Comprehensive analysis of effects of magnetic nanoparticles on aerobic granulation and microbial community composition: From the perspective of acyl-homoserine lactones mediated communication

As dosing additives benefit for aerobic granular sludge (AGS) cultivation, effects of different concentrations (0, 10, 50 and 100 mg/L) of magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) on aerobic granulation, contaminant removal and potential microbial community evolution related to acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) mediated bacterial communication were investigated with municipal wastewater. Results showed that the required time to achieve granulation ratio > 70 % was reduced by 60, 90 and 30 days in phase II with addition of 10, 50, 100 mg/L Fe3O4 NPs, respectively. 50 mg/L Fe3O4 NPs can improve contaminant removal efficiency. The promotion of relative abundance of AHLs-producing and AHLs-producing/quenching populations and AHLs-related functional genes accompanied with faster granulation. Iron-cycling-related bacteria were closely related with AHLs-related bacteria during AGS formation. Co-occurrence network analysis showed that AHLs-mediated communication may play an important role in coordinating microbial community composition and functional bacteria participating in nitrogen and polyphosphate metabolisms during aerobic granulation process.