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Sludge symphony: an analysis of the microbial diversity dynamics at play in the activated sludge process and the impacts thereof on wastewater treatment performance
Gouws, Francois. 2024. Sludge symphony: an analysis of the microbial diversity dynamics at play in the activated sludge process and the impacts thereof on wastewater treatment performance. Unpublished masters dissertation. Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.s...
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613969369268224 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Gouws, Francois |
| author2 | Wolfaardt, Gideon M. |
| author_browse | Gouws, Francois Wolfaardt, Gideon M. |
| author_facet | Wolfaardt, Gideon M. Gouws, Francois |
| author_sort | Gouws, Francois |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Gouws, Francois. 2024. Sludge symphony: an analysis of the microbial diversity dynamics at play in the activated sludge process and the impacts thereof on wastewater treatment performance. Unpublished masters dissertation. Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131786
Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131786 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:44:35.400Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131786 Sludge symphony: an analysis of the microbial diversity dynamics at play in the activated sludge process and the impacts thereof on wastewater treatment performance Gouws, Francois Wolfaardt, Gideon M. Louw, Tobias M. Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Microbiology. Sewage -- Purification -- Biological treatment Wastewater treatment plants -- Treatment Activated sludge systems Microbial diversity Sewage -- Purification -- Activated sludge process -- South Africa -- Gauteng Microbial genetics -- Environmental aspects UCTD Gouws, Francois. 2024. Sludge symphony: an analysis of the microbial diversity dynamics at play in the activated sludge process and the impacts thereof on wastewater treatment performance. Unpublished masters dissertation. Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131786 Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The activated sludge process is one of the most widely applied and reliable biological wastewater treatment processes implemented. Mathematical modelling offers an effective approach to manage and optimise activated sludge systems, but do not sufficiently account for the diverse microbial communities present in activated sludge. Advances in molecular methods opened new avenues to define the microbial diversity of wastewater treatment systems, employed in only one recent study in South Africa. This study aimed to determine whether links between microbial diversity and wastewater treatment efficiency can be described and explained. The microbial profile of six activated sludge reactors in Gauteng province were characterised using molecular-based targeted amplicon sequencing. The sequencing data was analysed and compared to conventional process efficiency monitoring (including chemical oxygen demand, orthophosphate, ammonia and oxidised nitrogen) and climatic data to quantify both temporal and spatial variability of activated sludge communities. Based on the analysis, the six reactors consistently clustered in pairs, representing three distinct diversity profiles. Within each of the three clusters, the reactors exhibited similar levels of treatment efficiency, as depicted by variable to high nutrient removal rates. This finding supports the argument that the treatment efficiency of the reactors are directly associated with the microbial diversity profile. The analysis also revealed that higher taxonomic richness and evenness are associated with improved and more consistent wastewater treatment efficiency, while lower diversity and highly dominated communities tend to exhibit lower and more inconsistent treatment efficiency. Overall, alpha and beta diversity metrics show promise in quantifying microbial diversity for integration in improved activated sludge models for process control and optimisation. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die geaktiveerde slyk proses is een van die mees betroubare en geïmplementeerde biologiese afvalwaterbehandelingsprosesse. Wiskundige modellering bied ‘n effektiewe benadering om geaktiveerde slyk sisteme te bestuur en te optimeer, maar reken nie voldoende vir die diverse mikrobiese gemeenskappe teenwoordig in geaktiveerde slyk nie. Ontwikkelings in molekulêre metodes het nuwe geleenthede geskep om die mikrobiese diversiteit van afvalwaterbehandelingsisteme te omskryf, wat in slegs een onlangse studie in Suid Afrika aangewend is. Hierdie studie het ten doel gehad om te bepaal of skakels tussen mikrobiese diversiteit en afvalwaterbehandelingsdoeltreffendheid omskryf en verduidelik kan word. Die mikrobiese profiel van ses geaktiveerde slyk reaktore in Gauteng provinsie was gekarakteriseer deur gebruik te maak van molekulêr-gebaseerde geteikende amplikon volgordebepaling. Dié data was geanaliseer en vergelyk met gebruiklike proseseffektiwiteitsmonitering- (insluitend chemiese suurstof aanvraag, ortofosfaat, ammonia en geoksideerde stikstof) en klimaatdatastelle, om beide ruimtelike en tydsverloop veranderlikheid van geaktiveerde slyk gemeenskappe te kwantifiseer. Gebaseer op die analise se uitkoms, het drie groeperings in pare, verteenwoordigend van drie diversiteitsprofiele, gevorm tussen die ses reaktore. In elk van die drie groeperings het die reaktore eenderse behandelingsdoeltreffendheid getoon, soos uitgebeeld in die veranderlike tot hoë voedingstof verwyderingtempos. Hierdie bevinding ondersteun die argument dat die behandelingsdoeltreffendheid van die reaktore direk geassosieerd is met die mikrobiese diversiteitsprofiel. Die analise het ook ontbloot dat hoër taksonomiese rykheid en egaligheid geassosieerd is met verbeterde en meer konsekwente afvalwaterbehandelingsdoeltreffendheid, terwyl laer diversiteit en hoogs gedomineerde gemeenskappe geneig is om laer en meer onegalige behandelingsdoeltreffendheid ten toon stel. Deurgaans het alfa- en betadiversiteitsmetings potensiaal getoon om mikrobiese diversiteit te kwantifiseer, vir integrasie in verbeterde geaktiveerde slyk modelle gemik op proses beheer en optimering. Masters 2025-03-24T12:28:32Z 2025-03-24T12:28:32Z 2024-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131786 Stellenbosch University xi, 78 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Sewage -- Purification -- Biological treatment Wastewater treatment plants -- Treatment Activated sludge systems Microbial diversity Sewage -- Purification -- Activated sludge process -- South Africa -- Gauteng Microbial genetics -- Environmental aspects UCTD Gouws, Francois Sludge symphony: an analysis of the microbial diversity dynamics at play in the activated sludge process and the impacts thereof on wastewater treatment performance |
| title | Sludge symphony: an analysis of the microbial diversity dynamics at play in the activated sludge process and the impacts thereof on wastewater treatment performance |
| title_full | Sludge symphony: an analysis of the microbial diversity dynamics at play in the activated sludge process and the impacts thereof on wastewater treatment performance |
| title_fullStr | Sludge symphony: an analysis of the microbial diversity dynamics at play in the activated sludge process and the impacts thereof on wastewater treatment performance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sludge symphony: an analysis of the microbial diversity dynamics at play in the activated sludge process and the impacts thereof on wastewater treatment performance |
| title_short | Sludge symphony: an analysis of the microbial diversity dynamics at play in the activated sludge process and the impacts thereof on wastewater treatment performance |
| title_sort | sludge symphony an analysis of the microbial diversity dynamics at play in the activated sludge process and the impacts thereof on wastewater treatment performance |
| topic | Sewage -- Purification -- Biological treatment Wastewater treatment plants -- Treatment Activated sludge systems Microbial diversity Sewage -- Purification -- Activated sludge process -- South Africa -- Gauteng Microbial genetics -- Environmental aspects UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131786 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gouwsfrancois sludgesymphonyananalysisofthemicrobialdiversitydynamicsatplayintheactivatedsludgeprocessandtheimpactsthereofonwastewatertreatmentperformance |