Using functional genomics to connect microbial community functional responses in an advanced wastewater treatment plant during seasonal temperature changes.

污水处理厂(WWTP)通过最大限度地减少氮、磷和细菌的释放，在限制对**环境的负面人为影响方面至关重要。大型污水处理厂使用物理、化学和生物方法的组合来去除废水中的营养物质。这一过程的生物学成分完全依赖于微生物的新陈代谢，而微生物的新陈代谢受温度的影响很大。污水处理厂的建造通常带有室外处理**过程的某些组件，这使它们暴露在季节性温度波动中。在北方地区，如加拿大大草原，气温从夏季的+30°C到冬季的&25°C不等，处理受到极大影响，养分去除效率直线下降。污水处理厂通过控制氧气输入以有利于某些微生物，并通过增加生物处理的持续时间来适应**波动的条件，这就是我们所说的“污泥年龄”。虽然这些调整旨在补偿**较低的温度，但它们可能会导致有问题的原生动物和细菌的繁殖，从而扰乱**治疗过程。目前，生物养分去除(BNR)的问题是通过**直接显微镜诊断的，偶尔也通过依赖培养的方法来诊断。尽管这些方法无疑是有用的，但它们只能提供垃圾处理厂社区复杂性的有限快照。为了**更好地了解Epcor的Regina污水处理厂中的微生物群落，以及导致生物养分去除过程的运行效率**降低的条件，本研究项目将**解决两个具体问题：i.微生物群落在生物**处理过程和ii.这些社区在温暖和寒冷的温度下有什么不同？

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are essential in limiting negative anthropogenic effects on the**environment by minimizing the release of nitrogen, phosphorus and bacteria. Large-scale WWTPs use a**combination of physical, chemical, and biological means to remove nutrients from wastewater. The biological**component of this process is completely dependent on the metabolism of microorganisms, which is**dramatically impacted by temperature. WWTPs are often built with certain components of the treatment**process outdoors, which leaves them exposed to seasonal fluctuations in temperature. In northern regions such**as the Canadian prairies where air temperatures can range from +30°C in the summer to frequent <-25°C in the**winter, treatment is dramatically impacted and nutrient removal efficiency plummets. WWTPs adapt to**fluctuating conditions by manipulating the oxygen input to favor certain microbes and by increasing the**duration of biological treatment, known as "sludge age". Though these adjustments are aimed at compensating**for the colder temperatures, they can lead to the proliferation of problematic protozoa and bacteria that disrupt**the treatment process. Currently, problems with biological nutrient removal (BNR) are diagnosed through**direct microscopy and occasionally through culture-dependent approaches. Though these methods are**undoubtedly useful, they can only provide a limited snapshot of the complexities of WWTP communities. To**better understand the microbial communities in Epcor's Regina WWTP, and the conditions that lead to**decreased operational efficiency of the biological nutrient removal process, two specific questions will be**addressed during this research project: i. How do the microbial communities change throughout the biological**treatment process and ii. How do these communities differ in warm and cold temperatures?