Microbial communities of activated sludge performing enhanced biological phosphorus removal in a sequencing batch reactor supplied with glucose

Abstract

Microbial communities were analyzed in an anaerobic/aerobic sequencing batch reactor (SBR) fed with glucose as a sole carbon Source. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that tetrad or cuboidal packet bacteria dominated the microbial Sludge. Quinone, slot hybridization, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing analyses showed that the Proteobacteria beta subclass and the Actinobacteria group were the main microbial species in the SBR sludge. However, according, to transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the packet bacteria did not contain polyphosphate granules or glycogen inclusions, but only separate coccus-shaped bacteria contained these, suggesting that coccus-shaped bacteria accumulated polyphosphate directly and the packet bacteria played other role in the enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR). Based on previous reports, the Actinobacteria group and the Proteobacteria beta subclass were very likely responsible for acid formation and polyphosphate accumulation. respectively, and their cooperation achieved the EBPR in the SBR operation which was supplied with glucose.