title: Looking for phosphate-accumulating bacteria in activated sludge processes: a multidisciplinary approach.
abstract: Over the past decades, an increasing need in renewable resources has progressively appeared. This trend concerns not only fossil fuels but also mineral resources. Wastewater and sewage sludge contain significant concentrations in phosphate and can be considered as a fertilizer source of the utmost importance. In wastewater treatment plants, the biological uptake of phosphate is performed by a specific microbiota: the phosphate-accumulating organisms. These microorganisms are recovered in sewage sludge. Here, we aimed to investigate the occurrence of phosphate accumulators in four wastewater treatment plants. A 16S metagenetic analysis identified the main bacterial phyla extracted from the aerobic treatment: α-Proteobacteria, β-Proteobacteria, and Sphingobacteria. An enrichment stage was performed to stimulate the specific growth of phosphate-accumulating bacteria in an acetate medium. An analysis of metabolic activities of sulfur and phosphorus highlighted strong modifications related to phosphorus and much less distinguishable effects with sulfur. A solid acetate medium containing 5-Br-4-Cl-3-indolyl phosphate was used to select potential phosphate-accumulating bacteria from the enriched consortia. The positive strains have been found to belong in the genera Acinetobacter, Corynebacterium, and Pseudomonas. Finally, electron microscopy was applied to the strains and allowed to confirm the presence of polyphosphate granules. Some of these bacteria contained granules the size of which exceeded 100 nm.
authors.affiliation: Microbial Processes and Interactions, TERRA Research Centre, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Passage des Déportés 2, B-5030, Gembloux, Belgium. cedric.tarayre@ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: Cédric
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tarayre
authors.affiliation: Microbial Processes and Interactions, TERRA Research Centre, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Passage des Déportés 2, B-5030, Gembloux, Belgium.
authors.forename: Raphaëlle
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Charlier
authors.affiliation: Microbial Processes and Interactions, TERRA Research Centre, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Passage des Déportés 2, B-5030, Gembloux, Belgium.
authors.forename: Anissa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Delepierre
authors.affiliation: Microbial Processes and Interactions, TERRA Research Centre, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Passage des Déportés 2, B-5030, Gembloux, Belgium.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brognaux
authors.affiliation: Entomologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive, AgroBioChem, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Passage des Déportés 2, B-5030, Gembloux, Belgium.
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bauwens
authors.affiliation: Entomologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive, AgroBioChem, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Passage des Déportés 2, B-5030, Gembloux, Belgium.
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.affiliation: Chimie Analytique, AgroBioChem, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Passage des Déportés 2, B-5030, Gembloux, Belgium.
authors.forename: Michaël
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dermience
authors.affiliation: Chimie Analytique, AgroBioChem, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Passage des Déportés 2, B-5030, Gembloux, Belgium.
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lognay
authors.affiliation: Microbiologie des Denrées alimentaires, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals and Health, University of Liege, Quartier Vallée 2, Avenue de Cureghem 10, B-4000, Liege, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Taminiau
authors.affiliation: Microbiologie des Denrées alimentaires, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals and Health, University of Liege, Quartier Vallée 2, Avenue de Cureghem 10, B-4000, Liege, Belgium.
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Daube
authors.affiliation: Département de Biologie, Ecologie et Evolution, Université de Liège, Allée du Six Août 15, B-4000, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Compère
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Analytical and Physical Chemistry, Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry and Applied Ecochemistry, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Meers
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Analytical and Physical Chemistry, Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry and Applied Ecochemistry, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Evi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Michels
authors.affiliation: Microbial Processes and Interactions, TERRA Research Centre, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Passage des Déportés 2, B-5030, Gembloux, Belgium.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Delvigne
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010710:Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism*; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology*; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D010710:Phosphates; D012722:Sewage; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Microbial consortium; PAOs; Phosphorus recovery; Polyphosphate; Recycling; Wastewater