Effect of sulfide to nitrate ratios on the simultaneous anaerobic sulfide and nitrate removal

Present investigation deals with the effect of sulfide to nitrate (S/N) molar ratio on the simultaneous anaerobic sulfide and nitrate removal on capacity, stability and selectivity of the process. The volumetric sulfide-sulfur and nitrate-nitrogen removal rates at molar S/N ratio of 5:2 were 4.86 kg (m³ d)⁻¹ and 0.99 kg (m³ d)⁻¹, respectively, which were higher than those at S/N molar ratios of 5:5 and 5:8. Moreover, the fluctuations in the effluent at S/N ratio of 5:2 were less than those at the other two tested ratios. During the operation, the ratio of converted sulfide to converted nitrate tended to approach 5:2. The selectivity for elemental sulfur and dinitrogen was improved when the S/N molar ratio was set at 5:2 rather than 5:5 or 5:8. The process became unstable if the influent sulfide surpassed its critical concentration. The electron balance between reactants was also analyzed for different S/N molar ratios.     

Nitrate regulation of nitrate uptake and nitrate reductase expression in barley grown at different nitrate:ammonium ratios at constant relative nitrogen addition rate

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Golf) was cultured using the relative addition rate technique, where nitrogen is added in a fixed relation to the nitrogen already bound in biomass. The relative rate of total nitrogen addition was 0.09 day^?1 (growth limiting by 35%), while the nitrate addition was varied by means of different nitrate: ammonium ratios. In 3- to 4-week-old plants, these ratios of nitrate to ammonium supported nitrate fluxes ranging from 0 to 22 μmol g^?1 root dry weight h^?1, whereas the total N flux was 21.8 ± 0.25 μmol g^?1 root dry weight h^?1 for all treatments. The external nitrate concentrations varied between 0.18 and 1.5 μM. The relative growth rate, root to total biomass dry weight ratios, as well as Kjeldahl nitrogen in roots and shoots were unaffected by the nitrate:ammonium ratio. Tissue nitrate concentration in roots were comparable in all treatments. Shoot nitrate concentration increased with increasing nitrate supply, indicating increased translocation of nitrate to the shoot. The apparent V_max for net nitrate uptake increased with increased nitrate fluxes. Uptake activity was recorded also after growth at zero nitrate addition. This activity may have been induced by the small, but detectable, nitrate concentration in the medium under these conditions. In contrast, nitrate reductase (NR) activity in roots was unaffected by different nitrate fluxes, whereas NR activity in the shoot increased with increased nitrate supply. NR-mRNA was detected in roots from all cultures and showed no significant response to the nitrate flux, corroborating the data for NR activity. The data show that an extremely low amount of nitrate is required to elicit expression of NR and uptake activity. However, the uptake system and root NR respond differentially to increased nitrate flux at constant total N nutrition. It appears that root NR expression under these conditions is additionally controlled by factors related to the total N flux or the internal N status of the root and/or plant. The method used in this study may facilitate separation of nitrate-specific responses from the nutritional effect of nitrate.     

Evaluation of the electrical capacitance in biological membranes at different phospholipid to protein ratios

Photosynthetic chromatophores of Rhodobacter capsulatus were differently enriched in phospholipid content by freezing, thawing and sonicating in the presence of phospholipid vesicles. Closed vesicles, characterized by different phospholipid to protein molar ratios and increasing average radius at increasing phospholipid enrichment, were collected after sucrose density gradient sedimentation. The electrical capacitance of these systems was evaluated from the ratio of reaction center content, photooxidized by single turnover flash in the presence of antimycin, to the corresponding membrane potential difference, measured from the electrochromic red shift of the endogenous carotenoid band. The values obtained, normalized per protein content, increased at increasing phospholipid enrichment, and correlated linearly with the increasing phospholipid to protein molar ratios. The charging capacitance of chromatophores was evaluated to be 3–6×10^-17 F and was found to increase at increasing average radius of the phospholipid enriched vesicles, as predicted by the equation of the spherical shell dielectric. The carotenoid signal, elicited in the dark by imposing diffusion potentials of known extent with K⁺-valinomycin pulses, significantly decreased at high phospholipid enrichment, indicating that in the presence of large phospholipid excess, a partial displacement of the carotenoid molecules sensing the induced electric field is produced. Concomitantly, the energy transfer efficiency from carotenoids to core light harvesting complexes (B-875) was also partially affected, particularly at high phospholipid to protein molar ratio. All together, these results suggest that the reaction center complexes are dispersed within the lipid bilayer upon fusion and that carotenoids sense a delocalized light-induced transmembrane field.Abbreviations BChl bacteriochlorophyll - [BChl]₂ reaction center - PL phospholipid - cyt cytochrome - transmembrane electrical potential difference - TES 2-2-Hydroxy-1,1-bis-(hydroxymethyl)ethyl-amino-ethanosulfonic acid - mg_p mg protein     

Responses to fish predation and nutrients by plankton at different levels of taxonomic resolution

1. To improve mechanistic understanding of plankton responses to eutrophication, a mesocosm experiment was performed in the shallow littoral zone of a south Swedish lake, in which nutrient and fish gradients were crossed in a fully factorial design. 2. Food chain theory accurately predicted total biomass development of both phyto‐ and zooplankton. However, separating zooplankton and algae into finer taxonomic groups revealed a variety of responses to both nutrient and fish gradients. 3. That both nutrients and fish are important for phytoplankton dynamics was seen more clearly when viewing each algal group separately, than drawing conclusions only from broad system variables such as chlorophyll a concentration or total phytoplankton biovolume. 4. In some taxa, physiological constraints (e.g. sensitivity to high pH and low concentrations of free CO₂) and differences in competitive ability may be more important for the biomass development than fish predation, grazing by herbivorous zooplankton, and nutrient availability. 5. We conclude that food chain theory accurately predicted responses in system variables, such as total zooplankton or algal biomass, which are shaped by the dynamics of certain strong interactors (‘keystone species’), such as large cladocerans, cyanobacteria and edible algae (<50 μm), whereas responses at finer taxonomic levels cannot be predicted from current theory.     

Influences of different nitrate to ammonium ratios on chlorosis,cation concentrations and the binding forms of Mg and Ca in needles of Mg-deficient Norway spruce

Effects of Mg deficiency and variations of the NO₃ ^-/NH₄ ⁺-ratio on chlorophyll, mineral nutrient concentrations and the binding forms of Mg and Ca were investigated in current-year, one- and two-year-old needles of clonal Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.). Six-year-old spruce plants were grown for one year in sand culture with circulating nutrient solutions containing sufficient (0.2 mt M) or limiting (0.04 mt M) concentrations of Mg. The NO₃ ^-/NH₄ ⁺-ratio in the nutrient solutions administered to the experimental trees was adjusted to 0.76 in the Mg-sufficient treatment and to 1.86, 0.76 and 0.035 in Mg-limited treatments. Mg and chlorophyll concentrations, were strongly influenced by the applied nitrogen source in current-year needles and - to a less extent - also in one-year-old needles. NH₄ ⁺-dominated nutrition resulted in decreased height growth and significantly lower Mg and chloropyhll concentrations in current-year and one-year-old needles compared to NO₃ ^--dominated nutrition. Decreases in total Mg were linearly correlated to reductions of water-soluble Mg and water-unsoluble Mg not bound to chlorophyll. Mg bound to chlorophyll, however, was only reduced, when total Mg decreased below a physiological threshold value of 2% of the total nitrogen concentration in the respective needles. Total Ca concentrations in the needles, which were reduced by Mg deficiency especially when nutrition was NH₄ ⁺-dominated, were strongly correlated to the portion of Ca bound to oxalate. The amount of water-soluble Ca and pectate-bound Ca remained nearly constant, independent from changes of total Ca concentrations. Negative effects of increasing NH₄ ⁺ supply on concentrations of Mg and other cations in the needles can be attributed to an inhibition of cation uptake induced by ion antagonism and/or reduced root growth.     

Growth and water-use efficiency of 10 Triticum aestivum cultivars at different water availability in relation to allocation of biomass

In environments where the amount of water is limiting growth, water-use efficiency (biomass production per unit water use) is an important trait. We studied the relationships of plant growth and water use efficiency with the pattern of biomass allocation, using 10 wheat cultivars, grown at two soil moisture levels in a growth chamber. Allocation pattern and relative growth rate were not correlated, whereas allocation pattern and water use efficiency were. Variation in transpiration per plant resulted from variation in the rate of transpiration per unit leaf area or root weight, rather than from differences in leaf area or root weight per plant. Transpiration per unit leaf area or root weight was lower when the leaf area or root weight per unit plant weight was larger. Also, the efficiency of water use at the plant and leaf levels was higher for plants with a higher leaf area per unit plant weight, and it was not correlated with the plant's growth rate. Differences in water-use efficiency at the leaf level were related to variation in stomatal conductance, rather than in the rate of photosynthesis. A high photosynthetic water-use efficiency was associated with a low efficiency of nitrogen use for photosynthesis.     

The response of Vallisneria spinulosa (Hydrocharitaceae) to different loadings of ammonia and nitrate at moderate phosphorus concentration: a mesocosm approach

1. While phosphorus (P) is often considered the most important growth limiting factor for plants in lakes, recent studies of shallow lakes indicate that nitrogen (N) may be of greater importance than realized hitherto and that submerged macrophytes may be lost when the N concentration exceeds a certain threshold, as long as the concentration of P is sufficiently high. 2. We studied the effects of different loadings of NH₄‐N and NO₃‐N on chlorophyll a and on a macrophyte tolerant of eutrophication, Vallisneria spinulosa (Hydrocharitaceae). In outdoor mesocosms we used water from a pond as control and created four levels of NH₄‐N and NO₃‐N (approximately 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 mg L⁻¹) by dosing with NH₄Cl and NaNO₃, respectively. After the experiment, the plants were transferred back to a holding pond to study their recovery. In contrast to previous research, we used a low background concentration of phosphorus (TP 0.024 ± 0.003 mg L⁻¹) so we could judge whether any effects of N were apparent when P is in short supply. 3. Chlorophyll a increased significantly with N dosing for both forms of N, but the increase was highest in the NH₄‐N dosed mesocosms (maximum 58 μg L⁻¹ versus 42 μg L⁻¹ in the NO₃‐N mesocosms), probably due to a higher total inorganic N concentration (part of the added ammonia was converted to nitrate during the experiment). 4. Although the number of ramets of V. spinulosa was not affected by the N treatment, the biomass increased up to concentrations of 7.5 mg L⁻¹, while biomass at 10 mg L⁻¹ remained at the control level for both N ions treatments. A similar pattern was apparent for the content of N and soluble sugar of the plant, while there were no differences in the plant P content among treatments. Five months after transplantation back to the pond no difference was found in the number of ramets or in biomass, except that the biomass of plants grown at 10 mg N L⁻¹ during the experiment was greater than that in the control, while the N and P contents of plants were similar to those of the controls. 5. Nitrogen concentration had little influence on the growth of the eutrophication tolerant submerged macrophyte at moderately low concentrations of phosphorus. Moreover, the two N ions showed no toxic effects, suggesting that loss of macrophytes observed in other studies, run at higher phosphorus concentrations, was probably related to enhanced shading by periphyton and/or phytoplankton rather than to any toxic effects of N.     

Growth and nitrate uptake properties of plants grown at different relative rates of nitrogen supply. I. Growth of Pisum and Lemna in relation to nitrogen

Abstract The relations between growth and internal nitrogen concentrations were investigated in nonnodulated Pisum sativum L. cv. Marma and Lemna gibba L. grown at relative rates of nitrate-N additions (R_A) varying from 0.03 to 0.27 d ¹(Pisum) and 0.05 to 0.40 d ¹ (Lemna). At R_A≤0.21 d ¹(Pisum) and ≤0.30 d ¹ (Lemna), the relative growth rate (RGR) correlated well with R_A whereas higher R_A was not met by any further increawse in growth rate. The tissue nitrogen concentrations at growth-limiting R_A increased linearly with RGR. The slope of these lines indicate a maximum nitrogen productivity (amount of biomass formed per unit nitrogen and time) of 14.4 g DW g ¹ Nd ¹ for Pisum and 15.9 g DW g ¹ N d ¹ for Lemna. Extrapolation of the plots to RGR=0 yielded intercepts of 10–15 mg N g^?1 DW for Pisum tissue, whereas for Lemna the intercepts were closer to the origin than for Pisum. These intercepts formally define a fraction of the total plant nitrogen that appears not to be active in production of new biomass, her termed ‘non-growth nitrogen’. The partitioning of nitrogen as well as biomass to the roots increased at low R_A, and is discussed in relation to activity of shoots and roots, respectively.     

Growth and nitrate uptake properties of plants grown at different relative rates of nitrogen supply. II. Activity and affinity of the nitrate uptake system in Pisum and Lemna in relation to nitrogen availability and nitrogen demand

Abstract Net nitrate uptake rates were measured and the kinetics calculated in non-nodulated Pisum sativum L. cv. Marma and Lemna gibba L. adapted to constant relative rates of nitrate-N additions (R_A), ranging from 0.03 to 0.27 d^?1 for Pisum and from 0.05 to 0.40 d^?1 for Lemna, V_max of net nitrate uptake (measured in the range 10 to 100 mmol m^?3 nitrate, i.e. ‘system I’) increased with R_A in the growth limiting range but decreased when R_A exceeded the relative growth rate (RGR), K_m was not significantly related to changes in R_A. On the basis of previous ¹³N-flux experiments, it is concluded that the differences in V_max at growth limiting R_A are attributable to differences in influx rates. Linear relationships between V_max and tissue nitrogen concentrations were obtained in the growth limiting range for both species, and extrapolated intercepts relate well with the previously defined minimal nitrogen concentrations for plant growth (Oscarson, Ingemarsson & Larsson, 1989). Analysis of V_max for net nitrate uptake on intact plant basis in relation to nitrogen demand during stable, nitrogen limited, growth shows an increased overcapacity at lower R_A values in both species, which is largely explained by the increased relative root size at low R_A. A balancing nitrate concentration, defined as the steady state concentration needed to sustain the relative rate of increase in plant nitrogen (R_N), predicted by R_A, was calculated for both species. In the growth limiting range, this value ranges from 3.5 mmol m^?3 (R_A 0.03 d^?1) to 44 mmol m^?3 (R_A 0.21 d^?1) for Pisum and from 0.2 mmol m^?3 (R_A 0.05 d^?1) to 5.4 mmol m^?3 (R_A 0.03 d^?1) for Lemna. It is suggested that this value can be used as a unifying measure of the affinity for nitrate, integrating the performance of the nitrate uptake system with nitrate flux and long term growth and demand for nitrogen.     

Knocking out of tailoring genes eryK and eryG in an industrial erythromycin-producing strain of Saccharopolyspora erythraea leading to overproduction of erythromycin B, C and D at different conversion ratios

Aims: To overproduce erythromycin C, B or D and evaluate the effect of disruption of tailoring genes eryK and eryG in an industrial erythromycin producer. Methods and Results: The tailoring genes eryG and eryK were inactivated individually or simultaneously by targeted gene disruption in an industrial strain Saccharopolyspora erythraea HL3168 E3, resulting in the overproduction of erythromycin C (2·48 g l^?1), B (1·70 g l^?1) or D (2·15 g l^?1) in the mutant strain QL‐G, QL‐K or QL‐KG, respectively. Analysis of the erythromycin congeners throughout the fermentation indicated that, at the end of fermentation, comparatively large amount of erythromycin D (0·67 g l^?1) was accumulated in QL‐G, whereas only small amount of erythromycin D (0·10 g l^?1) was produced in QL‐K. Conclusions: Inactivation of tailoring genes eryG and eryK in the high producer did not affect the biosynthesis of erythromycin. However, erythromycin D could be more efficiently methylated by EryG than be hydroxylated by EryK. Significance and Impact of the Study: Development of the mutant strains provides a method for the economical large‐scale production of potent lead compounds. The information about the accumulation and conversion of erythromycins in the industrial strains may contribute to further improving erythromycin production.     

Scaling sun and shade photosynthetic acclimation of Alocasia macrorrhiza to whole-plant performance – II. Simulation of carbon balance and growth at different photon flux densities

A whole-plant carbon balance model incorporating a light acclimation response was developed for Alocasia macrorrhiza based on empirical data and the current understanding of light acclimation in this species. The model was used to predict the relative growth rate (RGR) for plants that acclimated to photon flux density (PFD) by changing their leaf type, and for plants that produced only sun or shade leaves regardless of PFD. The predicted RGR was substantially higher for plants with shade leaves than for those with sun leaves at low PFD. However, the predicted RGR was not higher, and in fact was slightly lower, for plants with sun leaves than for those with shade leaves at high PFD. The decreased leaf area ratios (LARs) of the plants with sun leaves counteracted their higher photosynthetic capacities per unit leaf area (A_max). The model was manipulated by changing parameters to examine the sensitivity of RGR to variation in single factors. Overall, RGR was most sensitive to LAR and showed relatively little sensitivity to variation in A_max or maintenance respiration. Similarly, RGR was relatively insensitive to increases in leaf life-span beyond those observed. Respiration affected RGR only at low PFD, whereas A_max was moderately important only at high PFD.