Mapping of spontaneous biological phosphorous removal in MBR-process

Sammanfattning: An unexpected biological removal of phosphorous in IVL Hammarby Sjöstadsverket pilot membrane bioreactor (MBR) wastewater treatment process was investigated by three distinct methods. a) Investigation and quantification of the biological phosphorous uptake (bio-P) capacity by phosphate release tests (PRT), b) validation of bio-P occurrence by granular polyphosphate (poly-P) staining and microscopy and c) metagenomic community structure analysis to map the sludge habitat. Validation of phosphate accumulating organisms (PAO) was successfully performed using the Neisser Methylene Blue Metachromatic staining protocol. Quantification by a novel staining protocol gave indications of the relative activity of bio-P in the bioreactor process line. The bio-P activity by PRT showed high capacity of phosphate accumulation in the treatment process. Furthermore, the use of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) to induce stressful conditions was successfully shown to increase the release rate and depletion of intracellular poly-P of PAO. Finally, the impact of temperature dependency in PRT was investigated.A metagenomic community structure analysis by 16S rRNA successfully prepared 28 samples for sequencing and analysis. The project has successfully validated and quantified bio-P with an improved methodology as a foundation for upcoming studies of the treatment process.