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Changes in respiratory quinone profiles of enhanced biological phosphorus removal activated sludge under different influent phosphorus/carbon ratio conditions

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Abstract

Changes in the microbial community of an enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) activated sludge system under different influent phosphorus/carbon (P/C) ratio conditions were investigated through evaluation of population respiratory quinone profiles. A total of 13 types of respiratory quinone homologs consisting of 3 types of ubiquinones (UQ) and 10 types of menaquinones (MK) were identified in this study. The dominant quinones were UQ-8 and MK-7 throughout the operational period. A higher P/C ratio (0.1) in the influent stimulated an increase in the mole fractions of UQ-8, MK-7, MK-8(H4), MK-9(H4) and MK-8(H8), suggesting that actinobacterial polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAO) containing partially hydrogenated MK, mainly MK-8(H4), were contributing to EBPR. However, when the P/C ratio gradually decreased from 0.1 to 0.01, the mole fractions of UQ-8 increased from 0.46 to 0.58, while MK-7, MK-8(H2), MK-8(H4), MK-9(H4), MK-8(H8) and MK-9(H6) markedly decreased. These changes in the respiratory quinone profiles suggest that glycogen-accumulating organisms corresponding to some Gammaproteobacteria had become dominant populations with a decrease in actinobacterial PAO. On the other hand, increasing abruptly the P/C ratio to 0.1 further caused an increase in the mole fraction of UQ-8, indicating that Rhodocyclus-related organisms were important PAO.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacy, La Trobe University, Bendigo, 3550, Australia

    Johwan Ahn

  2. Department of Urban Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8654, Japan

    Mikyung Lee

  3. Department of Environmental Engineering, Hoseo University, Asan, 336-795, Korea

    Hyukku Kwon

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  1. Johwan Ahn
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  2. Mikyung Lee
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Correspondence to Johwan Ahn.

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Ahn, J., Lee, M. & Kwon, H. Changes in respiratory quinone profiles of enhanced biological phosphorus removal activated sludge under different influent phosphorus/carbon ratio conditions. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 29, 143–148 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-006-0065-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-006-0065-0

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