A biochemical hypothesis explaining the response of enhanced biological phosphorus removal biomass to organic substrates

    Authors

    C. R. Hood;A. A. Randall

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Water Res.

    Keywords

    enhanced biological phosphorus removal; phosphorus accumulating; organisms; volatile fatty acids; polyhydroxyalkanoates; biological; nutrient removal; METABOLISM; MODEL; POLYHYDROXYALKANOATES; Engineering, Environmental; Environmental Sciences; Water Resources

    Abstract

    Anaerobic/aerobic batch experiments were conducted with a variety of volatile fatty (VFAs) and amino acids on two sequencing batch reactor populations displaying enhanced biological phosphorus removal. The batch experiments were consistent between the two systems and with the past literature: acetic and isovaleric acid were the most efficient substrates, and propionic acid was the least efficient of the 2-5 carbon VFAs (lack of acclimation was ruled out). A survey of the engineering and biochemical literature revealed that both acetic and isovaleric acid resulted in a negative reaction redox balance (i.e. it requires reducing equivalents such as NADH) during their biotransformation to polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), In addition, the survey indicated that acetic and isovaleric acid resulted in 3HB rather than 3HV or 3H2MV formation. Two possible hypotheses were put forward for evaluation: (1)it was hypothesized that a negative intracellular redox balance might result in higher PHA content since PHA biosynthesis could be sustained under anaerobic conditions (no NADH(2) build up), and,or (2) it was hypothesized that 3HB resulted in greater P-uptake than other PHA forms such as 3HV. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

    Journal Title

    Water Research

    Volume

    35

    Issue/Number

    11

    Publication Date

    1-1-2001

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    2758

    Last Page

    2766

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000169522600023

    ISSN

    0043-1354

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