POLIS | Studying the bricks of microbial cities: characterization and structural properties of exopolysaccharides and their interaction with proteins and cations in anammox granular sludge

Summary
The anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) is an innovative technology for the removal of nitrogen from wastewater (ww) saving 60% of aeration and 100% of organic carbon. Its potential application to municipal ww allow a complete redesign of the present energy-consuming into an energy-yielding ww treatment plant. Due to the slow growth rate of anammox bacteria, their retention in the system, and therefore granule stability, is the main concern of this process. Granular stability is closely related to the properties of their exopolysaccharides (PS) and their interactions with proteins and mono-divalent cations. In the proposed research integrated analytical methods (UV-visible, FT-IR, MALDI-TOF MS, NMR, (pyrolysis)GC-MS, HPLC) will be used to investigate functional PS and their fine structures, unrevealing the mechanisms involved in anammox granular sludge formation and stability. Modern rheological (AOS, LLCT and Microrheology combined with CLSM), light scattering (DLS, SLS) and microscopy techniques (AFM, FT-IR, CLSM) will be used to investigate their interactions with proteins and cations. PS will be isolated from lab- and full-scale reactors. The definition of standardized extraction (loosely/tightly bound-EPS, LB/TB-EPS) and analytical methods will bridge the existing gap for efficient and meaningful comparison of the results from this and future research. The methods set up here, will largely contribute to increase the scientific significance of PS studies in anammox granular sludge area as well as facilitate the entire biofilm research field. Studies on biofouling and biocorrosion will also benefit from the high-quality of the information and basic knowledge acquired. This research will strengthen the EU leadership in anammox granular sludge technology also improving EU scientific excellence in PS research area and provides the researcher an advanced level of multidisciplinary training, opening concrete perspectives for his career development.
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More information & hyperlinks
Web resources: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/661429
Start date: 01-12-2015
End date: 30-11-2017
Total budget - Public funding: 168 277,20 Euro - 168 277,00 Euro
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Original description

The anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) is an innovative technology for the removal of nitrogen from wastewater (ww) saving 60% of aeration and 100% of organic carbon. Its potential application to municipal ww allow a complete redesign of the present energy-consuming into an energy-yielding ww treatment plant. Due to the slow growth rate of anammox bacteria, their retention in the system, and therefore granule stability, is the main concern of this process. Granular stability is closely related to the properties of their exopolysaccharides (PS) and their interactions with proteins and mono-divalent cations. In the proposed research integrated analytical methods (UV-visible, FT-IR, MALDI-TOF MS, NMR, (pyrolysis)GC-MS, HPLC) will be used to investigate functional PS and their fine structures, unrevealing the mechanisms involved in anammox granular sludge formation and stability. Modern rheological (AOS, LLCT and Microrheology combined with CLSM), light scattering (DLS, SLS) and microscopy techniques (AFM, FT-IR, CLSM) will be used to investigate their interactions with proteins and cations. PS will be isolated from lab- and full-scale reactors. The definition of standardized extraction (loosely/tightly bound-EPS, LB/TB-EPS) and analytical methods will bridge the existing gap for efficient and meaningful comparison of the results from this and future research. The methods set up here, will largely contribute to increase the scientific significance of PS studies in anammox granular sludge area as well as facilitate the entire biofilm research field. Studies on biofouling and biocorrosion will also benefit from the high-quality of the information and basic knowledge acquired. This research will strengthen the EU leadership in anammox granular sludge technology also improving EU scientific excellence in PS research area and provides the researcher an advanced level of multidisciplinary training, opening concrete perspectives for his career development.

Status

CLOSED

Call topic

MSCA-IF-2014-EF

Update Date

28-04-2024
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Horizon 2020
H2020-EU.1. EXCELLENT SCIENCE
H2020-EU.1.3. EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
H2020-EU.1.3.2. Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
H2020-MSCA-IF-2014
MSCA-IF-2014-EF Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF)