16S rRNA gene sequences from mainstream partial-nitrification/anammox membrane aerated biofilm reactors

The project includes 16S rRNA sequencing data from two membrane aerated biofilm reactors (MABRs) and anaerobic sludge granules used to inoculate the MABRs.Project abstract:Implementing anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria (anammox) in mainstream wastewater treatment could significantly decrease aeration, carbon, and volume requirements. However, efficient mainstream nitrogen removal has not yet been achieved with anammox, in part because ambient temperatures, low ammonium concentrations, and strict oxygen control required to suppress nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) throttle the activity of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB). The high ammonia and oxygen affinities of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and complete ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (comammox) make them ideal candidates for mainstream partial nitritation/anammox (PNA) treatment. We paired anammox with AOA and comammox in two laboratory-scale membrane aerated biofilm reactors (MABRs) to test this hypothesis. Each MABR achieved high nitrogen removal efficiencies without nitrate accumulation, a byproduct of anammox anabolism. Nitrate removal was associated with the enrichment of Nitrospira in anoxic regions of the MABR biofilms.Samples for 16S rRNA sequencing include:1) Anammox granules (inoculum)2) Comammox-anammox MABR biofilm (final timepoint)3) AOA-anammox MABR biofilm (final timepoint)