Department of Environmental Microbiology, UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany.
Environ Sci Technol. 2012 Jan 3;46(1):84-92. doi: 10.1021/es2010682. Epub 2011 Aug 11.
Wastewater treatment often suffers from instabilities and the failure of specific functions such as biological phosphorus removal by polyphosphate accumulating organisms. Since most of the microorganisms involved in water clarification are unknown it is challenging to operate the process accounting for the permanent varying abiotic parameters and the complex composition and unrevealed metabolic capacity of a wastewater microbial community. Fulfilling the demands for water quality irrespective of substrate inflow conditions may emit severe problems if the limited management resources of municipal wastewater treatment plants are regarded. We used flow cytometric analyses of cellular DNA and polyphosphate to create patterns mirroring dynamics in community structure. These patterns were resolved in up to 15 subclusters, the presence and abundances of which correlated with abiotic data. The study used biostatistics to determine the kind and strength of the correlation. Samples investigated were obtained from a primary clarifier and two activated sludge basins. The stability of microbial community structure was found to be high in the basins and low in the primary clarifier. Despite major abiotic changes certain subcommunities were dominantly present (up to 80% stability), whereas others emerged only sporadically (down to 3% stability, both according to equivalence testing). Additionally, subcommunities of diagnostic value were detected showing positive correlation with substrate influxes. For instance blackwater (r(s) = 0.5) and brewery inflow (both r(s) = 0.6) were mirrored by increases in cell abundances in subclusters 1 and 6 as well as 4 and 8, respectively. Phosphate accumulation was obviously positively correlated with nitrate (r(s) = 0.4) and the presence of denitrifying organisms (Rhodacyclaceae). Various other correlations between community structure and abiotic parameters were apparent. The bacterial composition of certain subcommunities was determined by cell sorting and phylogenetic tools like T-RFLP. In essence, we developed a monitoring tool which is quick, cheap and causal in its interpretation. It will make laborious PCR based technique less obligatory as it allows reliable process monitoring and control in wastewater treatment plants.
污水处理厂经常面临不稳定和特定功能失效的问题，例如聚磷菌的生物除磷。由于大多数参与水质澄清的微生物尚未可知，因此在考虑永久变化的非生物参数以及废水微生物群落的复杂组成和未知代谢能力时，操作该过程具有挑战性。如果考虑到城市污水处理厂有限的管理资源，那么满足水质要求可能会引发严重的问题。我们使用细胞 DNA 和多磷酸盐的流式细胞术分析来创建反映群落结构动态的模式。这些模式可以解析多达 15 个子群，它们的存在和丰度与非生物数据相关。该研究使用生物统计学来确定相关性的类型和强度。研究中使用的样本取自一个初沉池和两个活性污泥池。研究发现，微生物群落结构的稳定性在两个活性污泥池中较高，而在初沉池中较低。尽管存在主要的非生物变化，但某些亚群落仍然占主导地位（高达 80%的稳定性），而其他亚群落则仅偶尔出现（稳定性低至 3%，均根据等效性检验）。此外，还检测到具有诊断价值的亚群落，它们与基质流入量呈正相关。例如，黑水（r(s) = 0.5）和啤酒厂进水（两者均 r(s) = 0.6）分别与亚群 1 和 6 以及 4 和 8 中细胞丰度的增加相对应。磷酸盐积累与硝酸盐（r(s) = 0.4）和反硝化菌（红环菌科）的存在明显呈正相关。群落结构与非生物参数之间还存在其他各种相关性。通过细胞分选和 T-RFLP 等系统发育工具确定了某些亚群落的细菌组成。从本质上讲，我们开发了一种快速、廉价且具有因果关系的监测工具。它将使基于 PCR 的繁琐技术变得不那么必要，因为它允许在污水处理厂中进行可靠的过程监测和控制。
