The Role of Micro-Organisms Other than Acinetobacter in Biological Phosphate Removal in Activated Sludge Processes

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Abstract
The composition of the microflora in the anaerobic, anoxic and aerated stages was determined by means of the Analytical Profile Index (API) system for three biological phosphate removal plants (a pilot plant (capacity 100 m3/d) and two laboratory scale units (capacity 24 ℓ/d)). The plants monitored differed with respect to anaerobic retention time and configuration, but all three were removing phosphate to concentrations less than 0.2 mg/ℓ as P during the experimental period. In contrast to findings by other investigators, bacteria of the genus Acinetobacter were present in minor proportions. Organisms of the genera Aeromonas and Pseudomonas constituted more than 50 % of the total aerobic microbial population. Depending on the length of the anaerobic retention time, 40 to 50 % of the bacteria were identified as Gram-positive. These findings suggest that Acinetobacter species may not be the only bacterium to remove phosphate from an activated sludge system, but that other groups of bacteria also do so under suitable environmental conditions.

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