title: Evaluating the influence of wastewater composition on the growth of Microthrix parvicella by GCxGC/qMS and real-time PCR.
abstract: This study underlines the significance of long chain fatty acid (LCFA) content in wastewater influents as an influencing factor promoting the growth of Candidatus 'Microthrix parvicella' (M. parvicella), the most common filamentous bacteria causing foam in activated sludge systems worldwide. Quantification of M. parvicella by real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) and analysis of LCFAs by means of two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GCxGC/qMS), involving solid phase micro-extraction (SPME) to enhance sensitivity, were combined for the first time as a monitoring tool. The results indicate a highly significant correlation between the abundance of M. parvicella and the total LCFA loading (r = 0.96) and linolenic acid C18:3 (r = 0.98) in particular. Additionally, comparison of slope values for the direct correlations of all significant LCFAs found in the analyses showed that the influence of LCFAs on M. parvicella growth increases with an increasing degree of unsaturation of carbon chains. These findings suggest that by removing lipid compounds from the incoming waters, substrate availability would be limited for M. parvicella.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urban Water and Waste Management, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 15, 45141 Essen, Germany. Electronic address: thiemo.dunkel@ineos.com.
authors.forename: Thiemo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dunkel
authors.affiliation: Department of Urban Water and Waste Management, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 15, 45141 Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Erika Lizette
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: de León Gallegos
authors.affiliation: Instrumental Analytical Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, 45141 Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Carina D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Schönsee
authors.affiliation: Department of Urban Water and Waste Management, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 15, 45141 Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hesse
authors.affiliation: Instrumental Analytical Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, 45141 Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Maik
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jochmann
authors.affiliation: Biofilm Centre, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5, 45141 Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Jost
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wingender
authors.affiliation: Department of Urban Water and Waste Management, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 15, 45141 Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Denecke
mesh_terms: D039903:Actinobacteria / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D052617:Solid Phase Microextraction; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D062065:Wastewater / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D062065:Wastewater
keywords: Filamentous bacteria; Filamentous foaming; Long chain fatty acids; Microthrix parvicella; Multidimensional gas chromatography; Real-time polymerase chain reaction