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Responses of flocculent and granular sludge in anaerobic sequencing batch reactors (ASBRs) to azithromycin wastewater and its impact on microbial communities
Author(s) -
Liu Pengyu,
Chen Jiarong,
Shao Lei,
Tan Jun,
Chen Daijie
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of chemical technology and biotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.64
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1097-4660
pISSN - 0268-2575
DOI - 10.1002/jctb.5578
Subject(s) - wastewater , microbial population biology , proteobacteria , pulp and paper industry , anaerobic exercise , chemical oxygen demand , sewage treatment , anaerobic digestion , bacteroidetes , sequencing batch reactor , bioreactor , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , waste management , biology , bacteria , environmental science , environmental engineering , 16s ribosomal rna , methane , physiology , engineering , genetics , organic chemistry
BACKGROUND Azithromycin (AZM), a 15‐member macrolide antibiotic, has caused widespread pollution in China, where anaerobic digestion is the predominant wastewater treatment technology. However, the type of anaerobic sludge most suitable for treating antibiotic wastewater is unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the response of anaerobic flocculent and granular sludge to AZM wastewater, and, using a high‐throughput sequencing technique, to explain the diverse microbial community structures. RESULTS Anaerobic granular sludge provided better resistance to the decline of chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal caused by AZM and greater biodegradation efficiency than flocculent sludge. Furthermore, there was stronger resistance to AZM‐induced reactive oxygen species in the granular sludge than in the flocculent sludge. The granular sludge exhibited richer microbial communities than the flocculent sludge after AZM exposure to the phylum Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. CONCLUSION At high AZM concentration, anaerobic granular sludge was superior to flocculent sludge in COD removal and AZM degradation. This is attributed to less cell death and greater microbial diversity and richness in the granular sludge than in the flocculent sludge following exposure to AZM. Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes contributed to the resistance to AZM in the granular sludge. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry