Developments in Environmental Microbiology and Biodegradation/Biotransformation of Persistent Pollutants in Activated Sludge Population: A Case Study on Renewability of Activated Sludge Exposed to a New Generation Nanoparticular Photocatalyst

Abstract

The rapid increase in population, urbanization and industrialization brings about the need to clean the water bodies which are frequently polluted by organic, inorganic and persistent pollutants in domestic, agricultural and industrial wastes. The removal or transformation of these contaminants into less harmful forms are therefore crucial for both reuse and discharges of wastewater. Microbial communities lie at the heart of the biological wastewater treatment plants because the metabolic actions of several different species of microorganisms lead to breakdown of biodegradable materials or conversion of toxic inorganic contaminants into less toxic or insoluble forms. Information on the structure and change in the microbial communities is crucial for developing treatment and remediation strategies. So, this chapter presents the recent studies on the status and interactions of microorganisms in the activated sludge employed in the removal of antibiotics from wastewaters in the light of recent developments in molecular analyses. Moreover, this chapter will also evaluate that the effect of new generation photocatalyst, prepared in the laboratory, on the change in microbial population which treats real domestic wastewater and characterized by a new generation sequencing study after DNA isolation. © 2022 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc.