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Related Experiment Videos

Polyphosphate accumulation among denitrifying bacteria in activated sludge.

K S Jørgensen1, A S Pauli

  • 1Water and Environment Research Institute, National Board of Waters and the Environment, Helsinki, Finland.

Anaerobe
|June 1, 1995
PubMed
Summary

Wastewater treatment relies on bacterial polyphosphate accumulation and denitrification. This study found that some bacteria can perform both functions, challenging the notion that phosphorus-accumulating bacteria like Acinetobacter cannot denitrify.

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Phosphate uptake kinetics by Acinetobacter isolates.

Biotechnology and bioengineering·1997

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Microbiology
  • Wastewater Treatment Technologies
  • Biogeochemical Cycles

Background:

  • Bacterial polyphosphate accumulation and denitrification are key processes for biological nutrient removal in wastewater.
  • Phosphorus-accumulating bacteria, notably Acinetobacter, are generally not known for denitrification.
  • Clarifying the co-occurrence of these traits in single organisms is crucial for optimizing wastewater treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence of both polyphosphate accumulation and denitrification in wastewater bacterial isolates.
  • To determine if the same bacterial organisms can perform both nutrient removal functions.
  • To identify bacterial genera capable of both processes.

Main Methods:

  • Screening 165 bacterial isolates from activated sludge and wastewater for denitrification activity using acetylene inhibition.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Identifying denitrifying isolates using API 20 NE and BIOLOG systems.
  • Measuring polyphosphate accumulation rates in confirmed denitrifiers under phosphate-rich conditions.

    • Main Results:

    • Only 15 out of 165 isolates exhibited true respiratory denitrification.
    • No Acinetobacter isolates were found among the respiratory denitrifiers.
    • Several identified denitrifiers (e.g., Pseudomonas, Agrobacterium) demonstrated significant polyphosphate accumulation rates, some exceeding those of Acinetobacter.

    Conclusions:

    • Polyphosphate accumulation and denitrification can be performed by the same bacterial organisms in activated sludge.
    • The study expands the known functional diversity of bacteria involved in wastewater nutrient removal.
    • Findings suggest potential for developing enhanced biological nutrient removal strategies by selecting for dual-function bacteria.