Denitrification capabilities of two biological phosphorus removal sludges dominated by different ‘Candidatus Accumulibacter’ clades

Abstract

The capability of ‘Candidatus Accumulibacter’ to use nitrate as an electron acceptor for phosphorus uptake was investigated using two activated sludge communities. The two communities were enriched in Accumulibacter clade IA and clade IIA, respectively. By performing a series of batch experiments, we found that clade IA was able to couple nitrate reduction with phosphorus uptake, but clade IIA could not. These results agree with a previously proposed hypothesis that different populations of Accumulibacter have different nitrate reduction capabilities, and they will help to understand the ecological roles played by these two clades.