Affiliation:
1. a James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8LT, United Kingdom
2. b The Lyell Centre, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AP, United Kingdom
3. c Scottish Water, 6 Castle Drive, Dunfermline KY11 8GG, United Kingdom
Abstract
Abstract
Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a complex mixture of carbon-based compounds present in natural aquatic systems, which significantly affects drinking water treatment processes. Biofiltration, utilising biologically active beds of porous medium, offers a low-energy and low-chemical solution for controlling bioavailable DOM. However, the impact of microbial community composition on DOM degradation in biofilters remains poorly understood. This study aimed to explore the abilities of microbial communities from the top, middle, and bottom (TOP, MID, and BOT) of a biofilter to process DOM. We showed varying growth rates on the DOM, with bottom community exhibiting the highest cell abundance at the end of the experiment (1.83 × 106 ± 9 × 103; 2.06 × 106 ± 1 × 104; 2.15 × 106 ± 7 × 103 cells/mL for the TOP, MID, and BOT, respectively). The three communities showed different preferences for utilising specific DOM fractions, with the bottom community targeting more complex ones. The microbial communities from the bottom of the biofilter had a higher relative abundance of the Curvibacter genus, suggesting it could play a crucial role in degrading complex DOM fractions. These findings highlight the influence of microbial community composition on DOM degradation in biofilters, providing valuable insights for optimising their performance.
Funder
Royal Academy of Engineering
Natural Environment Research Council
H2020 European Research Council
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Subject
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law,Pollution,Water Science and Technology,Ecology,Civil and Structural Engineering,Environmental Engineering