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Updated: Jun 1, 2026
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A Novel Bioreactor for High Density Cultivation of Diverse Microbial Communities
Published on: December 25, 2015
Structure and dynamics of microbial community in full-scale activated sludge reactors
Taewoo Yi1, Eun-Hee Lee, Shinyoung Kang
1Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ewha Womans University, 11-1 Daehyun-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-750, South Korea.
Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology
|June 3, 2011
Summary
Microbial community structure in wastewater treatment was linked to influent quality. Changes in specific microbial fatty acids correlated with effluent issues like high solids and phosphorus, impacting treatment efficiency.
Area of Science:
- Environmental microbiology
- Wastewater engineering
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Activated sludge systems are crucial for municipal wastewater treatment.
- Microbial community structure (MCS) influences treatment efficacy.
- Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles can indicate microbial community composition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of influent water quality on the MCS of activated sludge.
- To determine how MCS affects effluent water quality.
- To identify key microbial indicators of treatment performance.
Main Methods:
- Monitoring PLFA profiles in four full-scale activated sludge reactors (ASR1-4).
- Analyzing influent water quality parameters (BOD, TSS) and effluent quality (TSS, total phosphorus).
- Utilizing canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) to link microbial community structure with environmental factors.
Main Results:
- PLFA profiles were generally consistent across reactors, except for ASR4 during winter/spring, showing increased specific fatty acids (16:1ω5c, 11methyl18:1ω7c, 15:0iso3OH).
- These specific fatty acids, potentially linked to Flexibacter sp., were associated with activated sludge bulking and higher effluent TSS.
- Influent BOD and TSS concentrations were the primary drivers of MCS changes, which in turn significantly affected effluent TSS and total phosphorus.
Conclusions:
- Influent water quality, particularly BOD and TSS, significantly shapes the microbial community structure in activated sludge.
- Specific microbial fatty acids can serve as indicators of operational issues like bulking and poor effluent quality.
- Understanding the link between MCS and influent/effluent quality is vital for optimizing wastewater treatment processes.
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