Bacterial community structure of food wastewater treatment system combined with rotating biological contactor and tapered aeration reactor

A pilot-scale wastewater treatment plant combined with rotating biological contactor and tapered aeration reactors was operated with the wastewater discharged from a food factory for 5 months. The bacterial communities of this plant were investigated by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA genes. In spite of high concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus as well as organic carbon, removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus was 98%, 93%, and 95%, respectively. Bacterial community at the initial operation stage was clearly distinguished from that of the stable operation stage. The most predominant phylum in the sample of stable stage was Bacteroidetes. Major population of operation period was Haliscomenobacter, Sphaerotilus, and candidate division TM7, which were classified as filamentous bacteria. However, sludge bulking caused by these bacteria was not observed. The population that has a close relationship with Haliscomenobacter increased during the stable operation stage, emerging as the most predominant group. These results suggest that the filamentous bacteria participated in nutrient removal when using rotating biological contactor and tapered aeration reactor. �� 2010, The Microbiological Society of Korea