[Research advance in polyphosphate-accumulating microorganisms in enhanced biological phosphorus removal process]

Abstract

This paper discussed the function of enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) in P pollution control, P containing wastewater treatment and P resources recovery, and summarized the metabolic characteristics, research progress and methodologies of polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs). Although polyphosphate has been found in many organisms, only few of PAOs were isolated, cultured and identified. Culture medium formulation is the key to isolate PAOs and to study the microbial accumulation of polyphosphate, and the competition of glycogen-accumulating organisms (GAOs) with PAOs for carbon resources is one of the reasons of low EBPR efficiency. Modern scientific methods such as fluorescent in situ hybridization, confocal laser scanning microscope, microautoradiography, and in vivo NMR spectroscopy, provided powerful tools to analyze PAO species composition, spatial structure and functional properties under field conditions. The knowledge of PAO is valuable to enhance the P removal efficiency in water treatment plant, and to improve our understanding on P transformation and transferring in environment.