Evaluating the influence of wastewater composition on the growth of Microthrix parvicella by GCxGC/qMS and real-time PCR

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. Quantif...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Water research (Oxford) 2016-01, Vol.88, p.510-523
Main Authors:	Dunkel, Thiemo, de León Gallegos, Erika Lizette, Schönsee, Carina D., Hesse, Tobias, Jochmann, Maik, Wingender, Jost, Denecke, Martin
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Actinobacteria - growth & development Actinobacteria - metabolism Bacteria Candidatus microthrix parvicella Carbon Fatty Acids - chemistry Fatty Acids - metabolism Filamentous bacteria Filamentous foaming Foams Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Long chain fatty acids Microthrix parvicella Multidimensional gas chromatography Real time Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Slopes Solid Phase Microextraction Waste Disposal, Fluid Waste water Waste Water - analysis
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Summary:	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. [Display omitted] •First time using real-time PCR for quantification of Microthrix creating correlation with fatty acids.•Quantification of individual fatty acids by multidimensional gas chromatography.•Relationships offered new insights on substrate preference of Microthrix parvicella.•Highly significant correlation of Microthrix abundance and total LCFA loading.•Developed specific controlling strategy to avoid foaming based on flotation of fatty acids.
ISSN:	0043-1354 1879-2448