Inhibition of perchlorate reduction by nitrate in a fixed biofilm reactor

Perchlorate and nitrate were reduced simultaneously in fixed biofilm reactors. Reduction of 1000 μg L−1 perchlorate decreased slightly with the addition of 10–16 mg L−1 NO3–N when excess acetate was supplied while denitrification was complete. When influent acetate was reduced by 50% to well below the stoichiometric requirement, perchlorate reduction decreased by 70% while denitrification decreased by only 20%, suggesting that competition for electrons by nitrate was a factor in inhibition. Reduction of nitrate was favored over perchlorate, even though reactor biofilm had been enriched under perchlorate-reducing conditions for 10 months. When excess acetate was restored, perchlorate and nitrate returned to initial levels. The average most probable numbers of perchlorate- and nitrate-reducing bacteria during excess substrate operation were not significantly different and ranged between 2.0 × 105 and 7.9 × 105 cells cm−2 media surface area. The effect of nitrate on chloride generation by suspensions of perchlorate-reducing populations was studied using a chloride ion probe. The rate of reduction of 2 mM perchlorate decreased by 30% in the presence of 2 mM nitrate when excess acetate was added. When acetate was limited, perchlorate reduction decreased by 70% in the presence of equi-molar nitrate.