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Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering

ISSN 2095-2201

ISSN 2095-221X(Online)

CN 10-1013/X

Postal Subscription Code 80-973

2018 Impact Factor: 3.883

Front Envir Sci Eng    2013, Vol. 7 Issue (2) : 173-184    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-013-0494-3
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Organic and inorganic phosphorus uptake by bacteria in a plug-flow microcosm
Jinbo ZHAO1,2(), Xuehua LIU2
1. State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; 2. School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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Abstract

Phosphorus (P) is a vital nutrient for sustaining natural water productivity. Both particulate and dissolved forms of organic and inorganic P are potentially important sources of bioavailable P for primary and secondary producers. A microcosm system to imitate the bacterial community in Plym river sediment and pore water is described and bacterial uptake rates for inorganic and organic phosphorus are presented in this paper. The aim of this study was to investigate the uptake of two organic phosphorus compounds (phytic acid and D-glucose-6-phosphate) by freshwater bacteria. The bioreactors comprise glass columns packed with two types of small glass beads on which bacterial biofilm can develop. The glass beads with different porosity were introduced to simulate River SPM. The selected P compounds spiked into the inflow of the microcosm, and measured the step change of P concentration in the outflow to investigate the behavior of bacterial uptake of nutrients. The results showed that organic phosphorus was converted into inorganic phosphorus but the conversion rate depended on the type of phosphorus species. One experiment suggested that phytic acid (refractory) could displace phosphate from the biofilm surface; the other experiment showed that D-glucose-6-phosphate (labile) could be hydrolysed and utilized easily by the bacteria. The results also suggested that bacteria might break down the C-P bonds to utilize the carbon. Further experiments should investigate the effect of varying the C:N:P ratio in the microcosm system to determine which nutrient limits bacteria uptake.

Keywords organic phosphorus      bacteria      uptake     
Corresponding Author(s): ZHAO Jinbo,Email:henryzjo@bnu.edu.cn   
Issue Date: 01 April 2013
 Cite this article:   
Jinbo ZHAO,Xuehua LIU. Organic and inorganic phosphorus uptake by bacteria in a plug-flow microcosm[J]. Front Envir Sci Eng, 2013, 7(2): 173-184.
 URL:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/10.1007/s11783-013-0494-3
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/Y2013/V7/I2/173
Fig.1  Microcosm setup (microcosm array of three separate columns filled with Siran beads)
Fig.2  Schematic diagram of the plug flow microcosm
Fig.3  Electron micrographs of the beads: (a) a single Siran bead (×35); (b) a clean Siran bead (×3000); (c) Siran bead following one month of continuous exposure to Plym estuarine water colonised by bacteria (×2500); (d) Duran beads (×35); (e) a clean Duran bead (×2500); (f) Duran bead after one month of continuous expose to Plym river estuarine water colonised by bacteria (×3000). The circles highlight bacteria on the surface of beads
Fig.4  Schematic diagram showing expected change in the conductivity or concentration of a conservative (non-reactive) dissolved constituent, with time, in the outflow water of the microcosm following a single addition of the constituent to the inflow water. Phase I represents the initial concentration in the y – axis property (steady baseline) before the addition of the dissolved constituent (KCl or P compounds); Phase II represents the increase after addition of the constituent; Phase III shows the y-axis property reaching a plateau; Phase IV shows the decrease y-axis property after switching back to the original water; Phase V is the steady-state concentration after switching back to the original water
characteristicsSiran beadsDuran beads
glass column/mL125125
bead total weight/g4657
bead density/(g·cm–3)0.801.07
bead diameter/mm2-31
bead porosity50%–65%0%
bead volume/mL57.153.4
water volume/mL67.971.6
inlet flow rate/(mL·min–1)0.330.33
outlet flow rate/(mL·min–1)0.170.16
minimum refill time for each microcosm/h6.67.7
Tab.1  Physical and hydrodynamic characteristics of Siran and Duran bead filled columns
Fig.5  Determination of the residence and refill time for a solution of KCl in the microcosms. ? Siran beads; ? Duran beads
meanS.Da)minmax
DIP/(μg P·L-1)3426860
DOP/(μg P·L-1)911<320
Tab.2  Concentrations of DIP and DOP in the Plym Estuary water collected between November 2005 and April 2008
Fig.6  DIP (?) and DOP (?) concentrations in the outflow water from the microcosm Siran and Duran during the abiotic experiment. (a) and (b) DIP concentration from spiking with 80 μg P·L as orthophosphate; (c) and (d) DIP and DOP concentration from spiking with 80 μg P·L as G-6-P; (e) and (f) DIP and DOP concentration spiking with 80 μg P·L as phytic acid. (a), (c) and (e) are microcosm Siran; (b), (d) and (f) are microcosm Duran. Time 0 represents the DIP and DOP background concentrations and the time at which the inflow was spiked. ↓ represents the refill time
inflow before step upoutflow before step up (phase I)outflow during phase IIIgain /loss (phase III – phase I)outflow during phase Vgain/loss (phase V – phase I)
orthophosphate (Siran)DIPLDL386+ 831- 2
DOPNDNDNDNDNDND
orthophosphate (Duran)DIPLDL384+ 811- 2
DOPNDNDNDNDNDND
G-6-P (Siran)DIPLDLLDL24+ 242+ 2
DOPLDLLDL57+ 572+ 2
G-6-P (Duran)DIPLDLLDL31+ 312+ 2
DOPLDLLDL53+ 532+ 2
phytic acid (Siran)DIPLDL34+ 12- 2
DOPLDL170+ 692+ 1
phytic acid (Duran)DIPLDL12+ 12+ 1
DOPLDL585+ 802- 3
Tab.3  Mean DIP and DOP concentrations (μg P·L) in inflow and outflow waters following additions of 80 μg P·L orthophosphate, G-6-P and phytic acid during separate abiotic experiments (ND= not determined; LDL= less than detection limit). For phase I, III and V refer to Fig. 4
Fig.7  DIP (?) and DOP (?) concentrations in the outflow water of the microcosms during the biotic experiment incorporating the addition of 80 μg P·L orthophosphate. (a) microcosm Siran; (b) microcosm Duran. Time 0 shows the beginning of the step up phase, ↓ represents the refill time. Error bars represent±1 s.d. of the results from 3 columns with each sample analyzed in triplicate ( = 9)
microcosminflowat phase Ioutflow at phase Ioutflow at phase IIIgain /loss (phase III – I)outflow at phase Vgain/loss(phase V – I)
Siran DIP17±13±068±5+ 656±1+ 3
DOP5±12±115±2+ 138±3+ 5
DuranDIP22±25±179±3+ 744±1- 1
DOP9±25±413±1+ 83±1+ 3
Tab.4  DIP and DOP concentrations (μg P·L, = 9) in the inflow and outflow waters of the microcosms during biotic experiments incorporating the addition of 80 μg P·L orthophosphate
Fig.8  DIP (?) and DOP (?) concentrations in the outflow water of microcosms during the biotic experiment incorporating the addition of 80 μg P·L G-6-P. (a) microcosm Siran; (b) microcosm Duran. Time 0 shows the beginning of the step up phase. ↓ represents the refill time. Error bars represent±1 s.d. of the results from 3 columns with each sample analyzed in triplicate ( = 9)
G-6-Pinflow at phase Ioutflow at phase Ioutflow at phase IIIgain /loss(phase III – I)outflow at phase Vgain/loss(phase V – I)
Siran DIP22±12±052±3+ 5010±2+ 8
DOP6±210±04±2- 65±2- 5
Duran DIP26±29±071±3+ 6210±2+ 1
DOP6±26±113±1+ 72±2- 4
Tab.5  DIP and DOP concentrations (μg P·L, = 9) in the inflow and outflow waters of the microcosms during biotic experiments incorporating the addition of 80 μg P·L G-6-P
Fig.9  DIP (?) and DOP (?) concentrations in the outflow water of the microcosms during the biotic experiment incorporating the addition of 80 μg P·L phytic acid. (a) microcosm Siran; (b) microcosm Duran. Time 0 shows the beginning of the step up phase. ↓ represents the refill time. Error bars represent±1 s.d. of the results from 3 columns with each sample analyzed in triplicate ( = 9)
phytic acidinflow at phase Ioutflow at phase Ioutflow at phase IIIgain /loss(phase III – I)outflow at phase Vgain /loss(phase V – I)
Siran DIP29±47±048±3+ 417±20
DOP11±26±036±4+ 302±1- 4
Duran DIP26±22±076±1+ 743±0+ 1
DOP14±11±018±5+ 171±00
Tab.6  DIP and DOP concentrations (μg P·L, = 9) in the inflow and outflow waters of the microcosms during biotic experiments incorporating the addition of 80 μg P·L phytic acid
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