Understanding the Role and Potential Application of Bacteriophages in Wastewater Treatment

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The performance of a biological wastewater treatment process depends on the microbial communities selected to carry out the intended metabolic process. Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that inhabit wastewater along with the bacterial populations and infect bacterial communities. The concentration of phages in wastewater bioreactors is reported to range from 108 to 1010 per mL. In wastewater bioreactor systems, phages maintain a complicated balance with bacteria communities and play significant roles in controlling microbial population dynamics, and therefore reactor performance. However, the role phages play in bioreactors and the potential applications of phages to optimize bioreactor performance are poorly understood. Phage based bacterial control presents an emerging frontier, but successful application of phages to wastewater treatment requires knowledge of the balance of phage and bacteria numbers under various treatment conditions. ******The goal of this research is to evaluate the role and potential application of phage-mediated bacterial control in biological wastewater treatment. We are particularly interested in monitoring the balance between phage and bacteria communities in bioreactors under various operational and environmental conditions, examining the mechanisms involved in phage impacts on bioreactor performance, and evaluating potential approaches to shift the balance between phage and bacteria communities in bioreactors to optimize microbial populations and bioreactor performance. It is expected that knowledge gained from the proposed research program will accelerate the development of beneficial applications of phages in engineered bioreactors, and will enrich our knowledge of bacterial pathogenesis and ecology. Research on interactions among phages, bacteria, and external conditions will shed light on hitherto unknown reasons for the process upsets that often occur in engineered bioreactors and will enable an assessment of the role and potential of phages in controlling nutrient removal, biofilm formation, and sludge settlement. The highly qualified personnel participating in this program will obtain academic and industrial knowledge and experience that can strengthen Alberta's and Canada's wastewater treatment management.**