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Influence of particle size distribution on anaerobic degradation of phenol and analysis of methanogenic microbial community

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Abstract

Sludge morphology considerably affects the mechanism underlying microbial anaerobic degradation of phenol. Here, we assessed the phenol degradation rate, specific methanogenic activity, electron transport activity, coenzyme F420 concentration, and microbial community structure of five phenol-degrading sludge of varying particle sizes (i.e., < 20, 20–50, 50–100, 100–200, and > 200 μm). The results indicated an increase in phenol degradation rate and microbial community structure that distinctly correlated with an increase in sludge particle size. Although the sludge with the smallest particle size (< 20 μm) showed the lowest phenol degradation rate (9.3 mg COD·gVSS−1 day−1), its methanogenic activity with propionic acid, butyric acid, and H2/CO2 as substrates was the best, and the concentration of coenzyme F420 was the highest. The small particle size sludge did not contain abundant syntrophic bacteria or hydrogenotrophic methanogens, but contained abundant acetoclastic methanogens. Moreover, the floc sizes of the different sludge varied in important phenol-degrading bacteria and archaea, which may dominate the synergistic mechanism. This study provides a new perspective on the role of sludge floc size on the anaerobic digestion of phenol.

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Funding

This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51878232) and CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, University of Science and Technology of China (KF201702).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Municipal Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China

    Jing Wang, Benteng Wu, Chunhua He, Zhenhu Hu & Wei Wang

  2. Section Sanitary Engineering, Department of Water Management, Delft University of Technology, Stevinweg 1, 2628 CN, Delft, The Netherlands

    Julian Muñoz Sierra

  3. KWR Watercycle Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3430 BB, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands

    Julian Muñoz Sierra

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  1. Jing Wang
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  2. Benteng Wu
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  3. Julian Muñoz Sierra
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  4. Chunhua He
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  5. Zhenhu Hu
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  6. Wei Wang
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Correspondence to Zhenhu Hu or Wei Wang.

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Wang, J., Wu, B., Sierra, J.M. et al. Influence of particle size distribution on anaerobic degradation of phenol and analysis of methanogenic microbial community. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 10391–10403 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-07665-z

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