• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.113-121
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• 2007

The bacterial diversity inherent to the biofilm community structure of a modified rotating biological contactor wastewater treatment process, referred to as the Rotating Activated Bacillus Contactor (RABC) process, was characterized in this study, via both culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. On the basis of culture-dependent methods, Bacillus sp. were found to exist in large numbers on the biofilm (6.5% of the heterotrophic bacteria) and the microbial composition of the biofilms was quite simple. Only three phyla were identified-namely, the Proteobacteria, the Actinobacteria (High G+C Gram-positive bacteria), and the Firmicutes (Low G+C Gram-positive bacteria). The culture-independent partial 16S rDNA sequence analysis revealed a considerably more diverse microbial composition within the biofilms. A total of eight phyla were recovered in this case, three of which were major groups: the Firmicutes (43.9%), the Proteobacteria (28.6%), and the Bacteroidetes (17.6%). The remaining five phyla were minor groups: the Planctomycetes (4.4%), the Chlorobi (2.2%), the Actinobacteria (1.1%), the Nitrospirae (1.1%), and the Verrucomicrobia (1.1%). The two most abundant genera detected were the endospore-forming bacteria (31.8%), Clostridium and Bacillus, both of which are members of the Firmicutes phylum. This finding indicates that these endospore-forming bacteria successfully colonized and dominated the RABC process biofilms. Many of the colonies or clones recovered from the biofilms evidenced significantly high homology in the 16S rDNA sequences of bacteria stored in databases associated with advanced wastewater treatment capabilities, including nitrification and denitrification, phosphorus accumulation, the removal of volatile odors, and the removal of chlorohydrocarbons or heavy metals. The microbial community structures observed in the biofilms were found to correlate nicely with the enhanced performance of advanced wastewater treatment protocols.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.926-934
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• 2006

In this study, nitrate uptake rate(NUR) and oxygen uptake rate(OUR) tests were conducted for the assessment of application of Terephtalic acid(TPA) by-product as an alternative external carbon source for sewage treatment plant(STP). With the ASM1 installed in GPS-X the substrate removal characteristic was investigated with simulation by obtained data from NUR and OUR test. As a result, the fraction of RBDCOD(readily biodegradable COD) was mort than 90% and specific denitrification rate was observed about 8.00 mg $NO_3^-$-N/g VSS/hr that was similar to conventional external carbon source. In the next step, sensitivity analysis for heterotrophic biomass in ASM1 was conducted. Optimized parameters of ${\mu}_{max,H}$, $K_s$, ${\eta}_g$, and $b_H$ were 6.60/day, 23.3 mg/L, 0.88, and 0.54/day, respectively. Then, relative mean squared error(RMSE) was reduced to about 40%. Optimized parameters value were well corresponded with the substrate removal characteristics of high maximum and final endogenous specific OUR and high specific NUR.