Bacterial communities in full-scale wastewater treatment systems

• Published in: World journal of microbiology & biotechnology 2016-04, Vol.32 (4), p.66-8, Article 66
• Main Authors: Cydzik-Kwiatkowska, Agnieszka, Zielińska, Magdalena
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerobic systems; Analysis; antibiotics; Applied Microbiology; Bacteria; Bacteria - classification; Bacteria - genetics; Bacteria - isolation & purification; bacterial communities; Biochemistry; Biofilms; Biological treatment; Biomass; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Bulking sludge; Consortia; denitrifying microorganisms; Ecology; Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Life Sciences; Load; Metabolism; Microbial Consortia; Microbiology; Microorganisms; Molecular structure; nitrifying bacteria; Pollutant removal; Pollutants; Process controls; Proteins; Review; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sequencing; Sludge; Studies; Waste Disposal, Fluid - methods; Wastewater - microbiology; Wastewater treatment; Wastewater treatment plants; Water Microbiology; Water treatment; Water treatment plants
• ISSN: 0959-3993; 1573-0972
• DOI: 10.1007/s11274-016-2012-9

Bacterial metabolism determines the effectiveness of biological treatment of wastewater. Therefore, it is important to define the relations between the species structure and the performance of full-scale installations. Although there is much laboratory data on microbial consortia, our understanding of dependencies between the microbial structure and operational parameters of full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) is limited. This mini-review presents the types of microbial consortia in WWTP. Information is given on extracellular polymeric substances production as factor that is key for formation of spatial structures of microorganisms. Additionally, we discuss data on microbial groups including nitrifiers, denitrifiers, Anammox bacteria, and phosphate- and glycogen-accumulating bacteria in full-scale aerobic systems that was obtained with the use of molecular techniques, including high-throughput sequencing, to shed light on dependencies between the microbial ecology of biomass and the overall efficiency and functional stability of wastewater treatment systems. Sludge bulking in WWTPs is addressed, as well as the microbial composition of consortia involved in antibiotic and micropollutant removal.