Aims: To see if the compositions of the microbial communities in full scale enhanced biological phosphorus removal activated sludge systems were the same as those from laboratory scale sequencing batch reactors fed a synthetic sewage. Methods: Biomass samples taken from nine full scale enhanced biological phosphate removal (EBPR) activated sludge plants in the eastern states of Australia were analysed for their populations of polyphosphate (polyP)‐accumulating organisms (PAO) using semi‐quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in combination with DAPI (4′‐6‐diamidino‐2‐phenylindole) staining for polyP. Results: Very few betaproteobacterial Rhodocyclus related organisms could be detected by FISH in most of the plants examined, and even where present, not all these cells even within a single cluster, stained positively for polyP with DAPI. In some plants in samples from aerobic reactors the Actinobacteria dominated populations containing polyP. Conclusions: The PAO populations in full‐scale EBPR systems often differ to those seen in laboratory scale reactors fed artificial sewage, and Rhodocyclus related organisms, dominating these latter communities may not be as important in full‐scale systems. Instead Actinobacteria may be the major PAO. Significance and Impact of the Study: These findings illustrate how little is still known about the microbial ecology of EBPR processes and that more emphasis should now be placed on analysis of full‐scale plants if microbiological methods are to be applied to monitoring their performances.
A survey of several enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) plants within Australia has demonstrated that a group of bacteria known as the "G" bacteria are able to proliferate under a broad range of plant configurations. The diverse designs and operational parameters of these plants did not permit definitive determination of the factor(s) contributing to the proliferation of G bacteria. Two plants were monitored over time to assess the G bacteria and phosphorus accumulating organisms (PAO) populations in relation to key operational parameters. The mixed liquor biomass and operational parameters were compared to other plants successfully and unsuccessfully reducing phosphorus from the wastewater. Two critical factors recognised in this study were the dissolved oxygen concentration in the aerobic zone and the type and amount of carbon source in the anaerobic zone.
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