Exploring bacterial communities and biodegradation genes in activated sludge from pesticide wastewater treatment plants via metagenomic analysis. (December 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fang, Hua; Zhang, Houpu; Han, Lingxi; Mei, Jiajia; Ge, Qiqing; Long, Zhengnan; Yu, Yunlong
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 243(2018)Part B
• Page Start: 1206
• Page End: 1216
• Publication Date: 2018-12
• Subjects: Bacterial community -- Biodegradation gene -- Activated sludge -- Metagenomic analysis -- Network analysis; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.09.080
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: Activated sludge (AS) has been regarded as the main driver in the removal of organic pollutants such as pesticides due to a high diversity and abundance of microorganisms. However, little is known about the biodegradation genes (BDGs) and pesticide degradation genes (PDGs) harbored in the AS from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In this study, we explored the bacterial communities and BDGs/PDGs in the AS from five WWTPs affiliated with pesticide factories across four consecutive seasons based on high-throughput sequencing. The AS in pesticide WWTPs exhibited unique bacterial taxa at the genus level. Furthermore, a total of 17 BDGs and 68 PDGs were explored with a corresponding average relative abundance of 0.002–0.046% and 2.078–7.143% in each AS sample, respectively, and some BDGs/PDGs clusters were also identified in the AS. The bacterial communities and BDGs/PDGs were season-dependent, and the total variations of 50.4% and 76.8% were jointly explained by environmental variables (pesticide types, wastewater characteristics, and temperature). In addition, network analysis and distribution patterns suggested that the potential hosts of BDGs/PDGs were Thauera, Stenotrophomonas, Mycobacterium, Hyphomicrobium, Allochromatium, Ralstonia, and Dechloromonas . Our findings demonstrated the linkages of bacterial communities and BDGs/PDGs in the AS, and depended on the seasons and the pesticide wastewater characteristics. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Activated sludge in WWTPs harbored unique bacterial taxonomic taxa at genus level. A core bacterial community of 100 abundant genera shared 71.17% of the total bacteria. Seasonal shifts of bacterial community and BDGs/PDGs were revealed. Prevalence of BDGs/PDGs in activated sludge were explored. Some BDGs/PDGs clusters were found in the activated sludge from WWTPs. Abstract : Metagenomic analysis revealed the diversity and abundance of pesticide degradation genes in AS.