Evaluating Different Quantitative PCR Assays to Enumerate Specific Microbial Populations in Anaerobic Digesters Treating Municipal Wastewater Solids
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 147, Issue 10
Abstract
The goal of this research was to use and to validate different quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays to quantify the pertinent microbial populations in full-scale anaerobic digesters at municipal wastewater treatment facilities. Methanomicrobiales ( of Archaea) and Methanosarcinales ( of Archaea) were the most dominant methanogenic orders in the mesophilic anaerobic digesters, whereas the Methanobacteriales ( of Archaea) were the most common in the thermophilic anaerobic digester. qPCR results were validated via comparisons with profiles of microbial community composition obtained by PCR-amplified 16S rRNA gene sequences. Exceptionally strong linear correlations () were observed when comparing the microbiome profile with the qPCR results for Archaea, Methanomicrobiales, Methanosarcinales, Methanobacteriales, and Methanosarcinacea. In addition, core communities of both Bacteria and Archaea were observed in the mesophilic anaerobic digesters. This research demonstrates that monitoring microbial groups in full-scale anaerobic digesters is feasible via qPCR, providing the prerequisite tools needed to track and to understand microbial population dynamics in anaerobic digesters.
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Data Availability Statement
All DNA sequence data used during the study are available in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Sequence Read Archive under accession numbers PRJNA598721. All qPCR data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
Financial support was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. We thank the operators at the treatment facilities for collecting samples as well as Elizabeth Hill for technical assistance.
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Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 147 • Issue 10 • October 2021
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 6, 2021
Accepted: Apr 26, 2021
Published online: Jul 20, 2021
Published in print: Oct 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Dec 20, 2021
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