Microbial community composition and function in wastewater treatment plants

Michael Wagner (Corresponding author), Alexander Loy, Regina Nogueira, Ulrike Purkhold, Holger Daims

    Publications: Contribution to journalReviewPeer Reviewed

    Abstract

    Biological wastewater treatment has been applied for more than a century to ameliorate anthropogenic damage to the environment. But only during the last decade the use of molecular tools allowed to accurately determine the composition, and dynamics of activated sludge and biofilm microbial communities. Novel, in many cases yet not cultured bacteria were identified to be responsible for filamentous bulking and foaming as well as phosphorus and nitrogen removal in these systems. Now, methods are developed to infer the in situ physiology of these bacteria. Here we provide an overview of what is currently known about the identity and physiology of some of themicrobial key players in activated sludge and biofilm systems.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)665-680
    Number of pages16
    JournalAntonie van Leeuwenhoek: international journal of general and molecular microbiology
    Volume81
    Publication statusPublished - 2002

    Austrian Fields of Science 2012

    • 106022 Microbiology

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