Influence of decreasing temperature on aerobic granular sludge - microbial community dynamics and treatment performance
Journal article, 2024
Municipal wastewater in temperate climates is characterized by seasonal temperature changes. Temperature is a determining factor for biological processes, but the impact of gradually decreasing temperature on aerobic granular sludge (AGS) has been largely unexplored. In this study, the influence of decreasing temperature from 20 °C to 6 °C on AGS was investigated at rates of 0.5 and 1 °C per week. Temperature was a major driver for microbial community change, where the community response could be divided into three main subclusters. Strains within the guilds of ammonium- and nitrite-oxidising bacteria (AOB and NOB) as well as polyphosphate- and glycogen-accumulating organisms (PAOs and GAOs) grouped in different subclusters, indicating variable responses among and between the guilds. The phosphorous removal rate was sufficient for complete removal at all temperatures, presumably due to functional redundancy within the PAOs. The nitrification rate was, however, seriously impaired below 13 °C, despite diversity within AOB and NOB.
Nitrogen and phosphorus removal
Aerobic granular sludge
Fluctuating conditions
Municipal wastewater treatment
Decreasing temperatures
Author
Jennifer Ekholm
Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Water Environment Technology
Cecilia Burzio
Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Water Environment Technology
Amir Saeid Mohammadi
Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Water Environment Technology
Oskar Modin
Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Water Environment Technology
Frank Persson
Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Water Environment Technology
David Gustavsson
Sweden Water Research
VA SYD
Mark de Blois
H2OLAND AB
Britt-Marie Wilen
Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Water Environment Technology
Bioresource Technology Reports
2589014X (eISSN)
Vol. 25 101792Compact wastewater treatment by aerobic granular sludge – performance at low temperatures
J. Gust. Richert stiftelse (2021-00724), 2021-09-01 -- 2022-02-28.
Subject Categories
Water Engineering
Microbiology
Water Treatment
DOI
10.1016/j.biteb.2024.101792