Complete and simultaneous removal of aromatic compounds and ammonium in the nitrifying process: Current knowledge of physiology behavior and dynamic response of microbial communities

Abstract The aromatic compounds and ammonium are considered as priority pollutants for their harmful effects on the environment and human health. These compounds are often discharged at high concentrations into industrial and urban wastewaters. Different studies have shown that microbial consortia are capable of carrying out the complete and simultaneous removal of aromatic compounds and ammonium, although the nitrification process may be hampered by inhibition, toxicity, and/or inactivation mechanisms under particular operating conditions. Recently, the advances in the field of molecular biology have allowed researchers to identify a wide variety of microorganisms capable of degrading aromatic compounds present in the culture media. In this context, this chapter presents the current knowledge about the physiological behavior of nitrifying processes in terms of efficiency, yield, inhibition, specific rates, mineralization, transformation, and/or assimilation of aromatic compounds. The current knowledge about the dynamic response of the microbial communities obtained during the simultaneous removal of aromatic compounds and ammonium by microbial consortia is also presented. In addition, some kinetic modeling examples are presented to illustrate how mathematical modeling techniques may provide a reliable tool to better predict and understand the interactions mechanisms that are taking place in the nitrifying cultures in the presence of aromatic compounds.