Inhibition of heterotrophic and autotrophic nitrification in bacterial cultures by carbaryl and 1-naphthol

A carbamate insecticide, carbaryl, and its hydrolysis product, 1-naphthol, inhibited nitrification by a heterotrophic bacterium, a Pseudomonas sp., at a concentration of 50 μg/ml and by chemoautotrophic bacteria, a Nitrosomonas sp. and a Nitrobacter sp., at a concentration of 10 µg/ml, in pure cultures.     

Biodegradation of nonylphenol ethoxylates by Bacillus sp. LY capable of heterotrophic nitrification

Biodegradation of nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs) by Bacillus sp. LY, with heterotrophic nitrification ability was investigated. The results showed that NPEOs were readily degraded by Bacillus sp. LY with more than 80% of the total NPEOs being removed within 7 days. Heterotrophic nitrogen removal occurred simultaneously during the biodegradation period of NPEOs. NPEOs were biodegraded through a nonoxidative pathway, through which NPEOs were degraded via sequential removal of ethoxyl units to the nonylphenol. To the authors' knowledge, it is the first report on the biodegradation of NPEO contaminants by a microorganism capable of heterotrophic nitrogen removal.     

An examination of proton translocation and energy conservation during heterotrophic nitrification

Whether selected heterotrophic nitrifiers, as do the autotrophs, conserve energy during the oxidation of their nitrogenous substrates was studied. The examination of proton translocation of four different bacterial nitrifiers capable of pyruvic oxime [(PO), CH3-C(NOH)-COOH] nitrification and by an NH4+ oxidizing Arthrobacter sp. was initiated. Three of the PO nitrifying bacteria, all pseudomonads, oxidize hydroxylamine (NH2OH) at a greater rate than PO and yielded only stoichiometric protons when NH2OH was the reductant. The fourth bacterium, Alcaligenes faecalis ATCC 8750, an adept PO oxidizer, does not appreciably oxidize NH2OH. The bacterium displayed----H+NH2OH ratios far less than if NH2OH was stoichiometrically converted to nitrite. When given NH4+, the Arthrobacter sp. yielded proton translocation patterns which were inconsistent with the metabolic data collected concerning NH4+ oxidation. Thus no data was collected which supported energy conservation via proton translocation by these heterotrophic nitrifiers.     

Oxidation of n-tetradecane by some Streptomyces spp.

Summary Four species of Streptomyces showed no or extremely slow and poor growth with the hydrocarbon as sole carbon source. They oxidize n-tetradecane by subterminal attack, two of them additionally by terminal attack, as determined by examination of the extracellular oxidation products. It is suggested that the organisms degrade the alkane mainly by cooxidation.     

Combined heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification in Thiosphaera pantotropha and other bacteria

Reports of the simultaneous use of oxygen and denitrification by different species of bacteria have become more common over the past few years. Research with some strains (e.g. Thiosphaera pantotropha) has indicated that there might be a link between this aerobic denitrification and a form of nitrification which requires rather than generates energy and is therefore known as heterotrophic nitrification. This paper reviews recent research into heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification, and presents a preliminary model which, if verified, will provide at least a partial explanation for the simultaneous occurrence of nitrification and denitrification in some bacteria.     

Effects of a slow-release urea source on absorption of ammonia and endogenous production of urea by cattle

Three experiments were conducted with Angus or Holstein steers to evaluate effects of dietary urea–calcium (a slow rumen-release urea source) on absorption of ammonia N from the gut and urea N production in the liver. Steers were fed a high-grain diet (Experiment 1) or an all-forage diet (Experiments 2 and 3). Urea or urea–calcium (0.25 g/kg body weight) was dosed into the esophagus (Experiments 1 and 2) or rumen (Experiment 3), and blood samples were serially collected for 180 min. Blood concentrations of ammonia N and urea N were measured in all experiments, and net flux of metabolites across splanchnic tissues was measured in Experiment 3. Compared to urea, urea–calcium reduced (P<0.05) plasma concentrations of ammonia N in steers fed all-forage diets, and tended (P<0.06) to reduce arterial glucose concentrations in Experiment 3. Plasma concentrations of urea N were not affected by treatment in any experiment. Treatment and time post-dosing interactions (P<0.05) in Experiment 3 were due to increased ruminal fluid concentrations of ammonia N, net release of ammonia N by portal-drained viscera and total splanchnic tissues with urea versus urea–calcium treatment shortly after dosing. Similar interactions (P<0.05) indicated that urea caused higher hepatic glucose release and increased l-lactate release by total splanchnic tissues after dosing than urea–calcium. Urea–calcium was effective in mitigating rapid ammonia release in the rumen and subsequent effects on glucose and lactate metabolism.     

Oxidation of nitric oxide by a new heterotrophic Pseudomonas sp.

A new bacterial strain isolated from soil consumed nitric oxide (NO) under oxic conditions by oxidation to nitrate. Phenotypic and phylogenetic characterization of the new strain PS88 showed that it represents a previously unknown species of the genus Pseudomonas, closely related to Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas putida. The heterotrophic, obligately aerobic strain PS88 was not able to denitrify or nitrify; however, strain PS88 oxidized NO to nitrate. NO was not reduced to nitrous oxide (N₂O). Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and nitrite (NO₂ ^–) as possible intermediates of NO oxidation to nitrate (NO₃ ^–) could not be detected. NO oxidation was inhibited under anoxic conditions and by high osmolarity, but not by nitrite. NO oxidation activity was inhibited by addition of formaldehyde, HgCl₂, and antimycin, and by autoclaving or disintegrating the cells, indicating that the process was enzyme-mediated. However, the mechanism remains unclear. A stepwise oxidation at a metalloenzyme and a radical mechanism are discussed. NO oxidation in strain PS88 seems to be a detoxification or a co-oxidation mechanism, rather than an energy-yielding process. Received: 15 November 1995 / Accepted: 24 February 1996     

Isolation, characterization, and nitrification potential of a methylotroph and two heterotrophic bacteria from a consortium showing methane-dependent nitrification

Abstract A methanotrophic nitrifying consortium was previously obtained from a humisol which showed CH₄-dependent nitrification. Although the methanotroph could not be obtained in pure culture, three other members of the consortium have been isolated: An obligately methylotrophic Methylobacillus (Is-1) which grows only on CH₃OH and does not nitrify; a Pseudomonas (Is-2) which grows on Is-1 culture filtrate and produces NO₂⁻, NO₃⁻ and N₂O from NH₂OH, and NO₃⁻ from NO₂⁻; and a second Pseudomonas (Is-3) which produces NO₃⁻ from NH₄⁺ or NO₂⁻, and N₂O from NH₂OH. A model is proposed for the trophic relations and nitrogen transformations in the consortium which may apply to some natural systems.     

The effect of thiosulphate and other inhibitors of autotrophic nitrification on heterotrophic nitrifiers

It has been found that heterotrophic nitrification by Thiosphaera pantotropha can be inhibited by thiosulphate in batch and chemostat cultures. Allythiourea and nitrapyrin, both classically considered to be specific inhibitors of autotrophic nitrification, inhibited nitrification by Tsa. pantotropha in short-term experiments with resting cell suspensions. Hydroxylamine inhibited ammonia oxidation in chemostat cultures, but was itself fully oxidized. Thus the total nitrification rate for the culture remained the same.Heterotrophic nitrification by another organism, a strain of Pseudomonas denitrificans has also been shown to be inhibited by thiosulphate in short term experiments and in the chemostat. During these experiments it became evident that this strain is able to grow mixotrophically (with acetate) and autotrophically in a chemostat with thiosulphate as the energy source.     

Comparison of Karanjin with other nitrification inhibitors for retardation of nitrification of urea N in soil

Summary Comparative evaluation of Kranjin and three patented nitrification inhibitors for retardation of nitrification of urea in a sandy clay loam showed that the effectiveness of the compounds tested decreased in the order: Nitrapyrin>Karanjin>A.M.>dicyandiamide.     

The structure and component characteristics of partial nitrification biofilms under autotrophic and heterotrophic conditions

The differences in the structure and component characteristics of partial nitrification biofilms between autotrophic and heterotrophic conditions were investigated in this work. Three-dimensional excitation–emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy (EEM), fluorescence staining, and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) were used to determine differences in the architecture and extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) distribution of the autotrophic and heterotrophic biofilms. Partial nitrification was successfully achieved, and the results demonstrated that an appropriate amount of organic carbon (chemical oxygen demand (COD)/N?=?2.6) is advantageous for obtaining better partial nitrification. The final ammoniation and nitrosation rates achieved were 97 and 99 %, respectively. Proteins (PN) and polysaccharides (PS) were dominant in the tightly bound EPS (TB-EPS) of autotrophic and heterotrophic biofilms, with PN/PS ratios of 0.96 and 0.69, respectively. Proteins, lipids, α-d-glucopyranose polysaccharides, and nucleic acids were mostly present within the layers of biofilms, but they were distributed in the upper-middle portion of the autotrophic biofilm and increased with depth from the upper layer in the heterotrophic biofilms.