The aim of this study was to contribute to the knowledge on the dynamic of the microbial community involved in anaerobic degradation of different concentrations of 2-chlorophenol (2CP, from 28 to 196 mg 2CP-C/L) and a mixture of 2CP and phenol (from 28 to 196 mg phenol-C/L) and its relationship with the respiratory process in two anaerobic sequencing batch reactors (ASBR). The dynamic of the microbial community was evaluated by denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and ecological indices (S and J indices). The respiratory process was evaluated by means of substrate consumption efficiency, biogas yield, and specific consumption rates as response variables. The high consumption efficiency (90%) and the constant biogas yields obtained at concentrations up to 140 mg C/L may be related with the evenness of microbial populations (J index=0.97±0.2) present in both reactors. Pseudomonas genus was present in all concentrations tested, suggesting a possible relationship with the dehalogenation observed in both reactors. The decrease in specific consumption rate and biogas yield as well as the accumulation of phenol and volatile fatty acids observed in both reactors at 196 mg 2CP-C/L might be associated with the disappearance of the bands related to Caulobacter and Bacillus. At these conditions, the disappearance of fermentative or acetogenic bacteria resulted in reduction of substrates required to carry out methanogenesis, which eventually might cause the declination in methanogenic populations present in the reactors.
Keywords: 2-chlorophenol; anaerobic sequencing batch reactor; ecological indices; microbial community; phenol.