Detachment of multi species biofilm in circulating fluidized bed bioreactor

In this study, the detachment rates of various microbial species from the aerobic and anoxic biofilms in a circulating fluidized bed bioreactor (CFBB) with two entirely separate aerobic and anoxic beds were investigated. Overall detachment rate coefficients for biomass, determined on the basis of volatile suspended solids (VSS), glucose and protein as well as for specific microbial groups, i.e., for nitrifiers, denitrifiers, and phosphorous accumulating organisms (PAOs), were established. Biomass detachment rates were found to increase with biomass attachment on carrier media in both beds. The detachment rate coefficients based on VSS were significantly affected by shear stress, whereas for protein, glucose and specific microbial groups, no significant effect of shear stress was observed. High detachment rates were observed for the more porous biofilm structure. The presence of nitrifiers in the anoxic biofilm and denitrifiers in the aerobic biofilm was established by the specific activity measurements. Detachment rates of PAOs in aerobic and anoxic biofilms were evaluated.     

Dynamics of Carbon Accumulation During the Fast Growth Period of Bamboo Plant

Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) has an extremely fast growth rate, however little information is available on the dynamics of carbon accumulation during the fast growth period. Bamboo trunk were sampled at three different stages (1: shoot emergence to first shell detachment; 2: first shell detachment to branch emergence; 3: branch emergence to detachment of all shells) and divided into three parts (upper, middle and lower). The average shoot elongation rate and biomass accumulation rate were 17 cm/d and 96 g/d, respectively. The carbon content increased progressively at the growth stage, and the fixed carbon was partitioned into cell wall hemicellulose and cellulose to meet the demand of rapid cell elongation. Different rates of N, P, K, Ca, and Mg content were found among different parts. These results indicated that the fast growth of the bamboo trunk is related to the extraordinary ability of bamboo to assimilate carbon, but not consistently related to mineral nutrients absorption.     

Green bio-dispersant removal efficacy estimation for controlling biofilms in cooling towers

In this study the effect of green bio-dispersants on cooling water biofilm attachment has been investigated. As monitoring biofilm growth in industrial cooling systems is extremely complex and difficult, we developed a simple method to additively evaluate the effectiveness of green bio-dispersants on biofilms grown in two different lab-scale systems using, as inoculum, make-up water from an industrial cooling tower. The proposed method uses spectrophotometry to estimate the detached biomass after bio-dispersant action. The biofilm detachment rate and the removal percentage of biofilm were calculated after the use of six green bio-dispersants, two non-green dispersants and three controls at two different concentrations. Under all tested conditions, green bio-dispersants showed higher biofilm removal percentage and detachment rate than non-green additives. These results suggest that highly performing green additives could be recommended as a reasonable replacement for non-green additives for controlling biofilms in cooling towers, in accordance to the European Union’s REACH regulation.     

Influence of biomass production and detachment forces on biofilm structures in a biofilm airlift suspension reactor

The influence of process conditions (substrate loading rate and detachment force) on the structure of biofilms grown on basalt particles in a Biofilm Airlift Suspension (BAS) reactor was studied. The structure of the biofilms (density, surface shape, and thickness) and microbial characteristics (biomass yield) were investigated at substrate loading rates of 5, 10, 15, and 20 kg COD/m3. day with basalt concentrations of 60 g/L, 150 g/L, and 250 g/L. The basalt concentration determines the number of biofilm particles in steady state, which is the main determining factor for the biofilm detachment in these systems. In total, 12 experimental runs were performed. A high biofilm density (up to 67 g/L) and a high biomass concentration was observed at high detachment forces. The higher biomass content is associated with a lower biomass substrate loading rate and therefore with a lower biomass yield (from 0.4 down to 0.12 gbiomass/gacetate). Contrary to general beliefs, the observed biomass detachment decreased with increasing detachment force. In addition, smoother (fewer protuberances), denser and thinner compact biofilms were obtained when the biomass surface production rate decreased and/or the detachment force increased. These observations confirmed a hypothesis, postulated earlier by Van Loosdrecht et al. (1995b), that the balance between biofilm substrate surface loading (proportional to biomass surface production rate, when biomass yield is constant) and detachment force determines the biofilm structure. When detachment forces are relatively high only a patchy biofilm will develop, whereas at low detachment forces, the biofilm becomes highly heterogeneous with many pores and protuberances. With the right balance, smooth, dense and stable biofilms can be obtained. Copyright 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Two-dimensional model of biofilm detachment caused by internal stress from liquid flow

A two-dimensional model for biofilm growth and detachment was used to evaluate the effect of detachment on biofilm structures. The detachment process is considered to be due to internal stress created by moving liquid past the biofilm. This model generated a variety of realistic biofilm-formation patterns. It was possible to model in a unified way two different biofilm detachment processes, erosion (small-particle loss), and sloughing (large-biomass-particle removal). The distribution of the fraction from total biomass detached as a function of detached particle mass, gives indications about which of the two mechanisms is dominant. Model simulations indicate that erosion makes the biofilm surface smoother. Sloughing, in contrast, leads to an increased biofilm-surface roughness. Faster growing biofilms have a faster detachment rate than slow-growing biofilms, under similar hydrodynamic conditions and biofilm strength. This is in perfect accordance with the experimental evidence showing that detachment is dependent on both shear- and microbial-growth rates. High growth rates trigger instability in biofilm accumulation and abrupt biomass loss (sloughing). Massive sloughing can be avoided by high liquid shear, combined with low biomass growth rates. As the modeling results show, the causes for sloughing must be sought not only in the biofilm strength, but also in its shape. Several "mushroom-like" biofilm structures like those repeatedly reported in the literature occurred, due to a combined effect of nutrient depletion and breaking at the colony base. A rough carrier surface promotes biofilm development in hydrodynamic conditions in which the biofilm on a flat surface would not form. Although biofilm patches filled completely the cavity in which they started to grow, they were unable to spill over the carrier peaks and to fully colonize the substratum.     

川西北泡沙参种群根系生长动态及其与环境因素关系研究

对川西北地区泡沙参种群根系生物量累积和形态发育过程及其与环境因素的关系进行了研究。结果表明,泡沙参种群根系生物量累积一般规律符合Logisticc增长过程。较高的泡沙参根系生物量累积和形态发育时期可以持续到15～17年生以后,根系采收直径应在1．7cm以上。动物啃食、人为采挖、土壤、气候等环境条件与不同海拔各种群的根系生物量累积等有着密切联系,中海拔地区(2800～3300m)人为干扰少,土壤和水热条件适宜,根系生物量和形态发育达到较高水平,适合高产栽培。而低海拔和高海拔地区的不利环境条件限制了泡沙参根系生长,在进行野生资源保护利用以及人工栽培泡沙参时应充分考虑环境因素,努力减少放牧、采挖等人为破坏,有条件的地区应实行分区禁牧、禁采挖,为泡沙参种群恢复和药材品质提高创造条件。     

Shear‐induced detachment of biofilms from hollow fiber silicone membranes

A suite of techniques was utilized to evaluate the correlation between biofilm physiology, fluid‐induced shear stress, and detachment in hollow fiber membrane aerated bioreactors. Two monoculture species biofilms were grown on silicone fibers in a hollow fiber membrane aerated bioreactors (HfMBR) to assess detachment under laminar fluid flow conditions. Both physiology (biofilm thickness and roughness) and nutrient mass transport data indicated the presence of a steady state mature biofilm after 3 weeks of development. Surface shear stress proved to be an important parameter for predicting passive detachment for the two biofilms. The average shear stress at the surface of Nitrosomonas europaea biofilms (54.5 ± 3.2 mPa) was approximately 20% higher than for Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms (45.8 ± 7.7 mPa), resulting in higher biomass detachment. No significant difference in shear stress was measured between immature and mature biofilms of the same species. There was a significant difference in detached biomass for immature vs. mature biofilms in both species. However, there was no difference in detachment rate between the two species. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2013; 110: 525–534. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Diffusion and reaction within porous packing media: a phenomenological model

A phenomenological model has been developed to describe biomass distribution and substrate depletion in porous diatomaceous earth (DE) pellets colonized by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The essential features of the model are diffusion, attachment and detachment to/from pore walls of the biomass, diffusion of substrate within the pellet, and external mass transfer of both substrate and biomass in the bulk fluid of a packed bed containing the pellets. A bench-scale reactor filled with DE pellets was inoculated with P. aeruginosa and operated in plug flow without recycle using a feed containing glucose as the limiting nutrient. Steady-state effluent glucose concentrations were measured at various residence times, and biomass distribution within the pellet was measured at the lowest residence time. In the model, microorganism/substrate kinetics and mass transfer characteristics were predicted from the literature. Only the attachment and detachment parameters were treated as unknowns, and were determined by fitting biomass distribution data within the pellets to the mathematical model. The rate-limiting step in substrate conversion was determined to be internal mass transfer resistance; external mass transfer resistance and microbial kinetic limitations were found to be nearly negligible. Only the outer 5% of the pellets contributed to substrate conversion. (c) 1993 Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Simulation of growth and detachment in biofilm systems under defined hydrodynamic conditions

Detachment from biofilms was evaluated using a mixed culture biofilm grown on primary wastewater in a tube reactor. The growth of biofilms and the detachment of biomass from biofilms are strongly influenced by hydrodynamic conditions. In a long-term study, three biofilms were cultivated in a biofilm tube reactor. The conducted experiments of biofilm growth and detachment can be divided into three phases: 1) an exponential phase with a rapid increase of the biofilm thickness, 2) a quasi-steady-state with spontaneous fluctuation of the biofilm thickness between 500 and 1,200 microm in the investigated biofilm systems, and 3) a washout experiment with increased shear stress in three to four steps after several weeks of quasi-steady-state. Whereas the biofilm thickness during the homogeneous growth phase can be regarded constant throughout the reactor, it was found to be very heterogeneous during the quasi-steady-state and the washout experiments. Growth and detachment during all three phases was simulated with the same one-dimensional biofilm model. For each of the three phases, a different detachment rate model was used. During the homogeneous growth phase, detachment was modeled proportional to the biofilm growth rate. During the quasi-steady-state phase, detachment was described by random detachment events assuming a base biofilm thickness. Finally, the washout experiment was simulated with detachment being a function of the biofilm thickness before the increase of the shear stress.     

Biofilm development and the dynamics of preferential flow paths in porous media

A two-dimensional pore-scale numerical model was developed to evaluate the dynamics of preferential flow paths in porous media caused by bioclogging. The liquid flow and solute transport through the pore network were coupled with a biofilm model including biomass attachment, growth, decay, lysis, and detachment. Blocking of all but one flow path was obtained under constant liquid inlet flow rate and biomass detachment caused by shear forces only. The stable flow path formed when biofilm detachment balances growth, even with biomass weakened by decay. However, shear forces combined with biomass lysis upon starvation could produce an intermittently shifting location of flow channels. Dynamic flow pathways may also occur when combined liquid shear and pressure forces act on the biofilm. In spite of repeated clogging and unclogging of interconnected pore spaces, the average permeability reached a quasi-constant value. Oscillations in the medium permeability were more pronounced for weaker biofilms.     

川西北泡沙参种群根系生长动态及其与环境因素关系研究

对川西北地区泡沙参种群根系生物量累积和形态发育过程及其与环境因素的关系进行了研究.结果表明,泡沙参种群根系生物量累积一般规律符合Logistic增长过程.较高的泡沙参根系生物量累积和形态发育时期可以持续到15～17年生以后,根系采收直径应在1.7cm以上.动物啃食、人为采挖、土壤、气候等环境条件与不同海拔各种群的根系生物量累积等有着密切联系,中海拔地区(2800～3300m)人为干扰少,土壤和水热条件适宜,根系生物量和形态发育达到较高水平,适合高产栽培.而低海拔和高海拔地区的不利环境条件限制了泡沙参根系生长.在进行野生资源保护利用以及人工栽培泡沙参时应充分考虑环境因素,努力减少放牧、采挖等人为破坏,有条件的地区应实行分区禁牧、禁采挖,为泡沙参种群恢复和药材品质提高创造条件.     

Periphyton dynamics in a floodprone prealpine river: evaluation of significant processes by modelling

1. Periphyton chlorophyll a was measured at weekly or 2 weekly intervals from October 1992 to March 1994 at four sites in a Swiss prealpine gravel bed river that was frequently disturbed by unpredictable spates.
2. To evaluate the dominant processes that control periphyton biomass, measured data were compared with a set of simulations from an empirical dynamic periphyton model. Different combinations of process hypotheses were systematically activated and deactivated in order to assess their importance.
3. The simplest model leading to an acceptable agreement with measured data employs a biomass-dependent growth rate, a detachment rate directly proportional to discharge and biomass, and a catastrophic loss rate during bed moving spates. Terms describing light or temperature dependence had a minor effect on the model fit.
4. The model describes the temporal pattern of the periphyton biomass as a series of growth curves periodically truncated by spates. Within the uncertainties of the measurements, mainly caused by the spatial heterogeneity of periphyton, the biomass recovered along deterministic trajectories.
5. Sensitivity analyses with respect to model parameters and model structure showed that site-specific model parameters could not be unequivocally determined, and that the model yields similar results with slightly different formulations of processes. This indicates that the data base with respect to periphyton biomass was too small for a unique identification of model details but that the main conclusions on the significance of processes did not depend on arbitrary choices of the model formulation.     

Periphyton dynamics in a floodprone prealpine river: evaluation of significant processes by modelling

1. Periphyton chlorophyll a was measured at weekly or 2 weekly intervals from October 1992 to March 1994 at four sites in a Swiss prealpine gravel bed river that was frequently disturbed by unpredictable spates.
2. To evaluate the dominant processes that control periphyton biomass, measured data were compared with a set of simulations from an empirical dynamic periphyton model. Different combinations of process hypotheses were systematically activated and deactivated in order to assess their importance.
3. The simplest model leading to an acceptable agreement with measured data employs a biomass-dependent growth rate, a detachment rate directly proportional to discharge and biomass, and a catastrophic loss rate during bed moving spates. Terms describing light or temperature dependence had a minor effect on the model fit.
4. The model describes the temporal pattern of the periphyton biomass as a series of growth curves periodically truncated by spates. Within the uncertainties of the measurements, mainly caused by the spatial heterogeneity of periphyton, the biomass recovered along deterministic trajectories.
5. Sensitivity analyses with respect to model parameters and model structure showed that site-specific model parameters could not be unequivocally determined, and that the model yields similar results with slightly different formulations of processes. This indicates that the data base with respect to periphyton biomass was too small for a unique identification of model details but that the main conclusions on the significance of processes did not depend on arbitrary choices of the model formulation.     

Kinetics of xanthan production when NH3-N limits biomass synthesis and glucose limits polysaccharide synthesis

The bacterium Xanthomonas campestris, which synthesizes the commercially important polysaccharide xanthan, was grown aseptically in 1.2 L fermenters using semicontinuous cell culture technique (d' = 0.0035 h-1). The effects of carbon-substrate concentration on xanthan production were investigated at three initial glucose concentrations (Go = 15, 20, 25 g/L). Cell biomass synthesis was nitrogen-limited by use of a chemically defined medium that contained NH3-N as the sole nitrogen source at a concentration where it was exhausted before glucose. A linear relationship between biomass synthesis and NH3-N depletion was observed. This relationship remained valid only until NH3-N exhaustion, after which biomass concentration slowly rose another 20 percent before declining. Another linear relationship was found between xanthan synthesis and glucose uptake. This relationship was unaffected by the disappearance of NH3-N and held through glucose exhaustion. The quasi-stoichiometric yield coefficients obtained for each linear relationship were not affected by G0-. Biomass synthesis kinetics showed no variation with G0 before NH3-N exhaustion; afterwards, cell biomass decline was delayed by increasing G0. Xanthan synthesis kinetics displayed no detectable response to depletion of NH3-N and plateauing of biomass concentration; however, there was a marked slow down in the net rate of xanthan synthesis and a drop in xanthan yield after cell biomass decline became noticeable.     

水氮运筹对棉花花后生物量和氮素利用率的影响

在池栽和大田条件下,以‘美棉33B’为材料,研究不同水分(自然降水、自然降水 灌水)和氮素(0、240、480kgN/hm2)运筹下棉花花后生物量和养分累积及氮素利用率动态变化特征。结果表明:施氮使棉花(整株、营养器官、生殖器官)生物量和养分快速累积期持续时间缩短、最大累积速率增大且出现时间提前、累积量及皮棉产量增加。灌水使240 kgN/hm2处理棉花(整株、营养器官、生殖器官)生物量和养分快速累积期持续时间缩短、最大累积速率出现时间提前、最大累积速率和累积量增大、氮素累积利用率和产量提高;而使480 kgN/hm2处理棉花营养器官生物量和养分快速累积期持续时间延长、最大累积速率出现时间推迟、生物量和养分最大累积速率及累积量增大、氮素累积利用率提高,而生殖器官相应指标呈降低趋势;灌水对不施氮处理棉花生物量和养分累积各项特征参数影响较小。营养器官生物量和氮磷钾最大累积速率出现时间较生殖器官早23 d左右,而快速累积期持续时间长于生殖器官11 d左右。研究发现,水分和氮素运筹可通过影响棉花生物量和养分累积的动态特征参数来影响棉花生长,进而影响最终产量品质形成;在本实验条件下,以灌水的240 kgN/hm2处理棉花的生长特征参数最为协调,皮棉产量和氮素利用率最高,品质较优。     

不同施氮水平下加工番茄植株生长和氮素积累与利用率的动态模拟

通过3年的大田试验,设置不同的氮素水平(0、75、150、300、450、600 kg·hm^-2)对不同施氮量下加工番茄地上部生物量、氮素累积及利用率的动态变化进行模拟.结果表明: 加工番茄地上部生物量、氮素累积量和氮素利用率随出苗后累积生理发育时间(PDT)的动态变化符合Logistic模型,氮素快速累积起始时间较地上部生物量快速累积起始时间早4～6 d(PDT);瞬时氮利用率随出苗后累积生理发育时间的动态变化呈先增加后降低的单峰曲线.不同施氮水平下,300 kg·hm^-2处理的氮累积量和地上部生物量最多,产量最高.根据Quadratic模型得出,北疆地区加工番茄滴灌栽培的理论适宜施氮量为349～382 kg·hm^-2.     

Processes governing primary biofilm formation

Biofilm accumulation under turbulent flow condition on the surface of a circular tube is the net result of several process including the following: (1) transport and firm adhesion of soluble components and microbial cell to the surface; (2) metabolic conversions within the biofilm in cluding growth and maintenance decay process; (3) detachment of portions of the biofilm and reentrainment in the bulk fluid. Experiments in tabular reactor were designed to measure the rates of these process during the early stages of biofilm accumulation as a function of the Reynolds number and suspended biomass concentration. Results indicate deposition (i.e., combined transport and adsorption) is only important in the very early stages of biofilm accumulation and is significantly influenced by negligible for the thin biofilms encountered in these experiments. Net biofilm production rates in all experiments decrease to same level and this level is not affected by changes in Reynolds number or suspended biomass concentration. Biofilm detachment rate increases continuously with biofilm accumulation and with increasing Reynolds number.     

Expansion rate of young tomato fruit growing on plants at positive water potential

Changes in tomato fruit expansion rate and carbohydrate content have been assessed during treatments designed to alter the carbon import rate. Because fruit expansion is sensitive to plant water status, the relationship with carbon import is difficult to assess, and thus, the diameter growth rate of young fruit was measured on plants maintained at positive water potentials. The detached top metre of a tomato plant was supplied with water, through the cut stem base, at a pressure of 0.08 MPa. Developing fruit on the stem continued to grow at high rates for up to 2 d. Fruit diameter growth rate after plant detachment was directly proportional to temperature. Plants acclimated to different continuous irradiances for 5 d before detachment gave fruit growth rates after plant detachment which were directly proportional to the irradiance up to 7 MJ m⁻²d⁻¹ photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). In continuous darkness, fruit growth rate remained unchanged for 20 h and then declined to less than 40% of the original rate over the following 30 h. On re-exposure to light, about 5 h elapsed before fruit growth rate increased but the growth rate stabilized at approximately 50% of the rate in continuously illuminated plants. During darkness, both fruit starch and hexose content decreased in comparison to illuminated controls, but on re-illumination, carbohydrate content increased before carbon was allocated to structural growth. Heat-killing the phloem of the fruit pedicel caused an immediate, but temporary, cessation of growth. After a partial recovery, expansion growth continued, but more slowly than in untreated fruit and at steadily declining rates. Starch and hexose sugars were not used to provide substrates for growth and starch synthesis was maintained. Continuing cell expansion was assumed to have been supported by water import via the xylem. Thus, fruit expansion may be related to carbon accumulation in most circumstances, but the changing allocation of imported carbon to storage and cell expansion may modify this relationship.     

Biofilm parameters influencing biocide efficacy

The influence of biofilm areal cell density, species composition, and the presence of abiotic particles on the disinfection and removal of bacterial biofilms by monochloramine was investigated. Mono- and binary population biofilms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae were grown on stainless-steel slides in a continuous flow annular reactor. Biofilms were treated in the reactor with a pulse/step dose of 4 mg/L monochloramine for 2 h. Biofilm samples were disaggregated and assayed for colony formation on R2A agar and for total cell numbers by acridine orange direct counts. These data were used to determine apparent first order rate coefficients for the processes of disinfection and detachment. Disinfection rate coefficients exceeded detachment rate coefficients by as much as an order of magnitude and the two coefficients were poorly correlated (r = 0.272). The overall decay rate coefficient (disinfection plus detachment) depended strongly on the initial biofilm areal cell density. It displayed a parabolic dependence on cell density with a maximum near 10(8) cfu/cm(2). This result points to multiple factors influencing biofilm susceptibility to antimicrobial challenge. Decay rates of K. pneumoniae measured in binary population biofilms were comparable with those measured in monopopulation biofilms (p = 0.61). P. aeruginosa decayed more slowly in biofilsm dominated by K. pneumoniae (p = 0.028), indicating some interaction between species. The presence of kaolin and calcium carbonate particles in the biofilm reduced disinfection efficacy. (c) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

A statistical analysis of the effect of substrate utilization and shear stress on the kinetics of biofilm detachment

One of the least understood processes affecting biofilm accumulation is detachment. Detachment is the removal of cells and cell products from an established biofilm and subsequent entrainment in the bulk liquid. The goal of this research was to determine the effects of shear stress and substrate loading rate on the rate of biofilm detachment.Monopopulation Pseudomonas aeruginosa and undefined mixed population biofilms were grown on glucose in a RotoTorque biofilm reactor. Three levels of shear stress and substrate loading rate were used to determine their effects on the rate of detachment. Suspended cell concentrations were monitored to determine detachment rates, while other variables were measured to determine their influence on the detachment rate. Results indicate that detachment rate is directly related to biofilm growth rate and that factors which limit growth rate will also limit detachment rate. No significant influence of shear on detachment rate was observed.A new kinetic expression that incorporates substrate utilization rate, yield, and biofilm thickness was compared to published detachment expressions and gives a better correlation of data obtained both in this research and from previous research projects, for both mono- and mixed-population biofilms. (c) John Wiley & Sons, Inc.