Changes in the structure and function of microbial communities in drinking water treatment bioreactors upon addition of phosphorus.

ABSTRACT: Phosphorus was added as a nutrient to bench-scale and pilot-scale biologically active carbon (BAC) reactors operated for perchlorate and nitrate removal from contaminated groundwater. The two bioreactors responded similarly to phosphorus addition in terms of microbial community function (i.e., reactor performance), while drastically different responses in microbial community structure were detected. Improvement in reactor performance with respect to perchlorate and nitrate removal started within a few days after phosphorus addition for both reactors. Microbial community structures were evaluated using molecular techniques targeting 16S rRNA genes. Clone library results showed that the relative abundance of perchlorate-reducing bacteria (PRB) Dechloromonas and Azospira in the bench-scale re

SUBMITTER: Li X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2976211 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature