Molecular monitoring of microbial diversity in expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactors treating oleic acid

Abstract A molecular approach was used to evaluate the microbial diversity of bacteria and archaea in two expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactors fed with increasing oleic acid loading rates up to 8 kg of chemical oxygen demand (COD) m(-3) day(-1) as the sole carbon source. One of the reactors was inoculated with granular sludge (RI) and the other with suspended sludge (RII). During operation, the sludge in both reactors was segregated in two layers: a bottom settled one and a top floating one. The composition of the bacterial community, based on 16S rDNA sequence diversity, was affected most during the oleate loading process in the two reactors. The archaeal consortium remained rather stable over operation in RI, whereas in RII the relative abundance of Methanosaeta-like organisms became gradually weaker, starting in the bottom layer. In the range of oleate loads evaluated, 6 kg of COD m(-3) day(-1) was found as the maximum value that could be applied to the system. A further increase to 8 kg of oleate-COD m(-3) day(-1) induced a maximal shift on the microbial structure of the sludges. At this time point, methanogenic acetoclastic activity was not detected and only very low methanogenic activity on H(2)/CO(2) was exhibited by the sludges.