Assessment of bacterial and structural dynamics in aerobic granular biofilms

Journal article (2013)

Authors

D.G. Weissbrodt Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, External organisation, Eawag - Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, ETH Zürich, Institute of Environmental Engineering
Thomas R. Neu Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ
Ute Kuhlicke Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ
Yoan Rappaz Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
Christof Holliger Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
Research Group
BT/Environmental Biotechnology (AS) (TU Delft)
Aerobic granular sludge FISH Biological wastewater treatment CLSM FLBA Granular biofilm formation and structure Pyrosequencing T-RFLP
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Published Date

2013

Language

English

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Faculty

Applied Sciences

Department

BT/Biotechnologie

Research Group

BT/Environmental Biotechnology

Abstract

Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) is based on self-granulated flocs forming mobile biofilms with a gel-like consistence. Bacterial and structural dynamics from flocs to granules were followed in anaerobic-aerobic sequencing batch reactors (SBR) fed with synthetic wastewater, namely a bubble column (BC-SBR) operated under wash-out conditions for fast granulation, and two stirred-tank enrichments of Accumulibacter (PAO-SBR) and Competibacter (GAO-SBR) operated at steady-state. In the BC-SBR, granules formed within 2 weeks by swelling of Zoogloea colonies around flocs, developing subsequently smooth zoogloeal biofilms. However, Zoogloea predominance (37-79%) led to deteriorated nutrient removal during the first months of reactor operation. Upon maturation, improved nitrification (80-100%), nitrogen removal (43-83%), and high but unstable dephosphatation (75-100%) were obtained. Proliferation of dense clusters of nitrifiers, Accumulibacter, and Competibacter from granule cores outwards resulted in heterogeneous bioaggregates, inside which only low abundance Zoogloea (