Mechanism of the effect of graphene oxide on nitrogen removal performance of activated sludge
YIN Mu-chen1, LI Jun1, WU Yao-dong1, LI Dong-yue1, GAO Peng1, BIAN Xue-ying2, PEI Yan-xue1, LIANG Dong-bo3
1. National Engineering Laboratory of Urban Sewage Advanced Treatment and Resource Utilization Technology, Faculty of Architecture, Civil and Transportation Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China; 2. BGI Engineering Consultants Ltd.. Beijing 100038. China; 3. China Urban Construction Design & Research Institute Co. Ltd., Beijing 100120. China
Abstract：Three sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) with different concentrations of graphene oxide (GO. 0.1 and 10mg/L) were established to clarify the intrinsic mechanism of GO deteriorating the nitrogen removal performance of activated sludge (AS). The results showed that 1mg/L GO had no significant inhibitory effect on the performance of AS. 10mg/L GO reduced the total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiency of AS by 17.63%. Moreover. GO exposure increased the oxidative stress levels in AS by 198.51% and 307.13%. respectively. The microorganisms responded to the GO stress by secreting more extracellular polymers (EPS). 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that GO significantly affected the abundance of genera with nitrogen removal function. The abundance of common genera responsible for nitrification (Nitrosomonas and Nitrospira) and denitrification (Candidatus_Accumulibacter. and Thauera. etc.) decreased with increasing GO concentration. Functional gene prediction showed that GO reduced the abundance of genes related to nitrogen removal. The abundance of genes related to NH4+-N oxidation (amoA.
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