Activated sludge microbial communities of a chemical plant wastewater treatment facility with high-strength bromide ions and aromatic substances

The prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbial communities of activated sludge in a chemical plant wastewater treatment facility, processing relatively oligotrophic wastewater containing aromatic compounds and high-strength bromide ions, were characterized by high-throughput sequencing of rRNA genes based on DNA and RNA extracts. The microbial community structure was distinct from those previously reported from domestic wastewater treatment plants. Several abundant OTUs in the RNA-based prokaryotic community were related to aromatic compound-degrading bacteria, which most likely contributed to the removal of recalcitrant chemicals from the wastewater. Furthermore, both prokaryotic and eukaryotic predators were highly abundant. These might promote stabilization of the microbial food chain and affect biomass in the activated sludge, maintaining the waste-removal function of the microbial community.