title: Fungal diversity in activated sludge from membrane bioreactors in Berlin.
abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of fungi in aerobic and anoxic activated sludge from membrane bioreactors. Thirty-six samples from each aerobic and anoxic activated sludge were taken from two membrane bioreactors treating domestic wastewater. Over a period of 9 months, four samples from each plant were taken per month. The samples were prepared for count and identification of fungi. Sixty species belonging to 30 genera were collected from activated sludge samples under aerobic and anoxic conditions. In terms of fungal identification, under aerobic conditions  Geotrichum candidum  was found at 94.4% followed by  Penicillium  species at 80.6%, yeasts at 75.0%, and  Trichoderma  species at 50.0%; under anoxic conditions G. candidum at 86.1%, yeasts at 66.6%, and Penicillium species at 61.1% were the most prevalent. The results indicate that activated sludge is a habitat for growth and sporulation of different groups of fungi, both saprophytic and pathogenic.
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität, Chair of Chemical and Process Engineering, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany. mo_fadl2004@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Mohamed F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Awad
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kraume
mesh_terms: D000332:Aerobiosis; D000693:Anaerobiosis; D001604:Berlin; D044822:Biodiversity; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology*; D003904:Mitosporic Fungi / Q000254:growth & development*; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D012722:Sewage