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• Both SMX and N-SMX exposure inhibited denitrification and DNRA rates in a short time. • Denitrification and DNRA rates recovered under SMX/N-SMX exposure in a long time. • The removal of nitrogen, SMX, and N-SMX can be achieved simultaneously. • Nitrogen-reducing bacteria that also degrade antibiotics were detected. Constructed wetlands (CWs) are increasingly used to treat complex pollution such as nitrogen and emerging organic micropollutants from anthropogenic sources. In this study, the denitrification, anaerobic ammonium oxidation, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium, and nitrous oxide release rates following exposure to the frequently detected sulfonamides sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and its human metabolite, N-acetylsulfamethoxazole (N-SMX), were investigated in lab-scale CWs. Over a period of 190 d, the denitrification rates were noticeably inhibited in the SMX and N-SMX groups at week 5. Subsequently, the denitrification rates recovered, accompanied by an increase in the relevant nitrogen reduction and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). The composition of the microbial community also changed during this process. After the denitrification rates recovered, Burkholderia _ Paraburkholderia and Gordonia exhibited a significant positive correlation with SMX exposure, which simultaneously reduced nitrate concentrations and degraded antibiotics. Burkholderia _ Paraburkholderia is a key carrier of ARGs. Finally, nitrogen reduction (> 90%) and antibiotic removal (> 80%) also recovered in both SMX- and N-SMX-exposed lab-scale CWs during the operation, which revealed the interaction of SMX or N-SMX removal and nitrogen reduction. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanisms through which microorganisms are impacted by surface application of ground cover and nutrient source in organic orchard management are not fully understood. Twelve ground cover (compost, wood chips, paper mulch, or mow-and-blow) by fertilizer (poultry litter, organic commercial, or a no-fertilizer control) treatment combinations were applied annually in April beginning in 2006, with soil collected in March 2007 and 2013 to determine the 1-year and 7-year effects of treatments on soil chemical and biological properties. Organic matter (OM) increased through time regardless of ground cover treatment averaged across fertilizers, with the greatest increase occurring with compost addition. Soil water content, microbial biomass N, ammonium-N, and nitrate-N were greater in 2013 than in 2007 at the 0–10 cm depth. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis of denitrifying ( nirK) communities revealed that fertilizers did not have a significant main effect or interaction with ground covers. Greater nirK richness and diversity coincided with clustering of the nirK community composition within compost treatments, and greater dissolved organic carbon concentrations with compost compared to wood chip or mow-and-blow treatments in 2007. By 2013 nirK communities in wood chip and compost ground covers tended to cluster together. Furthermore, soil nirK richness increased significantly from 2007 to 2013 in compost and wood chip treatments and was greatest in 2013 under those two ground covers. Diversity with wood chip addition increased from among the least in 2007 to among the greatest in 2013. Greater richness and diversity and community composition in the nirK community within a year of compost additions and gradually over time with wood chip addition indicate potential for enhanced denitrification in low OM, organic apple orchard soil receiving compost and wood chips mulches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A combination of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) with sulfur-autotrophic denitrification is a promising alternative for complete nitrogen removal. Herein, a novel anammox coupled with sulfite-driven autotrophic denitrification (ASDAD) is firstly proposed. The influence of pH (8.5–6.5) on nitrogen removal and N 2 O emission is investigated in an anaerobic sequencing batch biofilm reactor fed with low-nitrogen wastewater containing sulfite. Long-term operation demonstrates that a maximum nitrogen removal of 94.5% occurred at a pH of 7.5 and that the contribution of autotrophic denitrification to nitrogen removal increased as the pH declined. Cyclic and batch experiments verify that anammox and sulfite-autotrophic denitrification simultaneously participates in nitrogen removal, and the stoichiometry for sulfite-driven autotrophic denitrification is firstly proposed. Furthermore, N 2 O accumulation is also highly correlated with the pH. The N 2 O emission peaks at a pH of 6.5 due to the inactivated anammox and incomplete autotrophic denitrification of nitrite at such a low pH. High-throughput sequencing reveals the coexistence of anammox (Candidatus Brocadia and Candidatus Kuenenia) and sulfur-oxidizing species (Thiobacillus). Finally, the schema for nitrogen conversion and N 2 O formation of ASDAD is elucidated based on metagenomic metabolism. This study offers a cost-effective and environment-friendly completely autotrophic nitrogen removal process for municipal wastewater with a low carbon-to-nitrogen ratio in practice. [Display omitted] • A novel anammox-sulfite autotrophic denitrification (ASDAD) process was developed. • Optimal pH for maximum nitrogen removal of ASDAD was 7.5 • N 2 O emission factor was the highest as 0.71% at a pH of 6.5 • Co-existence of C. Brocadia , C. Kuenenia and Thiobacillus promoted ASDAD. • Schema for nitrogen conversion and N 2 O formation was elucidated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]