Diffusional Properties of Methanogenic Granular Sludge: 1H NMR Characterization
AUTOR(ES)
Lens, Piet N. L.
FONTE
American Society for Microbiology
RESUMO
The diffusive properties of anaerobic methanogenic and sulfidogenic aggregates present in wastewater treatment bioreactors were studied using diffusion analysis by relaxation time-separated pulsed-field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and NMR imaging. NMR spectroscopy measurements were performed at 22°C with 10 ml of granular sludge at a magnetic field strength of 0.5 T (20 MHz resonance frequency for protons). Self-diffusion coefficients of H2O in the investigated series of mesophilic aggregates were found to be 51 to 78% lower than the self-diffusion coefficient of free water. Interestingly, self-diffusion coefficients of H2O were independent of the aggregate size for the size fractions investigated. Diffusional transport occurred faster in aggregates growing under nutrient-rich conditions (e.g., the bottom of a reactor) or at high (55°C) temperatures than in aggregates cultivated in nutrient-poor conditions or at low (10°C) temperatures. Exposure of aggregates to 2.5% glutaraldehyde or heat (70 or 90°C for 30 min) modified the diffusional transport up to 20%. In contrast, deactivation of aggregates by HgCl2 did not affect the H2O self-diffusion coefficient in aggregates. Analysis of NMR images of a single aggregate shows that methanogenic aggregates possess a spin-spin relaxation time and self-diffusion coefficient distribution, which are due to both physical (porosity) and chemical (metal sulfide precipitates) factors.
