Use of molecular techniques for the analysis of foam-causing bacteria in Al Bireh oxidation ditch, Palestine

Abstract

Activated sludge foaming, a worldwide problem, usually consists of filamentous bacteria occurring predominantly in the mixed liquor. Because of a lack of pure cultures of most filamentous bacteria and the limited amount of characterisation data, molecular approaches were used to investigate dominant filamentous bacterial strains associated with foaming in Al Bireh Wastewater Treatment Plant in Palestine. Applying denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), 16S rRNA cloning and sequencing showed the dominance of several filamentous bacteria including Microthrix parvicella, Nocardia sp., Hyphomicrobium facilis, Chloroflexi, Candidates TM7 and Nocardioides oleivorans