Population dynamics of bacteria involved in enhanced biological phosphorus removal in Danish wastewater treatment plants

• Published in: Water research (Oxford) 2013-03, Vol.47 (4), p.1529-1544
• Main Authors: Mielczarek, Artur Tomasz, Nguyen, Hien Thi Thu, Nielsen, Jeppe Lund, Nielsen, Per Halkjær
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accumulibacter; Actinomycetales - metabolism; Activated sludge; Alphaproteobacteria - metabolism; Applied sciences; bacteria; Betaproteobacteria - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of waters; Bioreactors - microbiology; Biotechnology; Cluster Analysis; Competibacter; Correlations; Defluviicoccus; Denmark; EBPR; Environment and pollution; Equipment Design; Exact sciences and technology; fluorescence in situ hybridization; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gammaproteobacteria - metabolism; GAO; Glycogen - metabolism; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; microbial communities; Microbial Consortia; municipal wastewater; Other wastewaters; PAO; phosphorus; Phosphorus - metabolism; Pollution; Polyphosphates - metabolism; Population Dynamics; Principal Component Analysis; temporal variation; Tetrasphaera; Waste Disposal, Fluid - methods; Waste Water; wastewater treatment; Wastewaters; Water treatment and pollution
• ISSN: 0043-1354; 1879-2448
• DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2012.12.003

The enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) process is increasingly popular as a sustainable method for removal of phosphorus (P) from wastewater. This study consisted of a comprehensive three-year investigation of the identity and population dynamics of polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs) and glycogen-accumulating organisms (GAOs) in 28 Danish municipal wastewater treatment plants with nutrient removal. Fluorescence in situ hybridization was applied to quantify ten probe-defined populations of PAO and GAO that in total constituted a large fraction (30% on average) of the entire microbial community targeted by the EUBmix probes. Two PAO genera, Accumulibacter and Tetrasphaera, were very abundant in all EBPR plants (average of 3.7% and 27% of all bacteria, respectively), and their abundance was relatively stable in the Danish full-scale plants without clear temporal variations. GAOs were occasionally present in some plants (Competibacter in 11 plants, Defluviicoccus in 6 plants) and were consistent in only a few plants. This shows that these were not core species in the EBPR communities. The total GAO abundance was always lower than that of Accumulibacter. In plants without EBPR design, the abundance of PAO and GAO was significantly lower. Competibacter correlated in general with high fraction of industrial wastewater. In specific plants Accumulibacter correlated with high C/P ratio of the wastewater and Tetrasphaera with high organic loading. Interestingly, the relative microbial composition of the PAO/GAO species was unique to each plant over time, which gives a characteristic plant-specific “fingerprint”. ► A 3-year qFISH survey of PAO/GAO bacteria in 28 BNR plants was carried out. ► Tetrasphaera PAO was more abundant than Accumulibacter. ► GAOs were only present in few plants with high fraction of industrial wastewater. ► PAOs and GAOs in the individual plants were relatively constant and unique. ► PAOs correlated with high C/P ratio and high loading.