Metagenomic analysis of the microbiome in three different bioreactor configurations applied to commercial laundry wastewater treatment

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2017-06, Vol.587-588, p.389-398
• Main Authors: Delforno, T.P., Lacerda, G.V., Sierra-Garcia, I.N., Okada, D.Y., Macedo, T.Z., Varesche, M.B.A., Oliveira, V.M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aromatic compound degradation pathways; Illumina sequencing, genetic potential; Linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS)
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.170

The taxonomic and functional diversity of three different biological reactors (fluidized bed reactor, FBR; up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor, UASB; and expanded granular sludge bed reactor, EGSB) used for commercial laundry wastewater treatment was investigated using metagenome shotgun sequencing. Metagenomes were sequenced on the Illumina Hiseq platform and were analyzed using MG-RAST, STAMP and PAST software. The EGSB and UASB reactors were more closely related based on taxonomic and functional profiles, likely due to similar granular sludge and procedures adopted to ensure anaerobic conditions. The EGSB and UASB reactors showed a predominance of methanogens and genes related to methanogenesis, with a prevalence of the acetoclastic pathway, in addition to the peripheral and central O2-independent pathways for aromatic compound degradation. By contrast, FBR showed a dominance of aerobic microbiota and pathways for O2-dependent aromatic compound degradation. Therefore, although the reactors showed similar surfactant removal levels, the microbial composition, functional diversity and aromatic compound degradation pathways were significantly distinct. [Display omitted] •Taxonomic and functional diversity of distinct bioreactors were compared.•Metabolic pathways involved in aromatic compounds removal were evaluated.•Biological data showed EGSB and UASB were more closely related than the FBR.•Anaerobic aromatic degradation pathways were enriched in UASB and EGSB.•In contrast, FBR showed enrichment of aerobic microbiota and pathways.