Microbial community in a pilot-scale bioreactor promoting anaerobic digestion and sulfur-driven denitrification for domestic sewage treatment

Author(s)

Saia, Flavia Talarico ^[1] ; Souza, Theo S. O. ^[2] ; Delgado Duarte, Rubens Tadeu ^[3] ; Pozzi, Eloisa ^[4] ; Fonseca, Debora ^[4] ; Foresti, Eugenio ^[4]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Sea Sci, Av Saldanha Da Gama 89, BR-11030400 Santos, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Hydraul & Environm Engn, Polytech Sch, Av Prof Almeida Prado 83, Trav 2, Cidade Univ, BR-05508900 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Santa Catarina, Dept Microbiol Immunol & Parasitol, Florianopolis, SC - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Engn Sao Carlos, Lab Biol Proc, Av Trabalhador Sao Carlense 400, BR-13566590 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering; v. 39, n. 2, p. 341-352, FEB 2016.
• Web of Science Citations: 15

Abstract

A pilot-scale reactor treating domestic sewage was operated to promote anaerobic digestion and denitrification using endogenous electron donors. While 55 % of organic matter was removed, nitrogen and sulfur showed a different dynamics during the operation. Pyrosequencing analysis clarified this behavior revealing that specific microbial communities inhabited the anaerobic (47.05 % of OTUs) and anoxic (31.39 % of OTUs) chambers. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene partial sequences obtained through pyrosequencing revealed a total of 1727 OTUs clustered at a 3 % distance cutoff. In the anaerobic chamber, microbial community was comprised of fermentative, syntrophic and sulfate-reducing bacteria. The majority of sequences were related to Aminobacterium and Syntrophorhabdus. In the anoxic chamber, the majority of sequences were related to mixotrophic and strictly autotrophic denitrifiers Arcobacter and Sulfuricurvum, respectively, both involved in sulfur-driven denitrification. These results show that pyrosequencing was a powerful tool to investigate the microbial panorama of a complex system, providing new insights to the improvement of the system. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/01735-6 - The use of DNA-Stable Isotope Probing (DNA-SIP)to identify key autotrophic denitrifiers microorganisms in wastewater treatment using sulfide as electron donor
• Grantee: Flávia Talarico Saia
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 10/03286-4 - Utilization of DNA-Stable Isotope Probing (DNA-SIP) technique for identification of autotrophic denitrifying microorganisms in sewage treatment systems using sulfide as electron donor
• Grantee: Eugenio Foresti
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants