COMMUNITY ANALYSIS OF A UNIQUE FULL-SCALE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT AS REVEALED BY 454-PYROSEQUENCING
type: CreativeWork
description: Activated sludge is one of the most commonly applied biological treatment processes for wastewater treatment. The microorganisms grown in activated sludge systems are responsible for the removal and transformation of wastewater contaminants. These bacterial populations are sensitive to wastewater characteristics, plant design and operational parameters. Because the effectiveness of activated sludge relies on microbial activity, a better understanding of the microbial communities and how they respond to constraints may be useful for improving plant performance. Environmental conditions in the activated sludge process are complex and the identification and classification of the communities present has proven a challenge for engineers as well as microbiologists and ecologists. Many bacteria in activated sludge cannot be cultured and conventional culture dependent techniques are not adequate in defining these populations in depth. Recent molecular methods have advanced the understanding of this complicated ecosystem, yet much remains unclear due to plant specific dynamics that influence community structure. Sequencing techniques are a novel approach to the identification of the microbial populations of activated sludge. This new technology allows researchers to ask exploratory questions about specific and distinct wastewater treatment processes that could not be efficiently completed with other methods. One such unique wastewater treatment plant that may benefit from the use of pyrosequencing techniques is the Los Alamos National Laboratory Sanitary Wastewater System (LANL SWWS) located in Los Alamos, New Mexico. This plant experiences highly variable flow and utilizes glycerin as a supplemental carbon source due to low-strength carbon influent. In addition, the plant experienced an upset in 2012 with respect to excessive tardigrade growth. In response introduced sludge from another wastewater treatment plant (seed event) to help improve the microbial populations. 454-p…
abstract: Activated sludge is one of the most commonly applied biological treatment processes for wastewater treatment. The microorganisms grown in activated sludge systems are responsible for the removal and transformation of wastewater contaminants. These bacterial populations are sensitive to wastewater characteristics, plant design and operational parameters. Because the effectiveness of activated sludge relies on microbial activity, a better understanding of the microbial communities and how they respond to constraints may be useful for improving plant performance. Environmental conditions in the activated sludge process are complex and the identification and classification of the communities present has proven a challenge for engineers as well as microbiologists and ecologists. Many bacteria in activated sludge cannot be cultured and conventional culture dependent techniques are not adequate in defining these populations in depth. Recent molecular methods have advanced the understanding of this complicated ecosystem, yet much remains unclear due to plant specific dynamics that influence community structure. Sequencing techniques are a novel approach to the identification of the microbial populations of activated sludge. This new technology allows researchers to ask exploratory questions about specific and distinct wastewater treatment processes that could not be efficiently completed with other methods. One such unique wastewater treatment plant that may benefit from the use of pyrosequencing techniques is the Los Alamos National Laboratory Sanitary Wastewater System (LANL SWWS) located in Los Alamos, New Mexico. This plant experiences highly variable flow and utilizes glycerin as a supplemental carbon source due to low-strength carbon influent. In addition, the plant experienced an upset in 2012 with respect to excessive tardigrade growth. In response introduced sludge from another wastewater treatment plant (seed event) to help improve the microbial populations. 454-p…
author: Preut, Meghan
language: English
keywords: Wastewater, Microbial populations, 454-pyrosequencing, supplemental carbon source, Glycerin, Los Alamos National Laboratory
date published: 2014-09-12T07:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T05:26:55Z
provider: University of New Mexico
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of New Mexico

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/1928/24508