Bacteriophage cocktail as a promising bio-enhancer for methanogenic activities in anaerobic membrane bioreactors


Aydın S., Can K., Çalışkan M., Balcazar J. L.

SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT, vol.832, 2022 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 832
  • Publication Date: 2022
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154716
  • Journal Name: SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, PASCAL, Aerospace Database, Analytical Abstracts, Aqualine, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), BIOSIS, Biotechnology Research Abstracts, CAB Abstracts, Chemical Abstracts Core, Chimica, Communication Abstracts, Compendex, EMBASE, Environment Index, Food Science & Technology Abstracts, Geobase, Greenfile, MEDLINE, Metadex, Pollution Abstracts, Public Affairs Index, Veterinary Science Database, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Keywords: Anaerobic membrane bioreactors, Biofouling, Bacteriophage, Biofilms, Archaea, Antibiotic resistance genes, PERFORMANCE, ANTIBIOTICS, METABOLITES, REMOVAL
  • Istanbul University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the effect of a bacteriophage cocktail, pyophage, on the treatment of wastewater contain-ing antibiotics in an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR). During the operational period, performance of the AnMBR was monitored through the changes in chemical oxygen demand (COD), antibiotic removal, transmembrane pressure, and biogas production. Microbial community structure and composition, as well as the occurrence of antibi-otic resistance genes were analyzed through shotgun metagenomics analysis. When exposed to pyophage, COD re-moval efficiency was enhanced up to 96%, whereas membrane fouling was delayed by 25%. Average biogas production was doubled from 224.2 mL/d in control with antibiotics to 447.3 mL/d when exposed to pyophage cock-tail with considerable alterations to the archaeal and bacterial community structures. Most notably, the methanogenic community shifted from dominance of Methanothermobacter to Methanoculleus, along with syntrophic bacteria. The results provide insight into the synergistic effects of phage-bacteria and methanogenic communities and illustrate the potential of bacteriophages as bio-enhancers.