PHBV polymer supported denitrification system efficiently treated high nitrate concentration wastewater: Denitrification performance, microbial community structure evolution and key denitrifying bacteria

Biodegradable polymer supported denitrification (BPD) system shows good denitrification performance for the wastewater with low nitrate concentrations. In this study, a BPD system using Poly (3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) polymer as carbon source was developed to treat the wastewater with high nitrate concentrations. The denitrification performance, utilization ratio of PHBV polymers, and microbial community structure evolution and key denitrifying bacteria were comprehensively studied. Results indicated that an average nitrate removal efficiency of 99% could be achieved with an influent NO3−-N concentration of 100 mg L−1 and a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 7.25 h. Mass balance model predicted that 80% of the PHBV polymers were consumed by denitrifying bacteria, close to 72% consumption in real condition, suggesting the model might be useful for PHBV polymers management in BPD system. Further, the bacterial community structures varied along the bioreactor profile, which closely linked to the concentration profiles of nitrate and ammonia. Metatranscriptomic analysis identified the key denitrifying bacteria as Comamonas, Acidovorax and Dechloromonas. The PHBV supported denitrification system developed in this study shows potential for removal of high concentration of nitrate from wastewater.