Effects of Cd(II) on wastewater biological nitrogen and phosphorus removal

Short-term and long-term effects of Cd(II) on wastewater biological nitrogen and phosphorus removal were investigated with respect to microorganism abundances, enzyme activities, and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and glycogen transformations. Though no obvious effects on wastewater biological nutrient removal were observed after short-term exposure, the long-term exposure of 10 mg L-1 Cd(II) inhibited nitrification and phosphorus uptake. Compared with the absence of Cd(II), the presence of 10 mg L-1 of Cd(II) decreased total nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiencies from 97% and 98% to 88% and 18%, respectively. Mechanism studies revealed that Cd(II) affected the transformations of intracellular PHAs and glycogen, and the activities of oxidoreductase and polyphosphate kinase, resulted in the decrease of nitrite oxidizing bacteria and polyphosphate accumulating organisms abundance, which might be the major reason for the negative effects of long-term exposure to 10 mg L-1 Cd(II) on biological nitrogen and phosphorus removal. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.