Polyhydroxyalkanoates form potentially a key aspect of aerobic phosphorus uptake in enhanced biological phosphorus removal

    Authors

    A. A. Randall;Y. H. Liu

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Water Res.

    Keywords

    enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR); phosphorus accumulating; organisms (PAO); volatile fatty acids (VFAs); polyhydroxyalkanoates; (PHAs); biological nutrient removal (BNR); Engineering, Environmental; Environmental Sciences; Water Resources

    Abstract

    Eighteen anaerobic/aerobic batch experiments were conducted with a variety of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) on a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) population displaying enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR). A statistically significant (P < 0.01 for all variables) correlation between aerobic phosphorus uptake and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) quantity and form was observed. The results suggest that poly-3-hydroxy-butyrate (3HB) results in significantly higher aerobic phosphorus (P) uptake per unit mmoles as carbon (mmoles-C) than poly-3-hydroxy-valerate (3HV). The results showed that acetic and isovaleric acids resulted in higher P removals (relative to propionic and valeric acids) during EBPR batch experiments not because of higher PHAs quantity, but largely because the predominant type was 3HB rather than 3HV. In contrast propionic and valeric acids resulted in 3HV, and showed much lower aerobic P uptake per unit PHAs. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

    Journal Title

    Water Research

    Volume

    36

    Issue/Number

    14

    Publication Date

    1-1-2002

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    3473

    Last Page

    3478

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000177846300006

    ISSN

    0043-1354

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