Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

ADSORPTION OF NUTRIENT IONS INTO BIOFILM MATRICES OF NATURAL MICROBIAL CONSORTIUM

Yogita Ayu Dwi Susanti, Muhammad Musa and Andi Kurniawan

Abstract

The presence of nutrient ions significantly affects the biotic components in the ecosystem, including the microbial consortium. Nutrient ions are an essential part of the aquatic ecosystem, which significantly affects microbial life. Most microbes live by forming biofilms that can uptake nutrient ions from the surrounding water. However, studies reporting the characteristics of uptake of nutrient ions by biofilms of the natural microbial consortium have been rarely reported. Understanding the uptake characteristics of cationic and anionic nutrients is an essential foundation for understanding biofilms as the predominant habitat of aquatic microbes. This study aims to analyze the adsorption characteristics of cationic nutrient (ammonium) and anionic nutrient (nitrate) by biofilm matrices. This study indicates that cationic nutrients can be adsorbed more into the biofilm matrix than anionic nutrients. The adsorption process of nutrient ions by biofilms is a fast process that allows the concentration of nutrient ions inside the biofilm matrix to be much higher than the surrounding water. According to the results of this study, the passive uptake of nutrient ions into the biofilm matrix is an important ecological factor providing nutrient ions for aquatic microbial life.