Cross-feeding rewires carbon and nitrogen fluxes in anammox consortia treating long-chain fatty acids.

Oleate enhances nitrogen removal at low doses but disrupts anammox processes at high concentrations, with 13C tracing revealing cross-feeding in wastewater consortia.

• Why it matters: Understanding how long-chain fatty acids like oleate affect anammox bacteria is crucial for optimizing wastewater treatment, especially in lipid-rich streams where dosing impacts efficiency.
• What they did: The study used multi-omics approaches and isotope tracing to evaluate oleate’s effects at various C/N ratios, revealing dose-dependent impacts on microbial metabolism and community structure.
• The result: Optimal oleate levels stimulate carbon metabolism and cross-feeding, improving nitrogen removal, while excessive doses cause community damage, guiding better control strategies for organic-rich wastewater treatment.