title: Correlations between bacterial populations and process parameters in four full-scale anaerobic digesters treating sewage sludge.
abstract: Process parameters and bacterial populations were investigated in four full-scale anaerobic digesters treating sewage sludge. Although the four digesters were operated under similar conditions, digesters A and B had higher pH (7.2-7.4) and lipid removal efficiencies (>50%) than C and D (pH 6.1-6.4; average lipid removal <16%). Bacterial richness, diversity, and evenness were higher in digesters C and D. Among the top-populated genera, ten (group I) were more abundant in digesters A and/or B; they were putative syntrophic fatty acid or protein/amino acid-utilizers. In contrast, fifteen others (group II) were less abundant in A and/or B and included potentially dormant/dead cells originated from activated sludge. Despite the overall richness trend, the presence of the 25 genera in groups I/II was greater in digesters A and B (24) than in C and D (17); this observation suggests that group I bacteria might be essential in AD of sewage sludge.
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, South Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Gu
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, South Korea.
authors.forename: Taewoan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, South Korea.
authors.forename: Joonyeob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, South Korea.
authors.forename: Gyuseong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Center for Water Resource Cycle Research, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Kyungjin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea.
authors.forename: Woong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang, Gyeongbuk, South Korea. Electronic address: shwang@postech.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Seokhwan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hwang
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008055:Lipids / Q000302:isolation & purification; D059013:Microbial Consortia / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D008055:Lipids; D012722:Sewage
keywords: Anaerobic digestion; Bacterial diversity; High-throughput sequencing; Lipid removal; Microbial management