Istanbul, Turkey

    Neslihan Semerci

  2. Institute of Environmental Sciences, Bogazici University, Bebek, Istanbul, Turkey

    Ferhan Çeçen

Authors
  1. Neslihan Semerci
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ferhan Çeçen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Neslihan Semerci.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Semerci, N., Çeçen, F. Effect of continuous Cd feeding on the performance of a nitrification reactor. Biodegradation 20, 155–164 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-008-9209-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-008-9209-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation