Unclassified Anammox bacterium responds to robust nitrogen removal in a sequencing batch reactor fed with landfill leachate

Abstract

Treatment of landfill leachate was conducted in a lab-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR). The SBR was started through inoculating activated sludge with controlling dissolved oxygen of 0.5–1.0 mg/L. Anammox reaction took place within around three months. The SBR established robust nitrogen removal with incremental NLRs of 0.25–2.17 kg N/m3/d. At the final phase, it achieved elevated nitrogen removals of 1.68–1.91 kg N/m3/d. 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing analysis revealed Nitrosomonas, unclassified Anammox bacterium, and diverse denitrifying populations coexisted and accounted for 4.02%, 20.05% and 34.69%, respectively. Phylogenic analysis and average nucleotide identity comparison jointly suggested the unclassified Anammox bacterium potentially pertained to a novel Anammox lineage. The functional profiles’ prediction suggested sulfate reduction, arsenate reduction and eliminations of antibiotics and drugs likely occurred in the SBR. The finding from this study suggests contribution of unclassified Anammox bacteria in influencing nitrogen budget in natural and engineering systems is currently being underestimated.