Metagenomics revealed the phase-related characteristics during rapid development of halotolerant aerobic granular sludge

Wei Li; Jin-Chi Yao; Jin-Long Zhuang; Yuan-Yuan Zhou; James P Shapleigh; Yong-di Liu

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2020.105548

Metagenomics revealed the phase-related characteristics during rapid development of halotolerant aerobic granular sludge

Environ Int. 2020 Apr:137:105548. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105548. Epub 2020 Feb 18.

Authors

Wei Li¹, Jin-Chi Yao², Jin-Long Zhuang², Yuan-Yuan Zhou², James P Shapleigh³, Yong-di Liu⁴

Affiliations

¹ State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Process, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Wastewater Treatment, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai, China.
² State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Process, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Wastewater Treatment, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.
³ Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, USA.
⁴ State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Process, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Wastewater Treatment, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: ydliu@ecust.edu.cn.

PMID: 32066002
DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105548

Abstract

Efforts to produce aerobic granular sludge (AGS) for high-efficient and stable nutrient removal in high saline wastewaters have gained much attention recently. This study was undertaken to describe the phase-related characteristics of the rapid formation of glucose-fed salt-tolerant AGS (SAGS) generated from common municipal activated sludge using metagenomic approaches. The time needed for SAGS formation is about 11 days in a multi-ion matrix salinity of 3%. There were three distinct developmental phases during sludge maturation which were designated: I) the salinity adaptation phase (days 1-2), II) the particle-size transition phase (days 3-5) and III) the maturation and steady-state phase (days 6-11), respectively. Genome-based analysis revealed that during the phase I, members of the genus Mangrovibacter, which has the potential to secrete extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), dominated during the formation of initial SAGS aggregates. During phase II, fungi of the class Saccharomycetes, in particular the genus Geotrichum, became dominant and provided a matrix for bacterial attachment. This mutualistic interaction supported the rapid development and maintenance of mature SAGS. This work characterizes a robust approach for the rapid development of SAGS for efficient saline sewage treatment and provides unique insight into the granulation mechanism occurring during the development process.

Keywords: Fungi; Metagenomics; Rapid granulation; Salt-tolerant AGS.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Bioreactors
Metagenomics*
Salinity
Sewage* / microbiology
Waste Disposal, Fluid
Wastewater

Substances

Sewage
Waste Water