title: Gel-forming exopolysaccharides explain basic differences between structures of aerobic sludge granules and floccular sludges.
abstract: The sol-gel transition of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) derived from sludge flocs and granules is investigated in order to explain basic differences between the two aggregates. A reversible, pH dependent sol-gel transition was observed at pH 9.0-12.0 in EPS extracted from granules. At pH <9 granule EPS existed as a strong gel, indicating that their EPS exist in a gel state at normal operating pH of a wastewater treatment system (i.e. 6.0-8.5). This characteristic transition from solution to strong gel was not observed in any of the EPS samples derived from floccular sludges. A transition to a weak gel was however, observed at pH 4.0-5.0. Enriched exopolysaccharides from the granular EPS exhibited rheological behaviour analogous to the granules and the granule EPS. The critical overlap concentration (c*) of the exopolysaccharide concentrate was 0.33% w/w, similar to the c* of other known bacterial exopolysaccharides. Additionally, the protein content was found to be not contributing to the storage modulus of granule EPS gels. These factors suggest that exopolysaccharides or glycosides were the gelling agent in aerobic sludge granules. Given that EPS derived from aerobic sludge granules and flocs are distinguished by such a sol-strong gel transition, these exopolysaccharides therefore likely play an important role in granulation.
authors.affiliation: Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seviour
authors.forename: Maite
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pijuan
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nicholson
authors.forename: Jürg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.forename: Zhiguo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: D000332:Aerobiosis; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D005427:Flocculation; D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate / Q000737:chemistry; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D012212:Rheology; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology; D012995:Solubility; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D005782:Gels; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; D012722:Sewage; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate