BIOLOGICAL NITROGEN REMOVAL FROM WASTEWATER BY DENITRIFICATION OF MIX-CULTURING FUNGI AND BACTERIA

Denitrification has been long thought to be a unique characteristic of prokaryotes, but in recent years, several filamentous fungi and yeasts were found to exhibit denitrifying activities. This paper deals with the examination of denitrification capabilities by mix-cultures of the fungus (Fusarium oxysporum) and the bacterium (Pseudomonas stutzeri TR2) in combination with a specific medium and using a synthetic wastewater of defined quality. The results revealed that P. stutzeri TR2 has strong and fast denitrifying capabilities under anaerobic conditions, and that co-denitrification of mix-cultures with F. oxysporum and P. stutzeri TR2 was more effective to remove nitrate under limited oxygen conditions. P. stutzeri TR2 was able to remove nitrate completely during cultivation for 12 hr in the specific medium and in mixed culture with F. oxysporum. A rapid N 2 evolution by mixed culture with F. oxysporum and P. stutzeri TR2 was observed in both mixed culture medium and synthetic wastewater. Using synthetic wastewater with a defined composition, about 87% of the nitrate was eliminated to form about 420μmol of N 2 from 1.0mmol of NO-3 by co-denitrification of F. oxysporum and P. stutzeri TR2 after incubation for 6days. In co-cultures of F. oxysporum and P. stutzeri TR2, N2O produced by F. oxysporum was rapidly consumed by P. stutzeri TR2. This indicated that mixed culture of F. oxysporum and P. stutzeri TR2 can be used to remove nitrate and nitrite from wastewater effectively.

Denitrification has been long thought to be a unique characteristic of prokaryotes, but in recent years, several filamentous fungi and yeasts were found to exhibit denitrifying activities. This paper deals with the examination of denitrification capabilities by mix-cultures of the fungus (Fusarium oxysporum) and the bacterium (Pseudomonas stutzeri TR2) in combination with a specific medium and using a synthetic wastewater of defined quality. The results revealed that P. stutzeri TR2 has strong and fast deni...