Comparative evaluation of the microbial community in biological processes treating industrial and domestic wastewaters

Abstract

Aims: Comparison of the microbial composition and process performance between laboratory scale processes treating domestic and vegetable oil wastewaters. Methods and Results: Two laboratory scale modified Ludzack–Ettinger processes were operated under similar operating conditions. One process was fed domestic wastewater and the other an industrial wastewater, vegetable oil effluent. Nitrogen removal capacities of the processes were similar. The industrial process exhibited a lower COD removal capacity and oxygen utilization rate, although a greater mixed liquor volatile suspended solids concentration was observed in the industrial process. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with probes EUBmix, ALF1b, BET42a, GAM42a and HGC69a revealed that 81% and 72% of total cells stained with 4′, 6‐diamidino‐2‐phenylindole (DAPI) within the domestic and industrial processes respectively bound to EUBmix. This indicated a slightly lower Eubacterial population within the industrial process. The alpha‐proteobacteria was the dominant community in the industrial process (31% of EUBmix), while the beta‐proteobacteria dominated the domestic process (33% of EUBmix). Conclusions: The findings served to establish a difference in the microbial population between the processes. Therefore, the class alpha‐proteobacteria could play a primary role in the degradation of vegetable oil effluent. Significance and Impact of the Study: This research will aid in process design and retrofitting of biological processes treating vegetable oil effluent.

Phylogenetic Diversity and Metabolic Potential of Activated Sludge Microbial Communities in Full-Scale Wastewater Treatment Plants

“…Previous studies on activated sludge communities mainly focused on lab-scale bioreactors. − Only a few studies have analyzed the microbial diversity of activated sludge communities in full-scale WWTPs. − It was reported that the microbiology is more complex in full-scale WWTPs than in lab-scale bioreactors. , Consequently, the study of the microbial community composition and dynamics in full-scale WWTPs is of great importance to obtain practically useful information for improvement of wastewater treatment performance.…”

“…Most of the studies on activated sludge communities have focused on monitoring the spatial and temporal changes in microbial diversity, , investigating microbial community structure, ,, demonstrating the correlation of microbial diversity with bioreactor operating parameters, , linking biodiversity to bioreactor stability, , and assessing the impact of certain toxins on microbial diversity …”

Monitoring of bacterial biodiversity in anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) dealing with wastewater containing X-ray contrast media compounds

“…EUBmix counts in sample from WWTP Degenaar et al [20] showed similar community structure profile during domestic wastewater treatment process. The numerically dominant group was Betaproteobacteria (33%), followed by Alphaproteobacteria at 26% and Gammaproteobacteria at 15%.…”

Comparative analysis of DNA-based microbial community composition and substrate utilisation patterns of activated sludge microorganisms from wastewater treatment plants operated under different conditions

“…Consequently, the study of the microbial community composition and dynamics in full-scale WWTPs is of great importance to obtain practically useful information for improvement of wastewater treatment performance. Moreover, although phylogenetic analyses targeting 16S rRNA gene have been performed widely, few studies have examined the link between the results of such analyses and wastewater treatment functions of activated sludge other than specific functions related to nitrogen and phosphorus removal (Gilbride et al 2006;Degenaar et al 2008). Gilbride et al (2006) monitored the microbial community composition in a WWTP of a bleached kraft pulp mill using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analyses, and found significant correlations between several taxa and performance indicators such as chemical oxygen demand removal and the sludge volume index.…”