Molecular characterization of the bacterial communities in the different compartments of a full-scale reverse-osmosis water purification plant.

ABSTRACT: The origin, structure, and composition of biofilms in various compartments of an industrial full-scale reverse-osmosis (RO) membrane water purification plant were analyzed by molecular biological methods. Samples were taken when the RO installation suffered from a substantial pressure drop and decreased production. The bacterial community of the RO membrane biofilm was clearly different from the bacterial community present at other locations in the RO plant, indicating the development of a specialized bacterial community on the RO membranes. The typical freshwater phylotypes in the RO membrane biofilm (i.e., Proteobacteria, Cytophaga-Flexibacter-Bacteroides group, and Firmicutes) were also present in the water sample fed to the plant, suggesting a feed water origin. However, the relative a

SUBMITTER: Bereschenko LA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2546646 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature