Abstract
Microscopic examination of bulking activated sludge samples showed the presence of a variety of filamentous microorganisms, some of which have not yet been described in the literature. A method was developed to obtain pure cultures of these threaded bacteria. To date, five clearly different groups of filamentous bacteria may be distinguished by the determination of a few morphological and physiological characteristics of the isolates.
A variety of sheathed bacteria are included in Group I. Group II includes non-motile, gram-negative, orange- or yellow-pigmented filamentous bacteria. These microorganisms are thought to be related to some species of the genusFlavobacterium. The gram-negative, threaded bacteria of Group III show a more or less distinct gliding movement and form red colonies on rich agar media. These bacteria may apparently be related to species described in the generaMicroscilla andFlexibacter. The filamentous bacteria of Group IV structurally resemble someCyanophyceae, but do not contain photosynthetic pigments. They are gram-positive and non-motile. A number of unknown, non-motile bacteria which stain gram-positive with a variable number of gram-negative autolyzed cells in the filaments, are assigned to Group V. The properties of the isolated bacteria are described briefly and their occurrence in bulking activated sludge is discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adamse, A. D. 1968. Bulking of dairy waste activated sludge. — Water Res.2: 715–722.
Breed, R. S., Murray, E. G. D. andSmith, N. R. 1957. Bergey’s Manual of determinative bacteriology, 7th ed. — The Williams and Wilkins Company, Baltimore.
Buswell, A. M. andLong, H. L. 1923. Microbiology and the theory of activated sludge. — J. Amer. Water Works Ass.10: 309–321.
Curtis, E. J. C. 1969. Sewage fungus: its nature and effects. — Water Res.3: 289–311.
Engelbrecht, R. S. andMcKinney, R. E. 1957. Activated sludge cultures developed on pure organic. compounds. — Sewage Ind. Wastes29: 1350–1362.
Farquhar, G. J. andBoyle, W. C. 1971a. Identification of filamentous microorganisms in activated sludge. — J. Water Pollut. Contr. Fed.43: 604–622.
Farquhar, C. J. andBoyle, W. C. 1971b. Occurrence of filamentous microorgansms in activated sludge. — J. Water Pollut. Contr. Fed.43: 779–798.
Foot, C. H. andTaylor, C. B. 1949. The influence of the composition of the medium on growth of bacteria from water. — Proc. Soc. Appl. Bacteriol.1: 11–13.
Frankland, F. C. undFrankland, P. F. 1889. Ueber einige typische Mikroorganismen im Wasser und im Boden. — Z. Hyg.6: 373–400.
van Gils, H. W. 1964. Bacteriology of activated sludge. — Research Institute for Public Health Engineering. IG-T.N.O. Report Number 32.
Hugh, R. andLeifson, E. 1953. The taxonomic significance of fermentative versus oxidative metabolism of carbohydrates by various gram negative bacteria. — J. Bacteriol66: 24–26.
Hünerberg, K., Sarfert, F. undFrenzel, H. J. 1970. Ein Beitrag zum Problem “Blähschlamm”. — Gas Wasserfach111: 7–10.
Krul, J. M., Hirsch, P. andStaley, J. T. 1970.Toxothrix trichogenes (Chol.) Beger et Bringmann: the organism and its biology. — Antonie van Leeuwenhoek36: 409–420.
Lackey, J. B. andWattie, E. 1940. The biology ofSphaerotilus natans (Kützing) in relation to bulking of activated sludge. — Sewage Ind. Wastes12: 669–684.
Lewin, R. A. 1970. A classification of flexibacteria. — J. Gen. Microbiol.58: 189–206.
de Man, J. C., Rogosa, M. andSharpe, M. E. 1960. A medium for the cultivation of lactobacilli. — J. Appl. Bacteriol.23: 130–135.
Mandel, M., Johnson, A. andStokes, J. L. 1966. Deoxyribonucleic acid base composition ofSphaerotilus natans andSphaerotilus discophorus. — J. Bacteriol.91: 1657–1658.
Migula, W. 1895.Chlamydobacteriaceae. In A. Engler und K. Prantl. 1900. Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien I, 1a, 35–40. — Wilhelm Engelmann, Leipzig.
Ministry of Technology. 1968. Water Pollution Research 1967. — H.M.S.O. London.
Mulder, E. G., Antheunisse, J. andCrombach, W. H. J. 1971. Microbial aspects of pollution in the food and dairy industries, p. 71–89.In G. Sykes and F. A. Skinner, (eds.), Microbial aspects of pollution. Soc. Appl. Bacteriol. Symp. Series No. 1. — Academic Press, Inc., London.
Mulder, E. G. andvan Veen, W. L. 1963. Investigations on theSphaerotilus-Leptothrix group. — Antonie van Leeuwenhoek29: 121–153.
Ormerod J. G., Grynne, B. andOrmerod, K. S. 1966. Chemical and physical factors involved in the heterotrophic growth response to organic pollution. — Verh. int. Verein theor. angew. Limnol.16: 906–910.
Pasveer, A. 1969a. A case of filamentous activated sludge. — J. Water Pollut. Contr. Fed.41: 1340–1352.
Pasveer, A. 1969b. An investigation on development and control of a filamentous sludge (In Dutch with an English summary). — H2O2: 28–34.
Pipes, W. O. 1967. Bulking of activated sludge. — Advan. Appl. Microbiol.9: 185–234.
Pipes, W. O. 1969. Types of activated sludge which separate poorly. — J. Water Pollut. Contr. Fed.41: 714–724.
Prakasam, T. B. S. andDondero, N. C. 1967. Aerobic heterotrophic bacterial populations of sewage and activated sludge. — Appl. Microbiol.15: 461–467.
Pringsheim, E. G. 1949. The filamentous bacteriaSphaerotilus, Leptothrix, Cladothrix and their relation to iron and manganese. — Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. (London) Ser. B233: 453–482.
Pringsheim, E. G. 1951. The Vitreoscillaceae: A family of colourless, gliding, filamentous organisms. — J. Gen. Microbiol.5: 124–149.
Rensink, J. H. 1966. Verslag proef-oxydatiesloten over de periode 1963 tot 1966. (In Dutch with English review: Review of tests on oxidation ditches in 1963–1965). — Rijks Zuivel-Agrarische Afvalwaterdienst, Arnhem.
Ruchhoft, C. C. andWatkins, J. H. 1928. Biological isolation and study of the filamentous organisms in the activated sludge of the Des Plaines River sewage treatment works. — Sewage Works J.1: 52–58.
Skerman, V. B. D., Dementjeva, G. andCarey, B. J. 1957. Intracellular deposition of sulfur bySphaerotilus natans. — J. Bacteriol.73: 504–512.
Soriano, S. andLewin, R. A. 1965. Gliding microbes: some taxonomic reconsiderations. — Antonie van Leeuwenhoek31: 66–80.
van Veen, W. L., van der Kooij, D., Geuze, E. C. W. A. andvan der Vlies, A. W. 1971. The classification of a multicellular bacterium isolated from activated sludge. — J. Gen. Microbiol.69: X-XI.
van Veen, W. L., van der Kooij, D., Geuze, E. C. W. A. andvan der Vlies, A. W. 1973. Investigation on the sheathed bacteriumHaliscomenobacter hydrossis, gen.n. sp.n., isolated from activated sludge. — Antonie van Leeuwenhoek39: 207–216.
Weeks, O. B. 1955.Flavobacterium aquatile (Frankland and Frankland) Bergey et al., type species of the genusFlavobacterium. — J. Bacteriol.69: 649–658.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
van Veen, W.L. Bacteriology of activated sludge, in particular the filamentous bacteria. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 39, 189–205 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02578852
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02578852