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Impact of salinity on the anaerobic metabolism of phosphate-accumulating organisms (PAO) and glycogen-accumulating organisms (GAO)

  • Environmental biotechnology
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Abstract

The use of saline water as secondary quality water in urban environments for sanitation is a promising alternative towards mitigating fresh water scarcity. However, this alternative will increase the salinity in the wastewater generated that may affect the biological wastewater treatment processes, such as biological phosphorus removal. In addition to the production of saline wastewater by the direct use of saline water in urban environments, saline wastewater is also generated by some industries. Intrusion of saline water into the sewers is another source of salinity entering the wastewater treatment plant. In this study, the short-term effects of salinity on the anaerobic metabolism of phosphate-accumulating organisms (PAO) and glycogen-accumulating organisms (GAO) were investigated to assess the impact of salinity on enhanced biological phosphorus removal. Hereto, PAO and GAO cultures enriched at a relatively low salinity level (0.02 % W/V) were exposed to salinity concentrations of up to 6 % (as NaCl) in anaerobic batch tests. It was demonstrated that both PAO and GAO are affected by higher salinity levels, with PAO being the more sensitive organisms to the increasing salinity. The maximum acetate uptake rate of PAO decreased by 71 % when the salinity increased from 0 to 1 %, while that of GAO decreased by 41 % for the same salinity increase. Regarding the stoichiometry of PAO, a decrease in the P-release/HAc uptake ratio accompanied with an increase in the glycogen consumption/HAc uptake ratio was observed for PAO when the salinity increased from 0 to 2 % salinity, indicating a metabolic shift from a poly-P-dependent to a glycogen-dependent metabolism. The anaerobic maintenance requirements of PAO and GAO increased as the salinity concentrations risen up to 4 % salinity.

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Acknowledgments

This research study was carried out as part of the SALINE project (http://www.salinesanitation.info) led by UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education and consortium partners KWR Watercycle Research Institute, Delft University of Technology, University of Cape Town, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, The Higher Polytechnic Institute “José Antonio Echeverría,” and Birzeit University. The SALINE project is financed by UNESCO-IHE internal research fund with a special generous contribution from Professor George Ekama from University of Cape Town, to whom the authors would like to gratefully thank. Special thanks to UNESCO-IHE laboratory staff, in particular to Don van Galen, for all their support during the research project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Engineering and Water Technology, UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, Westvest 7, 2611AX, Delft, The Netherlands

    L. Welles, C. M. Lopez-Vazquez, C. M. Hooijmans & D. Brdjanovic

  2. Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Julianalaan 67, 2628 BC, Delft, The Netherlands

    M. C. M. van Loosdrecht & D. Brdjanovic

  3. KWR Watercycle Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, Nieuwegein, 3433 PE, The Netherlands

    M. C. M. van Loosdrecht

Authors
  1. L. Welles
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  2. C. M. Lopez-Vazquez
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  3. C. M. Hooijmans
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  4. M. C. M. van Loosdrecht
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  5. D. Brdjanovic
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Correspondence to L. Welles.

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Welles, L., Lopez-Vazquez, C.M., Hooijmans, C.M. et al. Impact of salinity on the anaerobic metabolism of phosphate-accumulating organisms (PAO) and glycogen-accumulating organisms (GAO). Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 98, 7609–7622 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-014-5778-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-014-5778-4

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