Heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification potential of cyanide and thiocyanate degrading microbial communities under cyanogenic conditions

The impact of free cyanide ($CN^-$) and thiocyanate ($SCN^-$) on the $CN^-$ (CDO) and $SCN^-$ degraders (TDO) to nitrify and denitrify aerobically was evaluated under alkaline conditions. The CDO's were able to nitrify under cyanogenic conditions, achieving $NH_4{^+}-N$ removal rates above 1.66 mg $NH_4{^+}-N.L^{-1}.h^{-1}$, except when $CN^-$ and $SCN^-$ loading was 15 mg $CN^-/L$ and 50 mg $SCN^-.L^{-1}$, respectively, which slightly inhibited nitrification. The TDO's were able to achieve a nitrification rate of 1.59 mg $NH_4{^+}-N.L^{-1}.h^{-1}$ in the absence of both $CN^-$ and $SCN^-$, while the presence of $CN^-$ and $SCN^-$ was inhibitory, with a nitrification rates of 1.14 mg $NH_4{^+}-N.L^{-1}.h^{-1}$. The CDO's and TDO's were able to denitrify aerobically, with the CDO's obtaining $NO_3{^-}-N$ removal rates above 0.67 mg $NO_3{^-}-N.L^{-1}.h^{-1}$, irrespective of the tested $CN^-$ and $SCN^-$ concentration range. Denitrification by the TDO's was inhibited by $CN^-$, achieving a removal rate of 0.46 mg $NO_3{^-}-N.L^{-1}.h^{-1}$ and 0.22 mg $NO_3{^-}-N.L^{-1}.h^{-1}$ when $CN^-$ concentration was 10 and 15 mg $CN^-.L^{-1}$, respectively. However, when the CDO's and TDO's were co-cultured, the nitrification and aerobic denitrification removal rates were 1.78 mg $NH_4{^+}-N.L^{-1}.h^{-1}$ and 0.63 mg $NO_3{^-}-N.L^{-1}.h^{-1}$ irrespective of $CN^-$ and $SCN^-$ concentrations.