Bench-scale sequential batch reactors (SBRs) were fed with glucose- and acetate-containing synthetic wastewaters to evaluate microbial population dynamics and types of phosphorus-accumulating organisms (PAOs) using a cellular fatty acid profile analysis. The phosphorus content in the sludge was 38% (w/w) for the acetate-fed SBR and 20% (w/w) for the glucose-fed SBR with a VSS/TSS ratio of 50%. Glucose-fed PAOs were found to remove phosphorus with accumulation of glycogen in cells without synthesizing poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) at influent phosphorus concentration < 20 mg-P/L and nitrate concentration < 2 mg-N/L. From the fatty acid profile biomarker study, it was found that the glucose-fed SBR maintained the same fatty acid profile before and after biological phosphorus removal (BPR) occurred while the acetate-fed SBR had a different fatty acid profile. The microbial population in the glucose-fed SBR was significantly different in terms of metabolic behavior and cellular fatty acid profile from that introduced in the acetate-fed SBR. Fatty acid a15:0 (anteiso methyl-branching) was abundant in the glucose-fed PAOs. Among the five PAO candidates (Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Arthrobacter, Aeromonas, and Micrococcus), only Arthrobacter spp. had the biomarker of fatty acid a15:0, indicating that Arthrobacter spp. may be one of the PAOs existing in the glucose-fed bioreactors.
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Research Article|
July 01 1998
Effect of wastewater composition on microbial populations in biological phosphorus removal processes
J. C. Wang;
J. C. Wang
*Procorp, Inc., 10701 West North Avenue, Wauwatosa, WI 53226, USA
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J. K. Park
J. K. Park
**Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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Water Sci Technol (1998) 38 (1): 159–166.
Citation
J. C. Wang, J. K. Park; Effect of wastewater composition on microbial populations in biological phosphorus removal processes. Water Sci Technol 1 July 1998; 38 (1): 159–166. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.1998.0039
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