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Updated: Jan 30, 2026

Development of Sulfidogenic Sludge from Marine Sediments and Trichloroethylene Reduction in an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor
Published on: October 15, 2015
System performance and microbial community in ethanol-fed anaerobic reactors acclimated with different organic carbon
Danfei Zeng1, Qidong Yin1, Qing Du1
1Guangdong Province Engineering Research Center for Urban Water Recycling and Environmental Safety, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China.
Abstract:
Sulfate influences the organics removal and methanogenic performance during anaerobic wastewater treatment. System performance, microbial community and metabolic pathways in ethanol-fed anaerobic reactors were investigated under different COD/SO42- ratios (2, 1 and 0.67) and control without sulfate addition. The sulfate removal percentages declined (99%, 60% and 49%) with decreasing COD/SO42- ratios, and methanogenesis was completely inhibited. Acetate accumulated to 903-734 mg/L, though propionate was constantly lower than 30 mg/L. Without sulfate, acetate and propionate did not accumulate, despite the extended time for propionate degradation. Incomplete oxidizing sulfate reducing bacteria (Desulfobulbus and Desulfomicrobium) and hydrolysis-acidification genera (Treponema and Bacteroidales) predominated but could not degrade acetate. Desulfobulbus was the key genus for propionate degradation through the pyruvate & propanoate metabolism pathway. Pseudomonas and Desulfobulbus, possessing genes encoding Type IV pili and cytochrome c6 OmcF, respectively, potentially participated in the direct interspecies electron transfer in sulfate-rich conditions.
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