Toggle Main Menu Toggle Search

Open Access padlockePrints

Occurrence and activity of Archaea in aerated activated sludge wastewater treatment plants

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Neil GrayORCiD, Dr Ian Miskin, Professor Thomas CurtisORCiD, Professor Ian Head

Downloads

Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.


Abstract

The occurrence, distribution and activity of archaeal populations within two aerated, activated sludge wastewater treatment systems, one treating domestic waste and the second treating mixed domestic and industrial wastewater, were investigated by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified ribosomal RNA gene fragments and process measurements. In the plant receiving mixed industrial and domestic waste the archaeal populations found in the mixed liquor were very similar to those in the influent sewage, though a small number of DGGE bands specific to the mixed liquor were identified. In contrast, the activated sludge treating principally domestic waste harboured distinct archaeal populations associated with the mixed liquor that were not prevalent in the influent sewage. We deduce that the Archaea in the plant treating mixed wastewater were derived principally from the influent, whereas those in the plant treating solely domestic waste were actively growing in the treatment plant. Archaeal 16S rRNA gene sequences related to the Methanosarcinales , Methanomicrobiales and the Methanobacteriales were detected. Methanogenesis was measured in activated sludge samples incubated under oxic and anoxic conditions, demonstrating that the methanogens present in both activated sludge plants were active only in anoxic incubations. The relatively low rates of methanogenesis measured indicated that, although active, the methanogens play a minor role in carbon turnover in activated sludge.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Gray ND, Miskin IP, Kornilova O, Curtis TP, Head IM

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Environmental Microbiology

Year: 2002

Volume: 4

Issue: 3

Pages: 158-168

ISSN (print): 1462-2912

ISSN (electronic): 1462-2920

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1462-2920.2002.00280.x

DOI: 10.1046/j.1462-2920.2002.00280.x


Altmetrics

Altmetrics provided by Altmetric


Share