Characterization of extracellular polymeric substances from biofilm in the process of starting-up a partial nitrification process under salt stress

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2011 Mar;89(5):1563-71. doi: 10.1007/s00253-010-2947-y. Epub 2010 Oct 30.

Abstract

In this study, the characteristics of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) fractions of biofilm during the process of establishing a partial nitrification under salt stress were analyzed in terms of concentrations, molecular weight distribution, and three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy. A partial nitrification was formed successfully with a salinity of 1%. Results indicated that the amount of total EPS increased from 54.2 mg g⁻¹ VSS⁻¹ on day 1 to 99.6 mg g⁻¹ VSS⁻¹ on day 55 due to the NaCl concentration changed from 0 to 10.0 g L⁻¹ in a biofilm reactor. The changes of loosely bound EPS (LB-EPS) compounds under different salt concentrations appeared to be more significant than those of the tightly bound EPS. A clear release of polysaccharides in the LB-EPS fraction was detected during the enhancement of salinity. This was considered as a protective response of bacteria to the salinity. Three fluorescence peaks were identified in the EEM fluorescence spectra of the EPS fraction samples. Two peaks were assigned to the protein-like fluorophores, and the third peak was located at the excitation/emission wavelengths of 275 nm/425-435 nm of the spectra of EPS fractions till the salinity maintained constant at 1%. This information is valuable for understanding the characteristics of EPS isolated from biomass in a saline nitrogen removal system.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacteria / growth & development
  • Bacteria / metabolism*
  • Bacterial Proteins / analysis
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Biofilms*
  • Molecular Weight
  • Nitrification*
  • Polymers / analysis*
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Polymers / isolation & purification
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial / analysis
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial / chemistry
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial / isolation & purification
  • Salts / toxicity*
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence
  • Stress, Physiological*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Polymers
  • Polysaccharides, Bacterial
  • Salts