Effect of Free Hydroxylamine on the Activity of Two Typical Nitrite-oxidizing Bacteria

Abstract

The sludge from enrichment of Nitrobacter and Nitrospira was used as a research object and batch tests were performed. The inhibitory effects of hydroxylamine on Nitrobacter and Nitrospira under the same pH and different hydroxylamine concentration gradients, the same hydroxylamine concentration, and different pH gradients were investigated. The results showed that under the same pH condition, the activity of Nitrobacter decreased with increasing hydroxylamine concentration. Under the same hydroxylamine concentration (HA=5 mg·L-1) at a higher pH environment (pH ≥ 7.5), hydroxylamine produced more free hydroxylamine (FHA) and the inhibitory effect on Nitrobacter was improved. At a low pH environment (pH≤7), ionic hydroxylamine promoted the activity of Nitrobacter. The inhibitory effect of hydroxylamine on Nitrospira was limited. When pH=7.5 and hydroxylamine concentration was 45 mg·L-1, the relative activity of Nitrospira was 82%. The NOB growth rate kinetics model and the non-substrate inhibition linear equation were used to describe the effect of FHA on Nitrobacter and Nitrospira activity. The coefficient of determination R2 was 0.90 and 0.94, respectively. FHA may be the main reason for inhibiting the activity of Nitrobacter and Nitrospira.