Impact of pH and removed filtrate on E. coli regrowth and microbial community during storage of electro-dewatered biosolids

Residual biosolids can be land applied if they meet microbiological requirements at the time of application. Electro-dewatering technology is shown to reduce biosolids bacterial counts to detection limits with little potential for bacterial regrowth during incubations. Here, we investigated the impa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Science of the total environment 2022-03, Vol.814, p.152544-152544, Article 152544
Main Authors: Navab-Daneshmand, Tala, Guo, Bing, Gehr, Ronald, Frigon, Dominic
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biosolids
E. coli regrowth
Electro-dewatering
Escherichia coli
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Microbial communities
Microbiota
Sewage
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Summary:Residual biosolids can be land applied if they meet microbiological requirements at the time of application. Electro-dewatering technology is shown to reduce biosolids bacterial counts to detection limits with little potential for bacterial regrowth during incubations. Here, we investigated the impacts on Escherichia coli regrowth and microbial communities of biosolids pH, removed nutrients via the filtrate, and inhibitory compounds produced in electro-dewatered biosolids. Findings suggest pH as the primary mechanism impacting E. coli regrowth in electro-dewatered biosolids. Propidium monoazide treatments were effective at removing DNA from dead cells, based on the removal of obligate anaerobes observed after anaerobic incubation. Analyses of high throughput sequenced data showed lower alpha-diversities associated with electro-dewatering treatment and incubation time. Moreover, biosolids pH and incubation period were the main factors contributing to the variations in microbial community compositions after incubation. Results highlight the role of electro-dewatered biosolids' low pH on inhibiting the regrowth of culturable bacteria as well as reducing the microbial community variance. [Display omitted] •pH was the main parameter impacting E. coli regrowth in electro-dewatered biosolids.•Alpha diversity was impacted by biosolids treatment, pH, and incubation period.•Microbial community compositions after PMA treatment comprise the regrowing species.•pH and incubation time were main factors shaping overall microbial communities.
ISSN:0048-9697
1879-1026
DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152544