Behaviour of Intracellular Polyphosphate in the Biological Phosphate Removal Process

Abstract

In this study the functions of the intracellular polyphosphate in the biological phosphorus removal process were investigated from biological point of view. The STS method was used for the determination of polyphosphate and the fractionation of the intracellular phosphorus compounds. The lowmolecular polyphosphate and the highmolecular polyphosphate can be determined separately in this method. The radiotracer experiments were performed in which 32P-labeled orthophosphate was used as a tracer. The chemical analyses of phosphorus and the radioactivity measurement were made simultaniously in the course of the anaerobic oxic process. From the results of a radiotracer experiment the mass transfer of phosphorus among the phosphorus compounds was calculated. It was suggested that the lowmolecular polyphosphate served as the energy source under the anaerobic conditions and that the highmolecular polyphosphate served as the phosphorus source for the growth reactions. Some models for the phosphorus transfer in the high phosphorus accumulating microorganisms were proposed.