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Insights into the Effect of Sludge Retention Times on System Performance, Microbial Structure and Quorum Sensing in an Activated Sludge Bioreactor

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Abstract

Effects of sludge retention times (SRTs) on system performance, microbial structure and quorum sensing in an activated sludge bioreactor were investigated. SRTs significantly (ANOVA, p < 0.05) affected the total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) removal. Significant (Tukey's HSD, p < 0.05) higher TIN removal efficiency was achieved at the SRT of 5 days (72.3%) than at SRTs of 15 (71.3%) and 25 (67.7%) days, respectively. This could be partially explained by the effect of SRT on the sludge properties, abundance of denitrifying bacterium and genes, and quorum sensing (QS) signals (e.g., N‐acyl‐L‐homoserine lactones (AHLs)). Specifically, a short SRT resulted in a high protein content in tightly bound extracellular polymeric substances (TEPS), which could be an indicator for compact sludge structure. Furthermore, denitrifying bacterium including Candidatus Competibacter, Thauera and Zoogloea and denitrifying genes including napAB, nirS, norB and nosZ were enriched at a short SRT. Moreover, N-decanoyl-L-homoserine lactone and N-3-(oxododecanoyl)-homoserine lactone were the dominating AHLs in the water, EPS and biomass phases of activated sludge and a particular high content of these AHLs was found in sludge at a short SRT. Based on the metagenomic results, functional microorganisms carried both nitrogen metabolism genes and AHLs synthesis genes, allowing their interactions with other autotrophs or heterotrophs through nitrogen conversion and QS signal exchange. Identification of QS and its possible roles in activated sludge systems under different operational conditions may provide potential strategies through QS regulation for enhancing system performance and microbial aggregation capability.

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All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article.

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Author notes

  1. Yuepeng Sun

    Present address: Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, China

    Tianle Li & Yuepeng Sun

  2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA

    Bo Li

  3. Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, National University of Ireland, Galway, Galway, H91 TK33, Ireland

    Guangxue Wu

Authors
  1. Tianle Li
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  2. Bo Li
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Contributions

Tianle Li carried out the experiments and wrote the manuscript. Bo Li and Guangxue Wu revised the manuscript. Yuepeng Sun conceived the study and were in charge of overall direction and planning. All authors discussed the results and contributed to the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Yuepeng Sun.

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Li, T., Li, B., Sun, Y. et al. Insights into the Effect of Sludge Retention Times on System Performance, Microbial Structure and Quorum Sensing in an Activated Sludge Bioreactor. Water Air Soil Pollut 233, 230 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-022-05716-4

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