Acclimation of magnetic activated sludge with 1,4-dioxane and analysis of bacterial flora in the sludge

Isolation of pollutant-degrading bacteria is important in bioaugmentation, one of the methods for biological degradation of environmental contaminants. We focused on the magnetic activated sludge (MAS) process as a culture method that efficiently concentrates degrading bacteria, and cultured activated sludge with 1,4-dioxane as a model pollutant. After 860 days of operation, MLVSS, which indicates the amount of sludge, increased from 390 mg/L to 10,000 mg/L, and the removal rate of organic matter including 1,4-dioxane, tetrahydrofuran, and glucose in the artificial wastewater reached up to 97%. Based on these results, the MAS process was successfully used to acclimate activated sludge with 1,4-dioxane. Bacterial flora analysis in the MAS showed that bacteria of the genus Pseudonocardia, already reported as 1,4-dioxane degrading bacteria, play an important role in the degradation of this pollutant. The MAS process is a suitable culture method for acclimation of environmental pollutants, and the findings indicate that it can be used as an enrichment unit for pollutant-degrading bacteria.