EAT 303

BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT

Overview
Wastewater treatments:
Involve microorganisms (Eg: Bacteria, Algae)
Involve biological processes
Why involve biological treatment in wastewater treatment?
1. Oxidize dissolved and particulate biodegradable constituents into
environmentally acceptable end-products
2. Incorporate suspended and non-settleable colloidal solids into a
biological floc/biofilm. (New type Aerobic Granular Sludge)
3. Remove nutrients (Eg:N/P)
4. Remove specific organic constituents and compounds
Examples of wastewater treatment uses biological processes:
-Activated sludge process, aerated lagoons, trickling filters, rotating biological contactors

Role of Microorganisms in Wastewater Treatment

How do microorganisms treat wastewater?

Eg:
Microorganisms
V1

(organic material) + V2O2 + V3NH3 + V4PO43-

V5

(new cells) + V6CO2 + V7H2O

Wastewater Treatment: Types of Biological Processes

2 Main category:
1. Suspended Growth
2. Attached Growth
Suspended Growth
Microorganisms are maintained in
suspension through mixing

Attached Growth
Microorganisms are maintained on the
surface of inert packing material (carrier)

Microorganisms

Carrier

Carrier: rock, gravel,

plastic, activated
carbon etc

Composition and Classification of Microorganisms

Composition and Classification of Microorganisms

Prokaryotes

Composition and Classification of Microorganisms

Eukaryotes

Source: Metcalf & Eddy

Cell Components

Function

Cell Wall

To maintain cell shape

Protect membrane

Cell membrane

Control the passage of dissolved organics/nutrients IN and waste

OUT of the cell

Cytoplasm

Contains water, nutrients, enzymes, ribosomes and organic

molecules within the cell

Cytoplasmic inclusions

Contains storage materials for cell function

(Eg: carbon, nutrient, ATP, glycogen, lipids, sulfur granules)

DNA

Carry genetic information of the microorganism

(Eg: determined cell protein/ enzymes that are produced)

Plasmid DNA

Small circular DNA molecules carry genetic characteristics for

the microorganism

Ribosomes

Contains RNA and proteins

Produce proteins

Flagella

Motility

Fimbrae and pili

For attachment on surfaces

Composition of Cell
Prokaryotes 80% H2O , 20% dry material

Empirical formula
for prokaryotes cell
C5H7O2N

Major cell
components
Elements

90% organic, 10% inorganic

OTHERS
% of Dry Weight

Protein

55

Polysaccharide

5.0

Lipid

9.1

DNA

3.1

RNA

20.5

Other (Sugar, Amino

acid)

6.3

Inorganic ions

1.0

Carbon
Oxygen
Nitrogen
Hydrogen
Phosphorus
Sulfur
Potassium
Sodium
Calcium
Magnesium
Chlorine
Iron
Trace elements

% of Dry Weight
50.0
22.0
12.0
9.0
2.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.2
0.3

Environmental Factors Growth

pH

Temperature

Acidophiles (Acid-loving)
1-4

Psychrophiles
10-30 C (Optimum= 12-18C)

Most bacteria
6.5-7.5

Mesophiles
20-50 C (Optimum= 25-40 C)

Alkalinophiles (Base-loving)
9-10

Thermophiles
35-75 C (Optimum= 55-65 C )

Microorganisms Identification and Classification

Classification
Taxonomic
Phylogenetic
Use molecular tools

Taxonomic

Biochemical Test

Phylogeny

How do these microorganisms are classified?

DNA

RNA
Why RNA???
1. Evolutionary significance
2. Well conserved (stable) across phylogenetic distance
3. Contains a large number of nucleotide sequences so that
similarity in sequences between two organisms indicates
a phylogenetic relationship
Detail genetic information of microorganisms

16S rRNA 1500 nucleotides, and 21 proteins

ORGANISM Rhodopseudomonas palustris

aattggcggg agggcgcaca agcggcggag catgtggatt aattcgatgc aacgcgaaga

acctcacctg ggttagacat ataccggaaa gctgcagaga tgtggccccc cttgtggtcg
gtatacaggt ggtgcatggc tgtcgtcagc tcgtgtcgtg agatgttggg ttaagtcccg
caacgagcgc aacccctatc ttatgttgcc agcacgttat ggtggggact cgtaagagac
tgccggggtc aactcggagg aaggtgggga cgacgtcaag tcatcatgcc ccttatgtcc
agggcttcac acacgctaca atggccagta cagagggctg cgagaccgtg aggtggagcg
aatcccttaa agctggtctc agttcggatc ggggtctgca actcgacccc gtgaagtcgg
agtcgctagt aatcgcagat

ORGANISM Flavobacteriaceae bacterium

tcggggacag attctcaagg aattggcgga ggggcgcaca agcggtggat tatgtggttt
aattcgatga tacgcgagga accttaccaa gacttaaatg ggaattgaca gatttagaaa
tagatcctcc ttcgggcaat tttcaaggtg ctgcatggtt gccgtcagct cgtgccgtga
ggtgtcaggt taagtcctgc aacgagcgca acccctgtca ctagttgcta ccattcagtt
gaggactcta gtgagactgc ctacgcaagt agagaggaag gtggggatga cgtcaaatca
tcacggccct tacgtcttgg gccacacacg taatacaatg gccggtacag agggcagcta
cacagcgatg tgatgcgaat ctcgaaagcc ggtctcagtt cggattggag tctgcaactc
gactctatga agctggaatc gctagtaatc gcgcatcagc catggcgccg tgaatacgtt
cccgcccctt gtacacaccg cccgaatctt

Application of Molecular Tools to Identify Bacteria

RFLP restrictive fragment length polymorphism
DNA is extracted from cells in mixed microbial community

Application of Molecular Tools to Identify Bacteria

FISH fluorescence in situ hybridization
Use radioactive labeled probe bind with DNA to react with rRNA
and fluoresce the cell
Bacteria

Protein

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