title: Characterization of the bacterial community in a biotrickling filter treating high loads of H(2)S by molecular biology tools.
abstract: The diversity and spatial distribution of bacteria in a lab-scale biotrickling filter treating high loads of hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) were investigated. Diversity and community structure were studied by terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP). A 16S rRNA gene clone library was established. Near Full-length 16S rRNA gene sequences were obtained, and clones were clustered into 24 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Nearly 74% and 26% of the clones were affiliated with the phyla Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, respectively. Beta-, epsilon- and gamma-proteobacteria accounted for 15, 9 and 48%, respectively. Around 45% of the sequences retrieved were affiliated to bacteria of the sulfur cycle including Thiothrix spp., Thiobacillus spp. and Sulfurimonas denitrificans. Sequences related to Thiothrix lacustris accounted for a 38%. Rarefaction curve demonstrated that clone library constructed can be sufficient to describe the vast majority of the bacterial diversity of this reactor operating under strict conditions (2,000 ppm(v) of H(2)S). A spatial distribution of bacteria was found along the length of the reactor by means of the T-RFLP technique. Although aerobic species were predominant along the reactor, facultative anaerobes had a major relative abundance in the inlet part of the reactor, where the sulfide to oxygen ratio is higher.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Edifici Q. Campus de Bellaterra. Bellaterra, Barcelona 08193, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Maestre
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rovira
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gamisans
authors.forename: Kerry A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kinney
authors.forename: Mary Jo
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kirisits
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lafuente
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gabriel
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification*; D041963:Bacteroidetes / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D015723:Gene Library; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D020560:Proteobacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods; D014871:Water Microbiology
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012722:Sewage; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide