Microbial community functional structures in wastewater treatment plants as characterized by GeoChip.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Biological WWTPs must be functionally stable to continuously and steadily remove contaminants which rely upon the activity of complex microbial communities. However, knowledge is still lacking in regard to microbial community functional structures and their linkages to environmental variables.

Aims

To investigate microbial community functional structures of activated sludge in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and to understand the effects of environmental factors on their structure.

Methods

12 activated sludge samples were collected from four WWTPs in Beijing. A comprehensive functional gene array named GeoChip 4.2 was used to determine the microbial functional genes involved in a variety of biogeochemical processes such as carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous

SUBMITTER: Wang X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3966879 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature