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What Is A Notice Of Assignment In The Trucking Industry?

To understand a notice of assignment, trucking company owners first have to be familiar with factoring—and to understand factoring, we’ll have to discuss the nuances of cash flow in the shipping industry.

Basically, the challenge for fleet owners (and owner-operators) is that their customers take forever to pay their invoices. You deliver a load and issue the invoice. The shipper may take 30 or 45 or 60 days—or more—to pay that invoice. Meanwhile, you’ve got fuel costs, payroll, insurance payments, and the thousand other financial obligations that keep your trucks on the road. You need that invoice paid now .

Factoring is the industry’s solution for quick payments to carriers. A factoring company steps in and pays your invoice today. Then that company collects from your customer, the shipper or broker who hired you to haul a given load. For their service, the factoring company keeps a low percentage of the total invoice value. (With Bobtail, the factoring fee ranges from 1.99% to 2.99%, depending on the volume of invoices you factor.)

Note that factoring is not a loan; the factoring company buys your invoices, so there’s no compounding interest or credit impact. Factoring beats loans as a cash-flow solution, hands down.

Struggling with slow payments from shippers and brokers? Keep cash flowing the simple way with Bobtail factoring.

With these preliminaries out of the way, we’re ready to answer the question that brought you here: What exactly is a notice of assignment in trucking?

Defining The Notice Of Assignment In Trucking

Factoring requires shippers and brokers to make changes in their billing systems. You’re no longer the collector on a factored invoice; the factoring company is. Accounts payable departments are busy places, and it’s easy for a shipper’s finance team to get confused when you do the work but another company collects the payment (after that company pays you, of course).

A notice of assignment clears up the billing relationship in a factoring agreement. A notice of assignment is a contractual document, supplied to both the carrier and the customer, that tells the customer to pay the factoring company, not the carrier.

The notice of assignment is an essential piece of paperwork, one of the documents you’ll have to keep on file as you establish a factoring relationship. You’ll have to sign the notice of assignment, and so will your customer. In short, this is a contractual agreement that carries legal consequences, and clarifies who exactly the shipper should pay for a delivered load.

Why is a notice of assignment important?

Consider the case of a trucking company that shifts to factoring after months or years of collecting directly from a shipper. That carrier’s payment details are already set up in the shipper’s accounting systems. Due to accidents or willful fraud, it’d be easy for the carrier to collect on an invoice twice—once from the factoring company and again from the customer.

In that scenario, the factoring company loses money, or at least becomes embroiled in a flurry of paperwork and legal challenges. So the notice of assignment is designed to protect the factoring company. But this document provides benefits for you, the carrier, and your customers, too.

How A Notice Of Assignment Benefits Shippers And Carriers

Who needs more paperwork? While it may seem like just another legal document, notices of assignment are actually helpful for all three parties involved in a factoring payment deal: the factoring company, sure, but also the carrier and the customer.

For shippers , the notice of assignment is a strong incentive to update payment details in their accounting systems. It delineates the nature of the financial agreement. It provides visibility and clarity that avoids conflict down the line. Most importantly, factoring companies require shippers to sign a notice of assignment—and factoring benefits customers, too. It keeps them from having to renegotiate payment terms, and gives them the full 30 or 60 days to pay, which allows them to optimize their own cash utilization.

Carriers also benefit from the clarity that comes with a notice of assignment. This document allows you to rest assured that the customer won’t accidentally pay you for a factored invoice, so you don’t have to spend all day trying to get the money into the right hands—or face collection threats of your own.

The binding agreement contained within a notice of assignment protects you from legal problems. It’s simply smart business to make sure everyone knows exactly who should get paid, and for what. Notices of assignment accomplish this goal—and, with Bobtail, the paperwork is simpler than you might think.

Simplifying Notices Of Assignment

Traditional factoring companies aren’t the most efficient financial operators in the world. They make you sign restrictive contracts. They might even tell you who you can work with, and who you can’t. They stack hidden fees on everything from set-up to ACH transfers to terminating the deal. And they make you fill out reams of paperwork before depositing a cent.

Bobtail is different every step of the way. We started this company to eliminate the inefficiencies in the factoring process, and that includes personalized assistance with handling notices of assignment.

When you sign up with Bobtail—a quick, online process involving a single application form—you’ll get a personal account manager who’s always ready to answer questions and solve problems. They’ll issue your notice of assignment and make sure your customers understand the document and why it’s necessary.

All you have to do is carry on carrying loads.

When you decide to factor an invoice, the process is even simpler. Just deliver the load, upload the invoice, attach a rate confirmation and a bill of lading, and get paid. It’s all done through Bobtail’s online system, so you can handle financing from the rig. We also provide a user-friendly digital dashboard that makes it easy to track every invoice at every step of the financing process. There’s simply no easier way to factor an invoice.

At Bobtail, we believe that you know what’s best for your business. That’s why we don’t make you sign a long-term contract; this is no-contract factoring. You pick which accounts to factor and which to collect from directly, and we don’t have volume requirements or exclusive financing deals.

We also don’t charge hidden fees. You just pay a flat factoring fee so there’s no confusion on exactly how much cash will hit your bank account—or when. Invoices are filled the same day you submit them, or the next day if the invoice arrives after 11 a.m. Eastern time.

Don’t be intimidated by a notice of assignment in trucking—or any other documents related to your factoring service. With Bobtail, our devoted customer service team makes sure everything runs smoothly, and we’re there to help every step of the way. Or, as one Trustpilot review puts it:

“They always answer the phone! The staff is very helpful and cordial. The three things I love are: Payments are on time, the website is easy to use, and great customer service!”

(Read more customer reviews on Trustpilot.)

Ready to improve cash flow without the headaches? Sign up to learn more today.

If you have questions about account set-up, notices of assignment, or anything else related to factoring, contact the Bobtail sales team at (410) 204-2084, or email us at [email protected].

Caroline Asiala is the Digital Marketing Manager at Bobtail. With a background rooted in advocating for migrant rights, Caroline leverages her expertise in content creation to support small trucking businesses, many of which are immigrant-owned and operated, with the information they need to make their businesses thrive.

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Freight factoring articles.

Notice of Assignment in Trucking

What is a Notice of Assignment in Trucking?

When you factor your invoices, you are essentially selling them to the factoring company. The factoring company then collects the payment from your customer on your behalf. In order for the factoring company to have the legal right to collect payment from your customer, you will need to sign a notice of assignment.

A notice of assignment in trucking is a document that assigns the right to collect payment on an invoice to the factoring company. The notice of assignment also assigns the right to receive any future payments on the invoice to the factoring company.

Why is a Notice of Assignment Important?

A notice of assignment in trucking is important because it protects the factor’s (or the organization to which the receivables have been assigned) interest in the receivables. The notice of assignment also allows the factor to perfect its security interest in the receivables, and provides notice to the debtor that the receivables have been assigned and that payments should be made to the factor. Another reason why a notice of assignment is important is that it allows the factor to take action against the debtor in the event of a default on the receivables. Without a notice of assignment, the factor would not have any legal recourse against the debtor.

The notice of assignment also helps introduce the factoring company to the debtor. This is because the debtor will now be dealing with the factoring company instead of the business that assigned the receivables.

What is Covered in a Notice of Assignment?

When a trucking company factors their receivables, they are selling their invoices to a factoring company at a discount in order to receive immediate cash. The factoring company then becomes the receivable’s owner and has the right to collect payment from the debtor. In order to protect their investment, the factoring company will send a notice of assignment to the debtor, informing them that they now owe payment to the factoring company, not the trucking company.

The notice of assignment usually includes the following information:

-The name and contact information of the factoring company -The name and contact information of the trucking company -The invoice number or numbers that have been assigned to the factoring company -The amount of the invoice or invoices that have been assigned -The due date or dates of the invoice or invoices -The name and contact information of the debtor -A statement informing the debtor that they now owe payment to the factoring company instead of the trucking company -The factoring company’s terms and conditions for payment as well as payment details

Sending a notice of assignment to the debtor protects the factoring company’s investment and ensures that they will be paid for the invoices that they have purchased. It also allows the trucking company to focus on its business instead of chasing down payments from debtors.

Notice of Assignment Examples

It is common for businesses in the trucking industry to use factoring as a way to finance their operations. In order to secure funding, companies will often sign over their accounts receivable to the factor. This means that the factor has the right to collect payments on behalf of the company. When this occurs, the factor will typically send a notice of assignment to the company’s customers.

The notice of assignment informs the customer that the invoice has been assigned to the factor and provides instructions on how to make payment. It is important to include all relevant information in the notice, such as the amount owed, the due date, and the mailing address or website where payment should be sent.

Below is an example of a notice of assignment that a company might send to its customers:

Customer LLC

123 Main Street

Anytown, USA 99999

Dear Sir/Madam

RE NOTICE OF ASSIGNMENT.

Dear Customer,

We are writing to inform you that your invoice number 12345 has been assigned to ABC Factoring Company. Please remit payment for the invoice in full to ABC Factoring Company at the following address:

ABC Factoring Company

You can also make payments online at www.abcfactoring.com. Please be sure to reference your invoice number when making a payment. Kindly note you are liable for any misdirected payment, and as such we strongly advise you to take note of the change in payment details.

If you have any questions, please contact our office at 555-555-1234.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Your Company Name

An example of a notice of assignment sent by a factoring company to the debtors:

Dear Debtor,

According to the agreement between your company and our client – the Assignor – we hereby inform you that all the Assignor’s rights, title and interest in the account receivable described below were assigned and transferred to us, effective as of the date of this notice. All payments should now be made payable to and mailed to our address:

New Factor’s Name

The Assigned Account Receivable:

Description of Invoice: Invoice Number:

Amount: Due Date:

From now on, you should direct all your questions and requests concerning the above-mentioned invoice to us.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

The Factor’s Name.

As you can see, a notice of assignment is a simple but important document that companies in the trucking industry often use when factoring their invoices. The notice informs the debtor that the invoice has been assigned to the factor and provides instructions on how to make payment. By including all relevant information in the notice, such as the amount owed, rate confirmation, the due date, and the mailing address or website where payment should be sent, companies can help ensure that their customers make timely payments and avoid confusion. Advanced Commercial Capital, we are experts in factoring for the trucking industry and can help you get the funding you need to grow your business. Contact us today to learn more.

What Is a Factoring Notice of Assignment?

If you have already worked with a factoring company, then you have probably heard the term Notice of Assignment (NOA) before. There can be so much paperwork involved with the operation of a small business these days. It can be hard to keep up with the times and know what everything is. 

For example, a notice of assignment (NOA) is actually a very common document utilized in the trucking industry. It’s ideal for companies using a factoring transaction service because a factoring fee will pay them on the load in advance.

From there, the factoring company will be responsible for collecting payment for the service from the customer. Today, we will be taking a deeper look into the Notice of Assignment to better understand the importance of NOAs and why we need them. 

TAFS is More than Freight Factoring

How does an noa work.

Once a factoring company has paid the client for the load, it is important that the debtor knows that the money they owe is now due to another party. This official notification is delivered via a Notice of Assignment. It will be sent out to the debtor as a way of informing them that their payments must now be remitted to the factoring company instead of the carrier. 

Why is an NOA Important?

An NOA is a legal document that acts as a way of notifying the debtor about who they need to pay. When a carrier works with a factoring company, the TAFs Factoring carrier will be paid in advance by the factoring company, so it is important that the debtor is informed of the presence of the third party that will now be managing that company’s accounts receivable (AR). 

An NOA can also ensure that the debtor understands there’s a third party that will be collecting payments from them on behalf of the carrier. Notifying the debtor of this change will make it more likely to avoid payments being sent to the wrong party as well as conflicts and violations of the factoring client agreement.

What Is Covered in an NOA?

In a standard Notice of Assignment, you will find legal forms stating that the assignment of accounts receivable of the business has been assigned to a third-party provider. As such, payments are now payable directly to them. 

The NOA will include an updated address of the third party so that the debtor knows where to send any future payments, as well as the third party’s phone number and a statement letting the customer know that he or she will be held liable in the event of a misdirected payment. 

Will Factoring Affect My Work With My Client?

Working with a factoring company should not negatively impact any work that you do for your clients. The truth is that factoring is extremely common these days and in the larger picture, most business owners work with some form of a lender. 

What you can do on a personal level to avoid any confusion or worry is to simply assure your customers that invoice factoring will not affect the service you are providing to them and they can continue to expect the same level of service and attention in working with you. 

What Will Customers Think When They Receive an NOA?

Nowadays, a large percentage of companies use factoring or some sort of third-party financing option to help keep their operations flowing smoothly from one invoice payout to the next. This is often a display of good business management and dependability in the eyes of your clients. By taking control of your company’s finances, you’re letting them know that you are serious about your business and you plan to be around for years to come.

Is There a Financing Option That Will Not Send an NOA?

Select factoring companies may offer what is known as a non-notification factoring plan in which a conventional deed of assignment is not used. This plan is not often used because it leads to unnecessary confusion, which often results in payments being sent to the wrong party. 

This happens because no matter what, the debtor is still required to mail the payment to the factoring company, but instead of an NOA being issued and making this clear, the company’s letterhead is included. 

Example of an NOA

An NOA is often used in circumstances where a trucking company is utilizing a factoring company to manage their receivable financing for them. The Notice of Assignment is sent to the debtor with clear notification that the accounts receivable of the company they are doing business with are being managed by a third party.

It will properly advise the remittance address for their payments moving forward. With this official notice being received it is now up to the debtor to comply and update their system to make sure payments are processed to the correct party. 

4 Things To Consider When Factoring 

If you are going to use a factoring company here are some things you may want to consider regarding the NOA. 

Responsibility

The responsibility lies with both the carrier and the factoring company. The factoring company will send NOAs to many debtors but it is hard for a factoring company to know every customer a carrier has or will work with. For this reason, the responsibility also falls on the carrier as well to notify all of their customers of the new payment conditions. 

Requirements

The Notice of Assignment is required to be sent out so that the customer is fully aware of who they are legally obligated to pay. Without this notice, many payments would be sent to the incorrect party causing many issues that would deeply complicate the process.

If the trucking company accepts payment from the customer when it should have gone to the factoring company, the trucking company would be in violation of the contract and could be assessed additional fees or charged with fraud. 

Being notified of a factoring company being used is not a bad thing. Utilizing a f actoring company allows the carrier the ability to maintain operations within the windows of payment terms on the loads which may not pay out for 30 days or 60 days. In some cases, it might even be 90 days. 

Most factoring company contracts require carriers to submit every single invoice to minimize the likelihood of causing confusion. If the debtor has to change who they pay for different invoices, the odds are that errors will occur and payment will be sent to the wrong place. That is also why debtors don’t change who they pay after receiving an NOA unless they have an official release letter from the factoring company. This is a red flag for a carrier trying to commit fraud.  

Receiving an NOA Is Actually a Good Thing

In conclusion, we now know that receiving an NOA will inform the recipient that the carrier they used is collecting money via a factoring company or other third-party business. As such, they will not be managing their accounts receivable. This means they are taking their business seriously and making moves to ensure their company will be around for years to come, and with the ability to grow and expand.

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As one of the industry leaders, TAFS assists trucking companies to increase cash flow with some of the lowest factoring rates in the industry and 1-hour advance option.

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Learn About Notice of Assignment for Invoice Factoring

In a  factoring  relationship, you agree to assign your selected receivables to the factoring company. By advancing your  cash  against your invoices, the factor has purchased the right to collect amounts due from your customers. The Notice of Assignment is a critical part of your factoring paperwork as it reflects the change in invoice ownership.

What is a Notice of Assignment?

The Notice of Assignment is a simple letter the factoring company sends to your customers whose invoices you are factoring. In writing, the notice informs your customers that the accounts receivable is assigned, and future payments should be made payable to the factoring company. The notice will also include a remittance address so your customer can change their payment information.

The Notice of Assignment legally explains to your customers that any payments they make to you instead of the factor will not satisfy their obligation. The factoring company may hold your customers liable for misdirected amounts. This may occur if your customers choose to ignore the notice or fail to update payment information.

Many factors will require your customers to sign and return a copy of the notice to acknowledge receipt. This is not always required, though. Instead, the Notice of Assignment may include language that considers your customer’s continued use of your services to constitute an agreement to the notice. In addition, the factor may only revoke a Notice of Assignment if they send a signed and notarized release notification to your customers. They will do so if you choose not to factor that account any longer or you end your factoring relationship. In either case, the account must have no outstanding balance.

What Programs Don’t Use a Notice of Assignment?

Financing programs that do not use a notice of assignment include non-notification factoring and sales ledger financing.

Non-notification factoring is similar to regular factoring, but with a few key differences. Instead of sending a conventional Notice of Assignment to customers, the factoring company informs them of a new payment address using the company’s regular letterhead. This allows the customer to still send payments to the new address without being aware that it belongs to the factor. To qualify for non-notification factoring, companies typically need to have monthly revenues of at least $300,000, a track record of over a year, reliable financial reports, and no serious financial difficulties.

Sales ledger financing operates like a line of credit based on outstanding receivables. Companies can access up to 90% of their outstanding receivables at any given time without the need to submit a factoring schedule of accounts for each transaction. Although the finance company still handles payments, the customer does not receive a Notice of Assignment. Instead, they receive a letter indicating a change in the payment address. Sales ledger financing offers greater flexibility compared to non-notification factoring, with daily rates allowing for better cost control. The qualification requirements for sales ledger financing usually include monthly revenues of at least $300,000, a track record of 1-2 years, reliable financial reports, good receivables management systems, and no serious financial difficulties.

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Why do Factoring Companies Notify Your Customers?

The Notice of Assignment is a vital form of protection for a factoring company. It protects the factor in case the  business owner  (the factor’s client) receives the payment instead of the factoring company.

In a best-case scenario, the notice serves to inform every party in a factoring transaction of their rights and responsibilities. It also gives your customer the appropriate address to make account payments, allowing your factoring relationship to continue smoothly.

In a worst-case scenario, a factor can recover unpaid amounts from your customer should they continuously pay over notice or not pay at all. A Notice of Assignment is evidence in any legal proceeding — from a demand letter for payment to a full-fledged lawsuit — that asserts the factor’s standing and rights to payment.

What Will Your Customers Think?

Customers may have concerns or questions when they receive a letter regarding the use of invoice factoring. It’s understandable that they may be unsure or unfamiliar with this financing tool. As a business owner, it’s important to address these concerns and communicate with your customers effectively.

First and foremost, it’s essential to acknowledge that invoice factoring is a common practice utilized by many small and midsize companies to finance their operations and facilitate growth. Chances are, your customers are already aware of this financing method and how it works.

When discussing invoice factoring with your customers, emphasize the benefits it provides to them. By using factoring, you can offer them extended payment terms, such as 30- to 60-day terms, while still ensuring excellent service. This enables your customers to utilize their available cash resources more effectively. Without factoring, providing extended payment terms might be challenging, especially for businesses experiencing growth.

It’s crucial to assure your customers that little is changing in terms of the services and support your company provides. Reassure them that they will still have the same level of communication and engagement with you and your employees as before. Highlight that despite factoring being implemented, your commitment to their satisfaction remains unchanged.

Address the misconception that factoring indicates financial trouble within your company. Remind your customers that factoring is a versatile tool used to achieve various goals and objectives, just like other forms of financing such as loans or lines of credit. Factoring simply serves to smooth out your cash flow and support your business’s overall financial stability and growth.

Overall, open communication with your customers is key. Provide them with transparency and reassurance, explaining the benefits of factoring and emphasizing that it is a common and established financing practice. By effectively addressing their concerns, you can foster trust and maintain strong relationships with your valued customers.

Why a Notice of Assignment Matters To You

You will receive a copy of the Notice of Assignment that the factor sends to your customers. While the notice is to inform your customers, it also has an important implication for you as well.

As your  factoring agreement  explains, payments your company receives from your customers over notice are payable to the factoring company. Even in the smoothest transition, you may receive payments sent before receipt of the notice or released before your customers’ updated their payment system. There will likely be a provision explaining the procedure for sending misdirected payments to the factor in these cases. Misdirected payments are usually sent by overnight check or via bank transfer.

However, you may be responsible for additional penalties and fees if your customers continue to pay over notice, and you deposit those payments into your account. In addition, you may end up owing more, depending on fee structure, due to the extra time it takes for the factor to receive payment. Some factors include a misdirected payment fee in the  factoring agreement  that you will have to pay if you fail to return misdirected payments to the factor. Therefore, fees may be higher if you are responsible for the misdirection.

As with any legal document, be sure to be fully aware of the language used within the Notice of Assignment. Be mindful of your customers’ responsiveness to the notice. Take action immediately if you realize that any of your customers are not sending their payments on time. This transparency solidifies your factoring relationship, builds trust with your factor, and protects your interests.

What if the Payment is for an Invoice I Didn’t Factor?

When you assign your customers’ receivables to your factoring company, you agree to direct all payments to the factor, even for invoices that you did not factor. This eliminates complications for all parties and ensures that the factoring company receives every payment they should. Without an all-inclusive assignment, your customers would receive a notification every single time you factor an invoice. They would have to retain two addresses on file, increasing the likelihood of misdirected payments.

Your factoring company will have a straightforward procedure in place to address non-factored payments. This may include applying those payments to open invoices and sending you the difference or the total amount in a regularly scheduled reserve release. Stay prepared by asking your factor about their policies surrounding non-factored payments.

Factor Finders can help you find the right factoring company  for your  invoice factoring  needs.  Contact us  to learn more about our factoring services for every industry and to get started today.

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What is a Notice of Assignment?

• What is a Notice of…

A factoring contract can contain many parts, but few are as important as the Notice of Assignment.

What are the parts of a notice of assignment.

A notice of assignment contains a few standard parts. First, it informs your customers that you are factoring your invoices and that your factoring company has been assigned as the payee for your accounts receivables. Next, a notice of assignment provides your customer with an updated remittance address for all current and future payments to be sent to. Third, it contains explicit instructions that all payments should be made to the factoring company’s remittance address only, and that no other payments should be made to any other address without explicit permission from the factoring company. It also contains verbiage that states that payments made in conflict to this notice of assignment will not be considered to have discharged a customer’s obligation for payment to the factoring company. Lastly, the factoring client signs the notice of assignment to prove it is valid.

Why do my customers need to know that I’m factoring?

The right to receive payments for amounts owed is one of the main protections a factoring company has in the factoring process. It is an essential part of almost every factoring program. In order to assure that payments are directed appropriately, a factoring company must contact a customer to verify that the notice of assignment has been accepted and the remittance address has been updated.

Why does my factoring company receive payments for invoices that weren’t factored?

A notice of assignment gives your factoring company the right to collect for ALL payments owed to you by your customer. Some factoring companies require that you factor every invoice for your customers, making this a non-issue. However, if you are working with a factoring company that allows you to pick and choose which invoices to factor for a customer, your factoring company will also receive payments for those unfactored invoices.

This happens for two reasons. First, allowing multiple remittance addresses for a payee exponentially increases the chance of a misdirected payment being made. Second, asking the customer to shoulder the additional workload of keeping track of which payments should be made to which remittance address would make invoice factoring unattractive for many customers, and thus limit the number of companies willing to work with a business that was factoring. All factoring companies have policies to efficiently deal with unfactored payments when they arrive.

What happens if I receive a payment that should have been sent to my factoring company?

Most factoring companies understand that accidents happen, and mistakes will be made. If an error in payment occurs in good faith, factoring companies have processes in place to deal with the issue. Firstly, it is important that a factoring client does not deposit the payment into their account, but rather they should immediately notify their factoring company of the errant payment and send it immediately to their factoring company. If a factoring client fails to do so, or attempts to hide the payment from their factoring company, then that client will be responsible for a misdirected payment, which often carries heavy penalties in the factoring contract.

13 February 2023

Notice of Assignment in Factoring in the U.S

When a business uses invoice factoring, they transfer ownership of its accounts receivable to a factoring company, which then has the responsibility to collect payment for those invoices.

Therefore, a document is issued to alert its customers of this. This is known as a notice of assignment.

Meaning of Notice of Assignment

A notice of assignment is a document that notifies clients that a factoring company has acquired ownership of their accounts receivable, or invoices, from the original business.

The notice's objective is to alert customers to the ownership change and specify who should receive payments.

Importance of Notice of Assignment

A notice of assignment is vital because it officially notifies customers that the ownership of an invoice has changed hands and that they should now direct payments to the factoring company.

The notice helps ensure that payments are sent to the appropriate parties , avoiding misunderstandings and potential conflicts and preventing uncertainty.

In the event of a disagreement, having a detailed and official notice of assignment can safeguard the legal interests of both the company and the factoring company.

Impact of Notice of Assignment on Businesses

The possible impacts faced by businesses by using a factoring company and sending their customers a notice of assignment are:

1. Enhanced customer relationships: By providing clear and official notification to customers of the change in ownership of invoices, a business can help maintain and strengthen its relationship with them.

2. Improved cash flow: By transferring ownership of invoices to a factoring company, a business can receive payment more quickly and improve its overall cash flow.

3. Increased operational efficiency: By using a factoring company to manage the collections process, a business can free up internal resources and focus on its core operations, leading to increased efficiency.

4. Reduced risk: By transferring the responsibility of collecting payment to a factoring company, a business can reduce its exposure to the risk of non-payment and bad debt.

However, before deciding to utilize factoring , it's crucial to consider any potential drawbacks, such as losing control over the collection process and the expense of the factoring service.

Factors Covered in a Notice of Assignment The main sections covered are:

• The company's accounts receivable have been transferred to a third-party financial institution, and payment should now be made to them
• The customer should now send payments to a new address, typically a secure payment processing location
• The customer will be responsible if they make a payment to the wrong address

Information in a Notice of Assignment

In a factoring notice of assignment, the following details are covered to notify the business’ customer about the transfer of ownership of accounts receivable:

• Particulars of the accounts receivable being assigned , including the amount and invoice numbers
• Details of the factor and the client/debtor
• Specifics of the assignment of the accounts receivable, including the effective date and any conditions of the assignment
• Instructions for the customer on how to direct future payments to the factor
• Any other relevant terms and conditions of the factoring agreement

What Happens When an Obligor Doesn’t Receive Notice of Agreement

A business that sells its accounts receivables (invoices) to a third-party factor must send a notice of agreement to its customers.

The purpose of the notice is to inform the customer that the factor has taken ownership of the invoice, and the payments should be made directly to the factor instead of the business.

If the customer does not receive the notice, they may continue to make the payments to the business, leading to confusion, delayed payments to the factor and potential disputes.

In some cases, the customer may have the right to demand a return of the payment made to the factor or stop payment if the notice of assignment was not correctly given.

How to Receive Notice of Agreement

A factoring notice of agreement is typically provided by the factoring company or third-party factor that has purchased the accounts receivable (invoices) from the business.

The notice is usually generated by the factor and given to the business to send to its customers.

The business may also be responsible for ensuring that the notice of assignment is delivered correctly to its customers.

Some factoring companies provide templates or sample notices that the business can use.

Requirements for a Notice of Assignment

To obtain a notice of assignment (NOA) from a factoring company, the following requirements are necessary:

• Monthly revenue of at least $300,000
• A stable financial track record of 1-2 years
• Accurate and trustworthy financial reports
• Effective management of accounts receivable
• No significant financial difficulties

1. Who Sends a Factoring Notice of Assignment? A factoring notice of assignment is typically sent by the business that has sold its accounts receivables or invoices to a third-party factor or factoring company.

The factor usually provides the notice of assignment, and the business may have to sign a factoring agreement with the factor to obtain the notice.

The notice informs the business’ customers that the factor has taken over the ownership of the invoices, and the payments should be made directly to the factoring company instead of the business.

2. How Much Does a Notice of Assignment Cost? The cost for issuing a notice of assignment in factor can differ based on various elements, such as the amount assigned, the state where the assignment is taking place and the particular provisions of the assignment agreement.

This cost may include legal fees, filing paperwork fees and other administrative expenses. It's crucial to examine the assignment agreement thoroughly to determine the precise cost and be aware of any additional fees that may be incurred.

3. How Long Does a Notice of Assignment Take? The duration of issuing a notice of assignment in factoring can differ based on particular circumstances. Usually, the process can take anywhere between a few days to weeks.

The length of the time may be influenced by factors such as the state in which the assignment is getting issued, the complexity of the assignment agreement and the accessibility of relevant parties.

Moreover, the time needed for the notice of assignment may be affected by any legal challenges or hindrances.

4. Does Notice of Assessment Mean You Owe Money? In the United States, a notice of assessment usually implies that you owe money to the government.

However, it is contingent on particular circumstances. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) sends out the notice of assessment to inform taxpayers of any modification to their tax obligations.

If the notice displays an increase in the amount owed, it implies that the taxpayer has an outstanding balance with the IRS and should pay it promptly to prevent further interest and penalties.

On the other hand, if it shows a decrease in the amount owed, it showcases that the taxpayer has paid more taxes than required and may be eligible for a refund.

It is, therefore, always advisable to thoroughly examine the notice and to get help from a professional.

5. Is Notice of Agreement a Proof of Debt? A notice of agreement alone is not considered proof of a debt. The document merely outlines the terms and conditions agreed upon by the parties involved.

It is not enough evidence to confirm the presence of debt but rather serves as a record of the agreement between the parties.

To establish proof of debt, other financial documents such as receipts, invoices or other documentation may be necessary.

The specific requirements for proving a debt depend upon the type of debt and the laws of the jurisdiction where it is being established.

6. What is a Letter of Release? A letter of release from a factoring company is a declaration that a debt has been satisfied and is no longer the company's responsibility.

In factoring, a business sells its accounts receivable to a factoring company for a fee to receive cash quickly.

Upon receiving the payment on the accounts receivable by the business’ customer, the factoring company issues a letter of release, confirming that the debt has been fully paid off and the company is no longer obligated to it.

The letter serves as proof that the debt has been fully resolved. It can be used to clear the debt from the business's financial records.

The specifics of the letter of release, including the terms and conditions, will depend on the particular factoring agreement and the laws in the jurisdiction where it is formed and drafted.

Siddhi Parekh

Finance manager at drip capital.

Table of Content

• Information in a NOA
• What Happens When an Obligor Doesn’t Receive NOA
• How to Receive NOA
• Requirements for NOA

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What is a Notice of Assignment?

In This Article

When you enter a factoring contract, you agree to sell your invoices, or accounts receivable, to a factoring company or third party that gives you a cash advance. This third party will then become your company’s collection department on these invoices. To notify your clients of this change of invoice ownership, the financial provider will send them a Notice of Assignment (NOA).

If you’re considering factoring your accounts receivable, you may be wondering what an NOA contains and what effects it may have on your customers and business. In this guide, we’ll cover the components of an NOA, how your factoring company sends them, and their role in the factoring process.

What is a NOA in Factoring?

A notice of assignment is a simple letter from a third party to your customers. It legally explains that a change of invoice ownership has occurred, informing your clients that a third party (bank, factoring company, financing company) will now manage and collect accounts receivable. The NOA will provide a remittance address so customers can update their payment information. The purpose of this communication is to notify your customers of a change in the collection process.

What Is a Notice of Assignment?

Understand how implementing a Notice of Assignment with Porter Capital’s factoring services can fast-track your receivables!

Discover Our Factoring Services

How Do Factoring Companies Notify Your Customers?

Factoring is more common than ever and clients range from NYC modeling agencies and namesake branded product line manufacturers, to small startup companies selling gourmet food items. No company is too large or too small to factor their invoices and many work with big box stores that demand longer payment terms to have products on their shelves. These 90 to 120 day payment terms can make factoring a necessity for smooth cash flow.

Your customers will receive the NOA as a letter in the mail to sign and return. Your business will also receive a copy of this letter. Ensure you fully understand the language used in the NOA and your responsibilities in the transition process. Sometimes business owners worry about their customers’ reactions to receiving an NOA. Invoice factoring is becoming an increasingly popular and acceptable means for financing businesses across many industries, so your customers may already be accustomed to the process. You can alert your clients about a coming NOA, proactively resolving any questions or concerns that may arise.

Why Is a NOA in Factoring Important?

When you enter a factoring contract, you agree to sell the intangible financial rights to your invoices and receive cash up front for those invoices. Because the rights are intangible, factoring companies need legal language that outlines ownership of the AR. Once the NOA is completed, a business receives the cash advance while the factor waits for invoice payments. The NOA is a critical part of the financial relationship and protects the financing provider in the event of misdirected payments. An NOA ensures all parties are aware of their responsibilities throughout the factoring process so everyone can enjoy the benefits.

Components of a NOA Document

The NOA document will contain a few vital pieces of information, including:

• Notification that accounts receivable have been assigned and is payable to a third party
• An updated payment address.
• An explanation of customer liability in the event of a misdirected payment.

Each component of the NOA ensures the factoring relationship runs smoothly by giving customers the information they need to make correct payments. It may also outline steps for your company to take if you receive a misdirected payment.

Contact Porter Capital for a Factoring Quote

When you need to improve your cash flow, consider invoice factoring with Porter Capital. With over 30 years in the business, we can offer you and your customers the reliable and trustworthy services you expect and deserve. We will help you find the best solutions for your specific business demands, enabling you to enjoy greater stability and flexibility.

Work with a trusted factoring company to expand your business, get ahead of the competition and increase customer satisfaction. Contact us online today to receive a quote for our factoring services.

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Notice of Assignment Template

Document description.

This notice of assignment template has 1 pages and is a MS Word file type listed under our legal agreements documents.

Sample of our notice of assignment template:

OBJECT: NOTICE OF ASSIGNMENT Dear [CONTACT NAME], You are hereby notified that on [DATE] we have assigned and transferred to [SPECIFY] the following [SPECIFY] existing between us: [DESCRIBE] Please direct any further correspondence (or payments, if applicable) to them at the following address: [ADDRESS] Please contact us should you have any questions. Thank you for your cooperation. [YOUR NAME] [YOUR TITLE] [YOUR PHONE NUMBER] [[email protected]] [YOUR COMPANY NAME] [YOUR COMPLETE ADDRESS] Tel: [YOUR PHONE NU

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Factoring Notice of Assignment (NOA): Everything You Need to Know

A factoring notice of assignment (NOA) is usually required when you factor your invoices. Rest assured, NOAs are quite common in business and aren’t a cause for concern. However, it helps to understand what they are and how they work so that you can explain them to your customers as needed.

Assignment of Debt Explained

Companies transfer debt, along with all associated rights and obligations, to third parties all the time. One example of this occurs with collection companies. In these cases, the business, also referred to as the creditor, sells its uncollectable balances or assigns specific debts to the collection company. The collection company is then authorized to collect those specific balances on behalf of the creditor.

Assignment of debt may also come into play when businesses outsource their receivables and leverage certain types of funding, among other situations.

What Does Notice of Assignment Mean?

The customer, also referred to as the debtor, must be informed when a creditor assigns their debt to a third party. The document used in this process is referred to as a notice of assignment of debt.

What is a Notice of Assignment in Factoring?

When you leverage invoice factoring , you’re selling an unpaid B2B invoice to a factoring company at a discount. In exchange, you receive up to 98 percent of the invoice’s value right away and get the remaining sum minus a small factoring fee when your client pays. This means you’re not waiting 30, 60, or more days for payment. This cash flow acceleration helps businesses bridge cash flow gaps caused by slow-paying customers, seasonality, rapid growth, and more. Plus, the cash can be used for anything the business needs. This unique process means businesses can receive immediate funding without creating debt like other funding sources.

A notice of assignment is required in factoring because you’re assigning debt to a third party – the factoring company – and the customers involved need to know.

The Role of Notice of Assignment for Cash Flow

Invoice factoring stands out as a solution for businesses seeking to improve their cash flow. When a company decides to use invoice factoring, it enters into a factoring relationship, where accounts receivable and financial rights are handled differently than usual. This process involves the NOA, a pivotal document in factoring transactions. Essentially, NOA is a simple letter informing customers that the payment terms have changed and future payments should be made payable to the factoring company.

This notification ensures that there are no misdirected payments, which is a critical aspect when managing accounts payable and securing immediate cash. By using factoring, businesses can access working capital, which reduces the strain of slow-paying customers. It’s important for factoring clients to understand how factoring companies notify your customers and the implications of this process. The factoring contract typically outlines these details, ensuring that every party in a factoring transaction is aware of their responsibilities, especially regarding remittance addresses and payment information.

Factoring services offer an alternative to traditional lines of credit, providing businesses with high advances at low rates. This method is beneficial for companies that demand longer payment terms from their clients. By transferring the right to collect payments to the factoring company, the business can focus on its core operations while the finance company handles the receivables. Understanding the benefits of factoring and effectively communicating them to your customers may improve the factoring process and maintain healthy customer relationships, even when introducing new financial arrangements like invoice factoring.

The Importance of a Notice of Assignment in Factoring

Notice of Assignment in invoice factoring keeps your customers in the loop so they know who is collecting and why. It also lets them know where to send their payments. This streamlines the process and helps ensure there’s no confusion about where payments need to go.

Elements of a Factoring NOA Document

Each factoring company words its NOA a bit differently, but NOAs usually include:

• A statement that indicates the factoring company is now managing the invoice or invoices.
• A notice that payments should be made to the factoring company.
• Details on how payments can be made, including addresses, bank details, or payment portal information.
• What will occur if payments are sent to the business instead of the third party.
• A signature from someone at your business to show your customer that the NOA is authentic and a signature space for your customer to sign indicating that they’ve read and understand the document.

How Do Factoring Companies Notify Your Customers

A factoring notice of assignment is usually sent to customers by U.S. mail, though sometimes factoring companies use other delivery services or even digitize the NOA.

What Will Your Clients Think of You Factoring Your Invoices?

Sometimes, businesses that are new to invoice factoring have concerns about how customers will react to factoring or receiving an NOA. However, it’s usually not a cause for concern.

Although your factoring company isn’t an outsourcing company, it behaves quite similarly when collecting invoices. Nearly 40 percent of small businesses outsource at least one business process, Clutch reports. That means a significant portion of your customers already have some experience engaging with third parties. Furthermore, invoice factoring is growing in leaps and bounds and is expected to grow by eight percent in the coming years, per Grandview Research . Many of your customers already have experience with factoring or will very soon. Because most businesses have some exposure to factoring or will in the near future, it’s generally seen as an ordinary business practice – nothing more, nothing less.

However, even if factoring is entirely new to your customers, how they respond to your decision is often determined by how you present it. For instance, it accelerates payments without putting pressure on your customers to pay faster. It has benefits for them, too, and can help improve the relationship. This alone can actually help some businesses win bids or attract new customers. Explaining it to them this way can help soothe any concerns if customers come to you with questions.

How to Ensure Your Customer Relationships Are Protected

Most factoring companies will take good care of their customers because they are a reflection of you. Your repeat business helps ensure they’ll have repeat business. However, reviewing a factoring company’s testimonials and success stories is always a good idea to understand better how they operate before you sign up.

It’s also essential to work with a company like Viva that doesn’t send mass notifications to all its customers. We only notify those who are debtors on the invoices you’d like to factor to eliminate any confusion.

Lastly, it’s better to work with a company that provides you with 24/7 access to your account so you can see what’s paid and outstanding at a glance and can make decisions about orders using real-time data.

Request a Complimentary Invoice Factoring Quote

At Viva Capital, we always provide white glove care to the businesses we serve and their customers.As part of our service, we handle the Notice of Assignment with professionalism. Our collection experts make it easy for your customers to manage their bills and are happy to answer their questions. You’ll also have access to your personal Customer Account Portal so you can make informed decisions on the fly and always know what’s outstanding. To learn more or get started, request a complimentary invoice factoring quote .

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FREE 11+ Notice of Assignment Samples in PDF | MS Word

There are many ways of promoting awareness of something, and one of that is giving notice. Notices are used to make all sorts of announcements. The public is notified of new processes, operating schedules, and other changes through a public notice. At work, you’re required to give notice before going on leave or before resigning from your post by filling out an  employee notice form . In business, it is essential to give notice if you granted someone the authority to do specific tasks on your behalf. That notice is called a notice of assignment, and that’s what we’re about to discuss below.

Notice Of Assignment

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A business partnership is common in different business industries. Most companies partner with another company to cover certain functions for them. So they assign their rights to another company that specializes in the specific task they want to be done. The company here is basically transferring rights to another company so that they can perform the assigned tasks. In legal terms, this process is called an assignment. A Notice of Assignment is provided after the Notice of Assignment Contract is signed. A Notice of Assignment is similar to a  sale notice  or a  meeting notice  whose purpose is to let a group of people know about something they are interested in or are involved in.

Some companies partner with factoring companies to succeed in their accounts receivable financing. The Notice of Assignment is an essential part of the partnership. It is also used as a notice of assignment of debt. Through this notice, debtors are notified that a new company has acquired or purchased their debt. It also serves as a  payment notice  informing the debtor of the new company who will be collecting their payment and other payment details.

The terms assignment and delegation may seem so similar that a lot of people use them interchangeably. It may be forgivable to let it be, but it’s just so wrong, especially when what is being referred to are legal terms. One thing that is common between assignment and delegation is the act or process of transferring. What they want to transfer is the main factor that makes them different.

In the assignment process, the assignor transfers their rights to another person. An assignment is specific and the rights assigned to an assignee is limited to what they’ve been tasked to do. Common examples are  Assignment of Lease  and Deed of Assignment . After the assignment is made, a Notice of Assignment is provided to notify the involved individuals. When delegating, you’re not transferring any rights but you are distributing your obligations to a different party. That just sounds like an easy way to rid yourself of your obligations. Well, as a consequence, the party delegating the obligation is held liable for anything that will happen, good or bad. Before deciding to assign or delegate, make sure that it’s allowed in your contract. Now that you know of their differences, you should be able to decide whether to assign or delegate.

You may browse through and download the samples provided below, and use them as reference or study materials.

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Understanding legal terms and processes can be complicated, especially if it’s your first encounter with such legal terms and processes. Unlike a  notice memo  that is simple and easy to understand, a Notice of Assignment is entirely on a different level. Here’s a simplified explanation that will help you understand how a Notice of Assignment works.

There are clauses in a contract that may prohibit you from assigning rights to another party. Reviewing your contract with another company or entity is like taking extra steps to ensure that you’ll not get yourself into a contract breach.

Two parties are involved in the transfer of rights. The assignor is the party transferring the rights, and the assignee is the party receiving the rights. This is a legal transaction, so a legal document such as a contract is signed by both parties to prove that they both agree on the terms and conditions of the transaction.

Those who are involved or affected by the transfer is notified of the changes through a Notice of Assignment. The notice lets the entities involved know that the assignee will be doing specific transactions, like collecting and receiving payments. Sending out the Notice of Assignment is an essential step if the transaction is related to building a partnership.

After the notices have been sent out, the assignment shall be carried out by the assignee as agreed in the contract. The assignee only has rights to do things that were specifically assigned to them.

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Companies and other entities can transfer their rights to process a specific transaction to another party through an assignment. The transafer is announced through a Notice of Assignment that is sent to both the companies involved and their customers.

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Shooter Files by f.d. walker

Street Photography Tips, Interaction, Travel, Guides

Apr 24 2017

City Street Guides by f.d. walker: A Street Photography Guide to Moscow, Russia

*A series of guides on shooting Street Photography in cities around the world. Find the best spots to shoot, things to capture, street walks, street tips, safety concerns, and more for cities around the world. I have personally researched, explored and shot Street Photography in every city that I create a guide for. So you can be ready to capture the streets as soon as you step outside with your camera!

At over 12 million people, Moscow is the largest city in Russia and second largest in Europe by population ( Istanbul is #1). An urban, cosmopolitan metropolis with more than enough glitz and glam to cater to the elite, but without losing its fair share of Soviet era roughness around the edges. It can be fast paced, brash, busy, and trendy like other big cities, but it has its blend of West meets Russia atmosphere and beauty that provides plenty of unique interest. The Red Square is as famous as it gets, but there’s so much more to this city, including the most beautiful subway system you’ve ever seen. It would take years to capture all of Moscow, but that means you have an endless amount of areas to discover.

So here’s a Street Photography guide so you can be ready to capture all that Moscow has to offer before you even arrive!

• Patriarch’s Pond
• Old Arbat Street
• Maroseyka Street
• Tverskoy Boulevard

Top 5 Street Spots:

1. red square.

The Red Square is the most famous square in not just Russia, but all of Eastern Europe. The name actually doesn’t come from the color of the bricks or communism, but from the name in Russian, Krásnaya, once meaning “beautiful” before its meaning changed to “red.” This large plaza is what you see on the cover of guide books and magazines for Moscow, with St. Basil’s Cathedral being the center piece next to Lenin’s Mausoleum surrounded by the Kremlin Wall. Of course, the Red Square attracts hordes of tourist due to the main attractions, but all that activity around an interesting atmosphere does provide street photo opportunities. It’s also the central square connecting to the city’s major streets, providing a good starting point to explore outward.

You’ll also find the popular pedestrian only Nikolskaya Street connecting the Red Square to Lubyanka Square. This line of expensive shops includes plenty of activity, while also leading you to another popular square. Filled with history rivaling any city, the Red Square and surrounding areas are the heart and soul of Russia.

2. Patriarch’s Ponds

Patriarch’s Ponds is one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in Moscow. Despite the name being plural, there’s only one large pond, but it’s worth a visit with your camera. It’s a popular spot for locals and expats to come relax or take a stroll around the pond. You get an interesting mix of young and old too, from young love to “babushkas” feeding pigeons. It’s a very peaceful park atmosphere in one of the nicer areas within the city center, while bringing enough activity for street photography. 

The pond is shallow and in the winter becomes a popular spot for ice-skating too. The area is also well-known for the location in the famous Russian novel, The Master and Margarita. 

3. Old Arbat (Stary Arbat)

Old Arbat is the most famous pedestrian street in Moscow, and dating back to the 15th century, also one of its oldest. Originally, it was an area of trade, but soon became the most prestigious residential area in Moscow. During the 18th century, Arbat started attracting the city’s scholars and artists, including Alexander Pushkin. Cafes lined the streets and impressive homes filled the neighborhood. Since then, New Arbat street was created as a highway in the area, while Old Arbat was paved for a 1km pedestrian only walkway.

Due to the historic buildings, famous artists that lived here, and the bohemian atmosphere, Old Arbat has become a big attraction for tourists today. Now, there’s a mix of cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops, street performers, street merchants and other attractions for visitors, and some locals, to come enjoy. It can get really busy here and there’s usually something interesting going on so it’s a good street to come walk with your camera for guaranteed life.

4. Gorky Park

One of the most famous places in Moscow is Gorky Park. The official name is Maxim Gorky’s Central Park of Culture & Leisure, which gives you an idea of what goes on here. When built, it was the first of its kind in the Soviet Union. Divided into two parts, it stretches along Moscow River. One end contains fair rides, foods stands, tennis courts, a sports club, a lake for boat rides, and more. This end brings more active life due to its number of attractions, while the other end is more relaxed, where you’ll find gardens, trees, older buildings, and an outdoor amphitheater.

Gorky Park attracts mostly locals so it’s a good spot to capture the non-tourist side of Moscow life. Muscovites come here to escape the city and unwind in a picturesque setting. The park remains alive outside of the warmer months too, especially when the lake turns into the city’s largest outdoor skating rink. I’d recommend taking the metro out here to spend at least half a day exploring the massive park’s life with your camera.

5. Maroseyka Street

Maroseyka Street is a popular area not too far from the Red Square. The long, winding street turns into Pokrovka and is lined with restaurants, cafes, bars and places to stay. It’s actually where I like to stay when I’m in Moscow due to its location and solid street photography opportunities itself. You have Kitay-gorod station near and if you keep walking southwest, you’ll get to the Red Square. But if you walk northwest, as it changes to Pokrovka, you can find a long street of activity for photography with its own interesting atmosphere.

6. Tverskoy Boulevard

Tverskoy Boulevard is the oldest and longest boulevard in Moscow, beginning at the end of Nikitsky Boulevard, and finishing at Pushkin Square, a spot to come for activity itself. The boulevard is made up of two avenues, with pedestrian walkways in-between. You’ll find grass, shrubbery, trees, benches and more walking it’s almost kilometer length. Many people come here to enjoy some relaxation, walk their dog, or just to use it to walk wherever they’re going. Its center location also provides a nice place to walk with your camera near plenty of other spots you’ll want to check out anyway.

Sample Street Walk:

For a full day of Street Photography, covering some of the best spots, you can follow this sample street walk for Moscow:

• Start your morning walking around the Red Square (1), while exploring the surrounding area, including Nikolskaya Street
• Then walk northwest to Patriarch’s Ponds (2) and slowly walk the pond and surrounding area with your camera
• Next, walk east to the Pushkin Monument and stroll down Tverskoy Boulevard (6)
• Once Tverskoy Boulevard (6) ends, it will turn into Nikitsky Boulevard. Follow this down until you get to the start of Old Arbat Street (3), across from Arbatskaya station
• After you’re done walking down Old Arbat Street (3) for more street photography, spend some time checking out Moscow’s beautiful metro stations
• To finish off the day with more street photography, get off the metro near Red Square (1) again, Maroseyka Street (5) or wherever you’re staying for the night.

3 Things I’ll Remember about Shooting in Moscow:

1. museum metro.

The Moscow metro system was the first underground railway system in the Soviet Union and today includes 203 stations across 340km of routes. The elaborate system has some of the deepest stations in the world too, with escalators that seem to go on forever. None of this is what makes it so special, though. Many of its stations feel like stepping inside a museum, making it without a doubt the most interesting and beautiful metro system I’ve been in.

When built, Stalin wanted to make the metro stations “palaces for the people” with marble, chandeliers, and grand architecture. The best part is the variety of architecture and styles used, making many of the stations a completely different experience visually. You could easily spend a whole day traveling the stations and there are even tours available for people who wish to do just that. My advice, though, would be just to buy a ticket and hop on and off at different stations, while exploring different lines. The museum-like surrounding mixed with the crowds of characters can make for a great photography experience.

Since there are so many stations, here are some of my favorites to check out:

• Novoslobodskaya
• Mayakovskaya
• Elektrozavodskaya
• Komsomolskaya
• Ploschad Revolyutsii
• Dostoyevskaya
• Prospekt Mira

2. Moscow is Big

It’s no secret that Moscow is a big city, but it can feel even bigger with how spread out much of it is. This is especially true if you compare it to cities outside of Asia. If I compared it to cities in Europe, I’d probably say only Istanbul would warrant more time to really discover the depths of this city. Most only explore around the Red Square and surrounding area, but that is such a small part of the city. Although, that central area does give you plenty to see on its own.

Fortunately, I had a good friend living in the city to show me around, but it opened up my eyes even more to how much there is to discover in Moscow. It’s a big city with a variety of atmosphere that can take you from “east” to “west” and trendy to rugged depending on where you go. I’d imagine you’d have to live here a while to really know the city.

3. Cosmopolitan Mix of East meets West

Modern skyscrapers mixed with amazing architecture, a world-class metro system with museum-like beauty, trendy fashion and chic clubs, Moscow is a rich mix of Russian culture and history in a more western cosmopolitan package. There is a push to keep the Russian culture, while also pushing forward with a modern metropolis the whole world will envy. This comes with an impressive skyline, that continues to grow, and endless modernities, but with soviet nostalgia and atmosphere mixed in for good measure.

Mixed in with this grand western cosmopolitan atmosphere, is a strong national pride in Russia. This includes their famous leader, Vladimir Putin. Maybe no other place will you see a country’s leader more often. All over, from the pricey tourist shops to the underground walkway stalls, you’ll find goods with Putin’s likeness covering them. From t-shirts to magnets to Matryoshka dolls. There’s a strong national pride that can be seen around the city, which also extends to their leader. Moscow is many things. It’s East meets West, modernizations meets Soviet era, and a whole lot more.

What To Do For a Street Photography Break?:

Eat at a stolovaya.

Stolovayas are Russian cafeterias that became popular in the Soviet days. You grab a tray and walk down the line of freshly prepared local dishes, and select whatever you want from the chefs. They’re usually inexpensive and a much better value than restaurants, while giving you the opportunity to try from a wide selection of everyday Russian food. They’re also very tasty. I always include some borsch on my tray and go from there. The places themselves are all over Moscow and usually come with Soviet-era aesthetics to complete the experience.

Street Safety Score: 7

*As always, no place is completely safe! So when I talk about safety, I’m speaking in general comparison to other places. Always take precaution, be smart, observe your surroundings and trust your instincts anywhere you go!

Being the 2nd largest city in Europe with over 12 million people, you’re going to have your dangerous areas, but for the most part, it feels safe walking around. Russia is statistically higher in crime compared to most of Europe, but this generally doesn’t apply to tourists and visitors. Around the Red Square and surrounding city center, you should feel completely safe walking around. Pick pocketing can happen, but no more than other touristic places. I always explore Moscow freely without coming across too much to worry about. It’s a spread out city, though, so of course it matters where you are. Just use basic street smarts, know where you are and Moscow shouldn’t give you a problem. 

People’s Reaction Score: 7

Moscow is fast paced, big city life, which usually means people aren’t too concerned with you, or your camera. I don’t find people notice or pay much attention to me when I’m out taking photos in Moscow. For the most part, people just go about their day. You shouldn’t get too many looks or concern. But it can depend on the area you are in. The more you stick out, the more you might get noticed with suspicions. I’ve never had any problems in Moscow, or Russia, but just be careful who you’re taking a photo of if you get out of the city center. Other than that, it’s about average for reactions. 

Street Tips:

Learn the alphabet .

Much of Moscow, including the metro system, doesn’t use english. The Russian alphabet uses letters from the Cyrillic script, which if you aren’t familiar with it and don’t know the sounds, can be hard to decipher the words. This is most important for street names and metro stops when trying to get around. It can save confusion and make it easier getting around if you learn the basic alphabet. At the very least then, you can sound out the words to see which are similar in the english conversion, which can help matching them to maps. When out shooting street photography, getting around is as important as anything. So save yourself some time and frustration by learning the Russian Alphabet.

Use the metro

While Saint-Petersburg feels very walkable for a city its size, Moscow can feel very spread out, even for its bigger size. Outside of the Red Square area, you can have plenty of walking before getting anywhere very interesting, so you’ll need to take the metro a lot if you really want to explore the city. Maps are deceiving here too, it will always be further than it looks.

Another reason it’s less walkable than Saint-Petersburg is its completely different set-up. Moscow’s streets are mostly contstructed in rings with narrow, winding streets in-between. This is common with medieval city cities that used to be confined by walls, but you usually don’t have it in a city this massive. Saint-Petersburg has a more grid-like pattern that also uses the canals to help you know your way around. When it comes to navigating on foot in Moscow, it can be more difficult, so bring a map and take the metro when needed. It’s why Moscow’s metro carries more passengers per day than the London and Paris subways combined.

Explore other areas if you have time

Moscow is really big. While most people stay around the Red Square within the Boulevard Ring, there’s so much more to the city. I covered some other spots outside of this circle, but if you really want to see the city, you’ll need time. If you do have time, some other areas I’d check out first are Zamoskvarechye, along some of the south and western Moscow.

Inspiration:

For some more inspiration, you can look through the Street Photography of Moscow photographer Artem Zhitenev  and check out 33 of my photos taken in Moscow .

Conclusion:

Moscow’s name brings a certain mystique, but once you’re there it might bring a different atmosphere than you expect. It’s big and sprawling, but beautiful in many ways. It can feel like a European capital on a grand scale, but you can definitely find its Russian side in there.

The urban sprawl of Moscow can be intimidating, but give it enough time and you’ll be rewarded with plenty to discover. All with the world’s best metro system to take you around.

I hope this guide can help you start to experience some of what Moscow contains. So grab your camera and capture all that Moscow has to offer for Street Photography!

If you still have any questions about shooting in Moscow, feel free to comment below or email me!

(I want to make these guides as valuable as possible for all of you so add any ideas on improvements, including addition requests, in the comment section!)

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• Open access
• Published: 02 March 2022

The structure of microbial communities of activated sludge of large-scale wastewater treatment plants in the city of Moscow

• Shahjahon Begmatov 1 ,
• Alexander G. Dorofeev 2 ,
• Vitaly V. Kadnikov 1 ,
• Alexey V. Beletsky 1 ,
• Nikolai V. Pimenov 2 ,
• Nikolai V. Ravin 1 &
• Andrey V. Mardanov 1  

Scientific Reports volume  12 , Article number:  3458 ( 2022 ) Cite this article

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• Microbial communities
• Environmental biotechnology
• Environmental microbiology
• Microbial ecology
• Water microbiology

Microbial communities in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) play a key role in water purification. Microbial communities of activated sludge (AS) vary extensively based on plant operating technology, influent characteristics and WWTP capacity. In this study we performed 16S rRNA gene profiling of AS at nine large-scale WWTPs responsible for the treatment of municipal sewage from the city of Moscow, Russia. Two plants employed conventional aerobic process, one plant—nitrification/denitrification technology, and six plants were operated with the University of Cape Town (UCT) anaerobic/anoxic/oxic process. Microbial communities were impacted by the technology and dominated by the Proteobacteria , Bacteroidota and Actinobacteriota . WWTPs employing the UCT process enabled efficient removal of not only organic matter, but also nitrogen and phosphorus, consistently with the high content of ammonia-oxidizing Nitrosomonas sp. and phosphate-accumulating bacteria. The latter group was represented by Candidatus Accumulibacter, Tetrasphaera sp. and denitrifiers. Co-occurrence network analysis provided information on key hub microorganisms in AS, which may be targeted for manipulating the AS stability and performance. Comparison of AS communities from WWTPs in Moscow and worldwide revealed that Moscow samples clustered together indicating that influent characteristics, related to social, cultural and environmental factors, could be more important than a plant operating technology.

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Introduction

The removal of numerous pollutants produced by agriculture, industry, and households is important for the protection of natural ecosystems and human health. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) employ a series of mechanical and biological processes that convert contaminated water into a sufficiently clean state through a series of steps removing different types of organic and inorganic pollutants 1 , 2 . Typically, wastewater treatment in large facilities takes place in three stages. The first stage includes physical methods of water purification, the second stage—chemical and/or biological treatment in bioreactors with suspended or attached activated sludge (AS). The third stage is the final treatment of water and its disinfection.

At the second stage, a consortium of microorganisms of AS transforms pollutants into harmless products or into products less hazardous to the environment and humans than the original components 3 . AS is a taxonomically and metabolically diverse microbial community with complex trophic relationships between its members 4 . It is the largest managed artificial ecosystem, continuously functioning in many cases for decades. The composition of the microbial community, which is shaped by both operating conditions and influent characteristics 5 , 6 , determines the main biochemical processes of wastewater treatment, and its change, for example, the massive development of filamentous forms of bacteria, can lead to a decrease in the efficiency of treatment and the occurrence of emergency situations 7 .

In municipal wastewater treatment plants, microbial consortia of AS are often developed under similar conditions, since the content of the main components of wastewater is limited to a rather narrow range of concentrations (except in some extreme cases of highly diluted or concentrated wastewater), pH is usually 7–8, temperatures vary from 10 to 30 °C 8 . In addition, in modern technologies certain biologically determined rules are followed: maintaining the minimum aerobic age of sludge necessary for the development of nitrification (the retention time of solid matter), ensuring the optimal retention time of the sludge in the anaerobic zone for effective enhanced biological phosphorus removal, optimizing the ratio of biochemical oxygen demand, nitrogen and phosphorus, etc. 3 . Therefore, it can be expected that the composition of microbial communities of activated sludge will contain a common component, which was confirmed by the results of studies comparing the composition of AS communities of various WWTPs 6 , 9 , 10 . At the same time a high diversity and differences of microbial communities of AS were noted, which was associated with climatic factors and the specificity of certain treatment plants: the share of the industrial component in the total influent, the temperature regime, the peculiarity of the used technologies and the exploitation of plants 9 . It has been shown that there is a relationship between the diversity and composition of the microbial community and the performance of treatment facilities 2 , although the authors noted that the real effect is not the performance itself, but the variation of indicators such as chemical oxygen demand, the retention time of suspended matter etc.

Despite the extensive application of traditional and modern molecular methods for studying microbial consortia of AS, their ecophysiology, population dynamics and diversity are far from being comprehensively understood. Most microorganisms of activated sludge are not cultivated, and the role of many typical inhabitants is not clearly known 11 , 12 .

Recently, using a systematic worldwide sampling, a Global Water Microbiome Consortium (GWMC) analysed the 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences from ~ 1,200 AS samples taken from 269 WWTPs 10 . This study revealed that although the global AS bacterial communities contain ~ 1 billion phylotypes, ASs has a small, global core bacterial community of 28 phylotypes that is strongly linked to WWTP performance 10 . This study showed that although the type of treatment process exerted significant effects on microbial community structures, it was overwhelmed by geographical separation, and the compositions of AS microbial communities were significantly different between any two continents 10 . Although the GWMC study included WWTPs from 23 countries on 6 continents, the distribution of samples was geographically biased and covered mostly North America, Western and Central Europe, Eastern Asia (mostly China), Australasia, and several cities in South America and South Africa 10 .

Another large-scale initiative, the MiDAS project, analyzed samples (mostly AS) from 740 WWTPs using different types of treatment technologies, and represents the largest global sampling of WWTPs to date 13 , 14 . The resulting full-length 16S rRNA gene reference database, MiDAS 4, represent a comprehensive catalogue of bacteria in wastewater treatment systems and taxonomy from the domain to species level 14 . Although this study targeted WWTPs located in 425 cities, 31 countries on 6 continents, like the GWMC project, MiDAS mostly covered the same geographic regions.

In order to expand the geographical coverage and our knowledge about microbiomes of AS in general, we analyzed the composition of microbial communities of AS at large-scale WWTPs in the city of Moscow (Russia). Although the Moscow WWTPs are among the largest in the world, they (as well as other WWTPs from Russia) were not studied in the framework of GWMC and MiDAS projects. There are only a few studies on the analysis of the composition of microbial communities of AS from Moscow WWTPs using modern high throughput molecular genetic methods. Kallistova et al . 15 using FISH method analyzed AS samples from four Moscow WWTPs and characterized the abundance of the major technologically important microbial groups (ammonium- and nitrite-oxidizing, phosphate-accumulating, foam-inducing, anammox bacteria, and methanogens) in the aeration tanks. Later Shchegolkova et al . 16 performed 16S rRNA gene profiling of AS communities in three WWTPs responsible for processing sewage with different origins: municipal wastewater, slaughterhouse wastewater, and refinery sewage. The taxonomic structures of AS microbiomes were found to become stable in time, and each WWTP demonstrated a distinct pattern 16 . Several studies were devoted to 16S rRNA profiling, metagenomics and FISH studies of nitritation/ anammox wastewater treatment bioreactors applied for the treatment of NH 4 -rich wastewater 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 .

In this study, we present the results of an analysis of the composition of AS microbial communities at nine large-scale WWTPs in Moscow employing three different technologies.

Characteristics of WWTPs in the city of Moscow

Wastewater treatment plants of JSC "Mosvodokanal" carry out the treatment of sewage in the city of Moscow. Household and industrial wastewater entering the city sewerage system undergoes a full purification process, including biological treatment with AS. The largest treatment facilities, the Lyuberetskiy and Kuryanovskiy WWTP complexes (hereafter referred to as LOS and KOS, respectively), each with a capacity of about 2 million m 3 per day, consist of several wastewater treatment units in which a number of modern technologies for biological wastewater treatment are implemented, including biological nutrient removal (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus) 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 . These treatment units (hereafter referred to as WWTPs) at each WWTP complex are fed by the same inflow water but otherwise are independent installations between which there is no transfer and mixing of AS.

After the primary treatment, the wastewater is subjected to purification in bioreactors with suspended activated sludge. The characteristics of the wastewater entering bioreactors at the two WWTP complexes are somehow different. The waters at the Kuryanovskiy WWTP complex contain approximately 1.5 times lower concentrations of organic matter and phosphorus compared to the Lyuberetskiy WWTPs, while the ammonium content do not differ significantly (Table 1 ).

All bioreactors are continuous: the inflowing wastewater and the returned AS are continuously fed to the inlet (or to a certain point) of the bioreactor, where they are mixed. Then the mixed liquor passes the bioreactor and enters the clarifier where the sludge is separated from the outflowing purified water by sedimentation. Chemical coagulants are not used. Three main technologies are used in the investigated WWTPs (Fig.  1 ).

Schemes of three types of bioreactors showing the different compartments and flow directions. Anaerobic, anoxic and oxic zones are colored in green, violet and blue, respectively.

In the simplest process, implemented at WWTPs 1 and 7, the oxidation of organic matter by heterotrophic aerobic microorganisms and the oxidation of ammonium by nitrifiers with the formation of nitrate are carried out in plug-flow bioreactors under aerobic conditions. The sludge mixture moves continuously along an elongated corridor from the point of mixing of the return AS with incoming wastewater to the clarifier. Wastewater is supplied either only at the beginning of the bioreactor (Conventional Activated Sludge process, CAS) (WWTP7), or along the entire aeration tank corridor (Step Feed Process, SF) (WWTP1). The entire volume of the bioreactor is aerated by blowing air.

The nitrification/ denitrification technology (N-DN) is realized at WWTP2. Wastewater is fed into the plug-flow bioreactor at the beginning and in the middle of the bioreactor and passes through zones without aeration, each followed by an aerobic zone. In these two anoxic zones, denitrification occurs due to the organic matter contained in the wastewater and nitrates contained in the return AS mixture (in the first anoxic zone) or arriving from the first aerobic zone (in the second anoxic zone). In two aerated zones organics and ammonium are oxidized.

Six other WWTPs are operated by anaerobic/anoxic/oxic process, also known as the University of Cape Town (UCT) technology. At the first stage, the sludge mixture enters the anaerobic zone, where phosphate-accumulating microorganisms (PAO) consume easily degradable organic matter, then to the anoxic zone, where denitrification and accumulation of phosphates by denitrifying PAO occur, and finally to the aerobic zone, where organic matter and ammonium are oxidized. Recycling from the aerobic zone ensures the inflow of nitrates into the anoxic zone, and the recycle of the AS mixture from the end of anoxic zone into the anaerobic zone minimizes the ingress of nitrates. Plug-flow bioreactors are used at WWTPs 4, 8 and 9, and carousel bioreactors at WWTPs 3, 5 and 6 (Supplementary Fig. S1 ).

The bulk dissolved oxygen concentration in aerobic zones of all bioreactors was 2–3 mg/L, the solid retention time was 15–25 days, and the hydraulic retention time was 8–12 h. The temperature in the time of AS sampling was 18–20 °C, and did not fall below 16 °C even in winter. The concentrations of AS were similar (2–4 g/L) in all WWTPs, and volatile suspended solids accounted for 60–65%.

Sampling and chemical analysis

The AS samples were obtained from nine wastewater treatment facilities at at Luberetsky and Kuryanovsky WWTP complexes in the Moscow region between March and May 2021. Samples of return activated sludge at 9 WWTPs (each in three replicas, 27 samples in total) were taken in BD Falcon tubes and immediately transferred to the laboratory at + 4 °C.

Samples of inflow and outflow water were collected between December 2020 and May 2021 and kindly provided by “Mosvodokanal” JSC. Chemical analysis was carried out according to standard methods. Water quality values (biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium nitrogen (NH 4 -N) and phosphorus (P-PO 4 ) of influent and effluent, as well as nitrate nitrogen (NO 3 -N) in the effluent were measured using environmental standard methods twice a week for 6 months. Monthly average values are shown in Table 1 .

DNA isolation, amplification and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene fragments

Total genomic DNA from each AS sample was extracted using a Power Soil DNA isolation kit (MO BIO Laboratories, Inc., Carlsbad, CA, USA) and stored at − 20 °C. PCR amplification of 16S rRNA gene fragments comprising the V3–V4 variable regions was carried out using the universal prokaryotic primers PRK 341F (5′-CCTAYG GGDBGCWSCAG) and PRK 806R (5′-GGA CTA CNVGGG THTCTAAT) 25 . The PCR fragments were bar-coded using the Nextera XT Index Kit v.2 (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA) and purified using Agencourt AMPure beads (Beckman Coulter, Brea, CA, USA). The concentrations of PCR products were determined using the Qubit dsDNA HS Assay Kit (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA, USA). All PCR fragments were then mixed and sequenced on Illumina MiSeq (2 × 300 nt from both ends). Pairwise overlapping reads were merged using FLASH v.1.2.11 26 . The final dataset consisted of 2,173,862 16S rRNA gene reads (Supplementary Table S1 ).

Bioinformatics analysis of microbial community composition and diversity

All sequences were clustered into operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at 97% identity using the USEARCH v. 11 program 27 . Low quality reads, chimeric sequences, and singletons were removed by the USEARCH algorithm. To calculate OTU abundances, all reads obtained for a given sample (including singletons and low-quality reads) were mapped to OTU sequences at a 97% global identity threshold by USEARCH. The taxonomic assignment of OTUs was performed by searching against the SILVA v.138 rRNA sequence database using the VSEARCH v. 2.14.1 algorithm 28 . The recently developed MiDAS 4 14 , a full-length 16S rRNA gene reference database for wastewater treatment systems, was used to taxonomically identify OTUs up to the species level in the same way.

The diversity indices at a 97% OTU cut-off level were calculated using Usearch v.11 27 . To avoid sequencing depth bias, the number of reads generated for each sample were randomly sub-sampled to the size of the smallest dataset (94,942 reads) using the «single_rarefaction.py» script of QIIME 29 .

Calculation of Jaccard and weighted Unifrac distance metrics and trees was performed applying “beta_div” command in USEARCH. For the UniFrac analyses, a tree for the OTUs based on the sequence identity was constructed in USEARCH using “cluster_agg” command.

Integration of data from this study with data from GWMC

All 16S rRNA gene sequences assigned to OTUs obtained in the present work were mapped to OTU sequences from GWMC ( http://gwmc.ou.edu/ ). About 95% of sequences obtained in our experiments were mapped to GWMC OTUs at a 97% global identity threshold. OTU tables of both sets of samples were merged using command of “otutab_merge” of USEARCH. The obtained combined OTU table served as the input data for constructing a neighbor-joining tree generated from the Bray–Curtis dissimilarity matrix, which was calculated using the “beta_div” command of the Usearch program. The obtained tree was annotated and visualized in R package using ggtree method 30 , 31 .

Network analysis

Co-occurrence networks were inferred based on a Spearman correlation matrix 32 and constructed using only significant correlation 33 . The cutoff for correlation coefficients was determined to be 0.6 and the cutoff for adjusted p -values was 0.001 34 . Only OTUs, the relative abundance of which was at least 0.5% in at least one sample, were included in the analysis. Visualization of co-occurrence network was performed using Cytoscape v.3.8.2 platform 35 , 36 .

Data availability

The raw data generated from 16S rRNA gene sequencing have been deposited in the NCBI Sequence Read Archive (SRA) and are available via the BioProject PRJNA764866.

Results and discussion

Performance characteristics of wwtps.

Three main technologies are used in the investigated WWTPs. The simplest aeration process is implemented at WWTPs 1 and 7, where wastewater is supplied either at the beginning of the bioreactor corridor (CAS process, WWTP7), or along the entire aeration tank (SF process, WWTP1). The WWTP1 removed more than 98% of organics (according to the BOD data) and about 90% of ammonium, while the purification efficiency of WWTP7 was lower (95% removal of organics and 70% of ammonium) (Table 1 ). Interestingly, although these units were not designed to remove phosphorus, the WWTP7 removed more than 70% of phosphorus, while in WWTP1 its removal was inefficient. The nitrification/ denitrification technology, realized at WWTP2, enabled removal of more than 98% of organics and more than 99% of ammonium, while phosphorous was not removed (Table 1 ). Six WWTPs operated by the UCT technology enabled efficient purification of the wastewater from both organics (> 98%), ammonium (> 99%) and phosphorous (> 90%) (Table 1 ). The concentrations of N-NO 3 in the effluent were much lower than N-NH 4 in the influent indicating efficient denitrification in all WWTPs (Table 1 ).

Diversity of microbial communities of AS

Between 23,167 and 84,634 16S rRNA gene sequences were obtained for 27 analysed AS samples (9 WWTPs, 3 replicas) and clustered into 14,690 OTUs at the level of 97% identity. Neighbour-joining trees based of the UniFrac analysis (Fig.  2 ) and Jaccard similarity (Supplementary Fig. S1 ) of OTU datasets revealed that replicate samples formed distinct branches for all WWTPs except for WWTP8 and WWTP9 which use identical bioreactors and treatment technologies. Therefore, for subsequent analysis, for each of the 9 WWTPs, three replicates were combined into one dataset. Both UniFrac and Jaccard trees revealed clustering of samples according to the technology used (Fig.  2 and Supplementary Fig. S2 ).

Neighbor joining tree illustrating weighted UniFrac distances between microbial communities of AS samples from 9 WWTPs (three replications). Sample IDs are shown in brackets after the WWTP number.

The number of species-level OTUs present in AS at individual WWTPs ranged between 3860 and 4868, these values are typical for large-scale wastewater treatment plants 10 . Overall, the diversity of microbial communities did not significantly vary between WWTPs employing different technologies, while the evenness of microbial communities in plants operated by the UCT process was slightly lower than in the others (Supplementary Table S2 ).

Microbial community patterns at the phylum level

Taxonomic assignment of OTUs revealed the presence of 53 phylum-level lineages of Bacteria and Archaea, recognized in the Genome Taxonomy Database (GTDB) 37 . However, top 11 phyla comprising on average more than 1% of all the 16S rRNA gene sequences together accounted for more than 90% of the community (Fig.  3 and Supplementary Table S3 ).

Bacterial and archaeal community composition in AS samples according to the results of 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The composition is displayed at the phylum level. Average values for three replicas are shown for each WWTP.

Archaea represented less than 2% of sequences in all samples and were assigned to the phyla Nanoarchaeota, Halobacterota, Euryarchaeota and Thermoplasmatota ; each was detected in all samples. Besides members of the phylum Nanoarchaeota , known to comprise partner-dependent parasites or symbionts with small genome size and limited metabolic capacities 38 , most of other Archaea represented known methanogenic lineages of the families Methanobacteriaceae and Methanosaetaceae .

Bacterial communities were dominated by the Proteobacteria (on average 27.8% of 16S rRNA gene reads), mostly of classes gamma (23.5%) and alpha (4.3%). Other major groups were the Bacteroidota (15.7%), Actinobacteriota (12.5%), Chloroflexi (6.6%), Myxococcota (5.9%), Firmicutes (5.6%), Patescibacteria (5.5%), Verrucomicrobiota (4.5%), Bdellovibrionota (3.9%), Nitrospirota (2.7%), and Planctomycetota (1.3%). The relative abundances of these lineages in different samples differ by no more than several times, with the exception of Nitrospirota , the share of which is minimal (0.07%) in WWTP3 and maximal (7.1%) in WWTP2. All other bacterial phyla accounted for less than 2% of 16S rRNA gene reads in all samples except for the Campylobacterota representing about 3.5% of the community in WWTP1.

The main microbial drivers of wastewaters treatment

The biological wastewater treatment includes several microbial-driven processes, such as mineralization of organics by heterotrophs, oxidation of ammonia to nitrite and finally to nitrate, denitrificartion with the production of N 2 gas, enhanced biological phosphorus removal etc. In this section we analyze the presence of the microbial groups which could be involved in these processes. The activities of microbial processes depend on the absolute concentrations of microorganisms, but given that the concentration of AS in all bioreactors was similar, we can consider the efficiency of processes in relation to the relative abundance of the corresponding functional group in the community. Data on the shares of the discussed groups of microorganisms are shown in Table 2 .

Oxidation of ammonia and denitrification

Oxidation of ammonia to nitrate via nitrite is usually accomplished by two groups of microorganisms, although complete oxidation of ammonia to nitrate by Nitrospira sp. (comammox process) has been also reported 39 . Among known ammonia oxidizers (AOM) only members of the family Nitrosomonadaceae , mostly of the genus Nitrosomonas , were detected. The relative abundance of Nitrosomonadaceae clearly correlated with efficiency of ammonia removal: it ranged from 0.8% to 2.9% in all WWTPs enabling good removal of ammonia (> 99%) and was below 0.4% in WWTPs 1 and 7 where ammonia removal was less efficient.

Two genera of nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) were identified, Nitrospira and Candidatus Nitrotoga. The relative abundance of Nitrospirae sp. was the highest (7.06%) in WWTP2, which uses nitrification–denitrification process and much lower in WWTPs 1 and 7 (0.78% and 0.08%). WWTPs using the UCT process in terms of Nitrospirae content were clearly divided into two groups. AS samples of WWTPs 6, 8 and 9 harbored between 3.9% and 6.5% of Nitrospirae sp., while its relative abundance was less than 0.5% in WWTPs 3, 4 and 5. However, microbial communities of these three bioreactors contained 0.26 to 0.46% of Ca. Nitrotoga, nearly absent in other WWTPs. This recently described Ca . Nitrotoga species can be functionally and sometimes dominant important nitrite oxidizers in WWTPs due to their relatively higher resistance to free nitrous acid and free ammonia than other NOB and the presence of complete pathways for hydrogen and sulfite oxidation, suggesting that alternative energy metabolisms enable these bacteria to survive nitrite depletion 40 , 41 , 42 .

Regardless of the used purification technology and the efficiency of ammonia removal, the concentration of N-NO 3 in the effluent was in the range from 7 to 10.5 mg/L, which corresponds to 15–20% of N–NH 4 in the influent and indicates effective denitrification and removal of nitrogen in the gaseous form. The presence of numerous heterotrophic denitrifying bacterial is consistent with this observation.

Biological phosphorus removal

The next main issue of wastewater treatment is the removal of phosphorus. This process is carried out by microorganisms of the group of phosphate-accumulating organisms (PAO) capable of intracellular accumulation of polyphosphates under cyclic growth conditions, with alternated presence and absence of electron acceptors 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 .

Typical PAO, most often found in WWTPs, are members of the candidate species Candidatus Accumulibacter phosphatis (family Rhodocyclaceae , Gammaproteobacteria ) 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 . During the anaerobic phase, Ca . Accumulibacter phosphatis takes up volatile fatty acids present in the wastewater and stores the carbon from these substrates intracellularly as polyhydroxyalkanoates 51 . At the same time, intracellular polyphosphate is degraded to form ATP, releasing phosphate into the medium. During the aerobic phase, stored polyhydroxyalkanoates are used for energy production while phosphate is taken up from the medium and accumulated as polyphosphate. Ca . Accumulibacter phosphatis were found in all AS samples. Its relative abundance was the lowest (0.12%) in WWTP2 employing the nitrification/ denitrification process and poorly removing phosphorus. In other plants Ca . Accumulibacter phosphatis accounted for 0.43 to 1.05% of the communities and its share does not correlate with the phosphorus removal efficiency or the type of treatment process.

Several other bacteria, despite the difference in their metabolism from Ca. Accumulibacter phosphatis, are considered as likely PAO 46 , including members of Proteobacteria ( Dechloromonas 52 , 53 , Zooglea 54 , 55 , Thauera 56 , Thiothrix 57 , Ca . Accumulimonas 58 , Malikia 59 ), Actinobacteria ( Tetrasphaera 60 , 61 , Microlunatus 62 , Candidatus Microthrix 63 ), Gemmatimonadetes ( Gemmatimonas 64 ) and Melainabacteria ( Candidatus Obscuribacter phosphatis 65 ). Among these bacteria, members of the genera Tetrasphaera, Zoogloea, Thiothrix, Dechloromonas, Ca. Obscuribacter, Gemmatimonas , and Ca. Microthrix were detected.

The most abundant potential PAO, Ca. Microthrix sp., (average share 6.8%) was presented in all WWTPs and its share was higher in WWTPs employing the UCT process than in other types of bioreactors. Earlier it has been shown that Candidatus Microthrix parvicella contained of large polyphosphate granules and this microbial group might have been responsible for phosphorus removal during the sludge bulking period when Ca . Accumulibacter phosphatis was excluded from the system 63 . Dechloromonas sp., denitrifying bacteria capable of acetate uptake and polyphosphate storage, accounted for 1.5% to 5.8% of AS microbiomes in bioreactors operating under aerobic and UCT processes, while in WWTP2 it accounted for only 0.6%. Members of the genera Zoogloea and Thiothrix , aerobic bacteria capable of denitrification, often occur in ASs 57 , 66 , 67 . Both genera were more abundant in WWTPs employing aerobic process. Ca. Obscuribacter was most frequent in the WWTP6 (about 1.9%) and accounted for less than 1% in other samples. Members of the genus Tetrasphaera , known to be capable of aerobic polyphosphate accumulation under condition of assimilating glucose and/or amino acids anaerobically in advance 68 were found in all WWTPs. Their relative abundance was minimal in WWTPs 8 and 9 (about 0.2%) and reached 1.35% in WWTP1. Although nitrate-reducing bacteria of the genus Thauera are primary known for their ability to perform anaerobic degradation of aromatic and other refractory compounds 69 , recently Thauera sp. strain SND5 was found to be a phosphate-accumulating organism 56 . The relative abundance of Thauera sp. ranged from 0.2 to 2.2% and was maximal in WWTP8.

Glycogen accumulating organisms (GAOs) can accumulate glycogen and polyhydroxyalkanoates inside cells, but do not have ability to intracellular accumulation of polyphosphates. They are commonly found together with PAO in EBPR bioreactors where their predominance may lead to EBPR failure due to the competition for carbon source with PAO 70 . Known GAO belongs to the Gammaproteobacteria ( Candidatus Competibacter phosphatis) and Alphaproteobacteria ( Defluvicoccus sp . ) 71 , 72 . Ca. Competibacter accounted for up to 8.5% of the communities in UCT WWTPs, but were less numerous (< 1%) in WWTPs 2 and 7. The relative abundance of Defluvicoccus sp. was less than 0.1% in all samples. Thus, in WWTPs using the UCT process, a high relative abundance of GAO did not adversely affected the efficiency of phosphorus removal.

Microbial community composition and efficiency of wastewater purification

All five WWTPs using the UCT process ensured effective removal of not only organic matter, but also nitrogen and phosphorus, which is consistent with the high content of nitrifying and phosphate accumulating bacteria.

WWTP2, using the nitrification–denitrification process, effectively removed nitrogen, and the relative abundance of nitrifiers in this AS community was the highest. However, there was almost no phosphorus removal, and the share of PAO was the lowest. The low efficiency of phosphorus removal and the low abundance of PAO in WWTP2 are associated with the absence of anaerobic zones in bioreactors, as well as the consumption of easily degradable organic matter by denitrifying microorganisms.

Contrary to expectations, the two WWTPs, using a simple aeration process, provided the poorest removal of both organics and ammonia, while the nitrate content in the effluent was approximately the same as in other installations. However, the total nitrogen content in the form of nitrate and ammonium in the effluent was much lower than in the influent, indicating that nitrogen was removed during denitrification. Probably, under conditions of insufficient aeration, formation of local anoxic zones within microbial flocs facilitates the denitrification performed by heterotrophic bacteria 73 , while part of the ammonia and organic matter remain non-oxidized and enters the effluent water.

Interestingly, relatively efficient phosphorus removal was observed in WWTP7 but not in WWTP1. These two bioreactors differ in that in WWTP7 the organic-rich influent is fed to the beginning of the bioreactor, while in WWTP1 it is distributed along the entire length. It is likely that in WWTP7 local organic-rich anaerobic zones are formed within AS flocks near the point of influent supply, while in WWTP1 the concentration of organic substances is everywhere lower. In such organic-rich zones denitrifying PAO of the genera Zoogloea and Thiothrix can proliferate and their shares were maximal in WWTP7.

Other abundant community members

Analysis of the compositions of microbial communities revealed 16 genus-level lineages, the average share of which across nine WWTPs exceeds 1% (Supplementary Table S4 ). In total, these 16 genera accounted for 28 to 51% (on average about 36%) of analyzed microbiomes. The most abundant genus, Ca . Microthrix, was the most numerous in AS samples of WWTPs 4, 6, 8 and 9 (11—13%) using the UCT process, while in other samples its relative abundance was much lower (1.2—3.4%). Besides its potential role in phosphorus removal, Ca . Microthrix is known as a slowly growing filamentous bacterium causing bulking and foaming in activated sludge systems thus seriously affecting the stable operation of WWTPs 74 . The growth of cultured species of this genus, M. parvicella , is susceptible to both environmental and operational parameters, such as temperature, oxygen concentration, type of substrate, electron acceptor, organic loading, and sludge retention time (reviewed in 75 ). Probably, enrichment of Ca . Microthrix in the AS of the UCT WWTPs was associated with low oxygen concentrations in the anaerobic and anoxic zones of these bioreactors, favorable for the growth of these bacteria 7 . The dominant Ca . Microthrix phylotype was identified as Ca Microthrix subdominans, a species typically present along with Ca . M. parvicella, although usually in lower abundances 76 .

Besides Ca . Microthrix and above mentioned Ca . Competibacter, Dechloromonas, Nitrospira, Nitrosomonas and Thauera, the list of most abundant genera includes 3 cultured (Trichococcus , Haliangium , and Chitinivorax ) and 7 uncultured lineages, defined in the Silva database as OM27_clade ( Bdellovibrionota, Bdellovibrionaceae ), Candidatus Nomurabacteria ( Patescibacteria ), AKYH767 ( Bacteroidota, Sphingobacteriales ), a member of the family Moraxellaceae ( Gammaproteobacteria ) defined as “Agitococcus lubricus group’, mle1-27 ( Myxococcota ), env.OPS_17 ( Bacteroidota, Sphingobacteriales ), and OLB12 ( Bacteroidota, Microscillaceae ).

Members of the genera Trichococcus, Haliangium , and Chitinivorax are often found in AS of wastewater treatment facilities. Trichococcus sp. are filamentous bacteria that can degrade a wide range of carbohydrates 77 , while Chitinivorax sp. are devoted to the hydrolysis of chitin 78 . Similarly to Dechloromonas sp., members of the Haliangium are active denitrifiers in the AS communities 79 .

All uncultured genus-level lineages were previously detected in bioreactors treating wastewater 80 , 81 , 82 , 83 , but their functional roles remain elusive. The most abundant uncultured OM27_clade, with an average share of about 3%, was hypothesized to be predatory bacteria 84 . Members of the candidate genus OLB12 are aerobic heterotrophs abundant in the anammox granules collected from partial-nitritation anammox reactor 85 . The only cultured member of “Agitococcus lubricus group’, A. lubricus , is a lipolytic aerobic heterotroph found in freshwater bodies 86 . The relative abundance of this lineage reached 4% in WWTP2, while it was below 0.2% in all AS samples currently described in the MiDAS database 14 .

Various functional characteristics of microorganisms are closely related to the differentiation of ecological niches, and network analysis allows one to deduce patterns of interactions that develop within the WWTP ecosystem. Network analysis indicated possible cooperation (co-occurrence) and mutual exclusion among diverse microorganisms in WWTPs (Fig.  4 ).

Network of co-occurring abundant microbial OTUs of AS based on correlation analysis. A connection stands for a strong (Spearman’s rho > 0.6) and significant (adjusted p value < 0.001) correlation. OTUs are colored according to phylum. Co-presence and mutual exclusion of OTUs are shown in white and red lines, respectively.

Of 104 OTUs, with abundances more than 0.5% in at least one of the AS samples, 83 had statistically significant connections with other OTUs the maximum number of which reached 18 (Supplementary Table S5 ). OTUs with a high number of connections (“degree”) are considered as hub members, supposed to be key players in sustaining the overall community 87 . The largest number of connections (18) was observed for OTU assigned to the genus Haliangium , whose members, together with Dechloromonas sp., are active denitrifiers in WWTPs communities 79 . Notably, bacteria participating in ammonia and phosphorous removal were among the hub members, namely, Nitrosomonas , Nitrospira , Ca . Competibacter, Dechloromonas, and Thauera . Positive connection was detected between denitrifiers ( Thauera Otu26 and Haliangium Otu95) and bacteria involved in the oxidation of ammonia ( Nitrosomonas Otu18 and Nitrospira Otu2). This link is consistent with the fact that the source of nitrate is mainly microbial oxidation of ammonium, rather than influent sewage water. Interestingly, we did not detected mutual exclusion between Ca . Accumulibacter and Ca . Competibacter.

The nest largest number of connections was detected for Otu105, assigned to the candidate genus Sumerlaea (candidate phylum Sumerlaeota , previously known as BRC1). Members of this genus were predicted to be metabolically versatile bacteria capable to utilize various carbohydrates, including chitin, performing fermentation as well as complete oxidation of organic substrates through aerobic and anaerobic (with nitrate and sulfur compounds) respiration 88 . Co-presence of Sumerlaea and denitrifiers ( Thauera and Haliangium ) suggest that Sumerlaea sp. could be involved in degradation of organic substrates linked to dissimilatory nitrate reduction. Interestingly, no connection to other community members was found for the most abundant species, Ca . Microthrix (Otu1). Ca . Microthrix has been considered a specialized consumer of long-chain fatty acids that have been confirmed to be the key carbon and energy sources for its growth both under aerobic, anoxic and anaerobic conditions 75 , 89 . Probably due to such metabolic specialization Ca . Microthrix has limited interactions with other community members.

Microbial communities of Moscow WWTPs on a global scale

Variations in community composition are key points for understanding community functioning. To understand how the composition of microbial communities of AS varied across different geographic locations, we compared taxonomic structures of our microbiomes with that reported in a worldwide study performed by a Global Water Microbiome Consortium 10 . That study showed that although the taxonomic community structures observed on different continents were not clearly separated at the OTU level in two dimensional ordinations, it was significantly different between any two continents 10 , and although the type of treatment process exerted significant effects on microbial community structures, it was overwhelmed by continental geographical separation 10 .

Despite its high diversity, AS microbiome has a small global core bacterial community (28 OTUs) that is strongly linked to WWTP performance and accounted for an average 12.4% of the 16S rRNA gene sequences in AS samples 10 . 26 of these OTUs were present in Moscow WWTPs and accumulated from 11.3 to 23.5% of 16S rRNA gene reads (Supplementary Table S6 ).

Clustering based on the Bray–Curtis dissimilarity showed that all samples from Moscow WWTPs clustered together and formed a distinct branch not embedded into European or any other large groups, but forming a sister lineage to a subsets of Asian, South American and North American clusters (Fig.  5 ). These data indicate that influent characteristics, related to cultural, social and environmental factors in each region, could be more important than a plant operating conditions. Similar observations have been previously reported for the microbial communities of AS from WWTPs in Korea and Vietnam 2 . For example, due to the relatively low cost of water for household consumption, wastewater in Moscow has a relatively low content of organic matter compared to the values typical for most large cities (COD of 600–900 mg/L). It should be noted that the primers used in our work for the 16S rRNA gene profiling differed from those used by the GWMC consortium (515F/806R), which may affect the observed shares of particular microbial taxa. However, both primer pairs (515F/806R and 341F/806R) enabled good coverage of overall microbial diversity and provided similar estimates of the relative abundancies of most species in various environments 90 , 91 .

Neighbor joining tree illustrating clustering based on the Bray–Curtis dissimilarity between microbial communities of AS samples from 9 WWTPs obtained in this study and ones reported by a Global Water Microbiome Consortium ( http://gwmc.ou.edu/ ). Samples are colored according to geographic location.

Conclusions

This study provides the data on the composition of microbial communities of AS from large-scale WWTPs of the Moscow city and the evidences of the impact of purification technology. Although the taxonomic structure of communities at high ranks was similar and the most numerous groups were found in all WWTPs, UniFrac and Jaccard trees revealed clustering of samples according to the employed technology. WWTPs employing the UCT process enabled efficient removal of organics, nitrogen and phosphorus, while WWTPs operated under simple aeration or nitrification–denitrification process removed these components less efficiently. Co-occurrence network analysis provided information on key hub microorganisms in AS, which may be targeted for manipulating the AS stability and performance. Comparison of AS communities from Moscow WWTPs with ones analyzed worldwide by GWMC revealed that all Moscow samples clustered together, indicating that influent characteristics, related to cultural, social and environmental factors in each region, could be more important than a plant operating conditions.

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Acknowledgements

This work was partly supported by the Russian Science Foundation (Project 21-64-00019 to A.V.M.).

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Shahjahon Begmatov, Vitaly V. Kadnikov, Alexey V. Beletsky, Nikolai V. Ravin & Andrey V. Mardanov

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A.V.M. and N.V.R. designed and supervised the research project; A.G.D. collected the samples and analysed chemical composition of wastewater; V.V.K. and A.V.M. performed 16S rRNA gene profiling; S.B., A.V.B., N.V.P., and N.V.R. analysed the sequencing data; S.B. and N.V.R. wrote the manuscript. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

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Begmatov, S., Dorofeev, A.G., Kadnikov, V.V. et al. The structure of microbial communities of activated sludge of large-scale wastewater treatment plants in the city of Moscow. Sci Rep 12 , 3458 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-07132-4

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-07132-4

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Jailed WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich’s arrest is extended by a Moscow court, state news agency says

FILE - Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich stands in a glass cage in a courtroom at the Moscow City Court, in Moscow, Russia, April 18, 2023. Gershkovich, who was detained on espionage charges, arrived at a Moscow court Thursday, Aug. 24, for a hearing on a motion by the prosecution to extend his arrest. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)

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MOSCOW (AP) — A Moscow court ruled Thursday that Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich must stay in jail on espionage charges until the end of November, Russian state news agency Tass reported.

Gershkovich has been sitting in jail since the end of March when he was detained in the city of Yekaterinburg, almost 2,000km (1200 miles) east of Moscow, while on a reporting trip. The latest ruling means he faces spending at least eight months in prison.

Gershkovich, a 31-year-old U.S. citizen, arrived at the Moscow court Thursday in a white prison van and was led out handcuffed, wearing jeans, sneakers and a shirt. He appeared in court to hear the result of the prosecution’s motion to extend his arrest from Aug. 30.

Journalists outside the court were not allowed to witness the proceedings. Tass said the hearing was held behind closed doors because details of the criminal case are classified.

Russia’s Federal Security Service said Gershkovich, “acting on the instructions of the American side, collected information constituting a state secret about the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex.”

Gershkovich and his employer deny the allegations, and the U.S. government declared him to be wrongfully detained. His case has been wrapped in secrecy. Russian authorities haven’t detailed what — if any — evidence they have gathered to support the espionage charges.

On Thursday, the Wall Street Journal said in a statement: “Today, our colleague and distinguished journalist Evan Gershkovich appeared for a pre-trial hearing where his improper detention was extended yet again. We are deeply disappointed he continues to be arbitrarily and wrongfully detained for doing his job as a journalist. The baseless accusations against him are categorically false, and we continue to push for his immediate release. Journalism is not a crime.”

Earlier in August, U.S. Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy made her third visit to Gershkovich and reported that he appeared to be in good health despite challenging circumstances. He is being held at Moscow’s Lefortovo prison, notorious for its harsh conditions.

Gershkovich is the first American reporter to face espionage charges in Russia since September 1986, when Nicholas Daniloff, a Moscow correspondent for U.S. News and World Report, was arrested by the KGB.

Analysts have pointed out that Moscow may be using jailed Americans as bargaining chips after U.S.-Russian tensions soared over the Kremlin’s military operation in Ukraine. At least two U.S. citizens arrested in Russia in recent years — including WNBA star Brittney Griner — have been exchanged for Russians jailed in the U.S.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has previously said it would consider a swap for Gershkovich only in the event of a verdict in his trial. In Russia, espionage trials can last for more than a year.