Biopolymer particulate turnover in biological waste treatment systems: a review

Abstract

Microorganisms — the major component in most biological waste treatment processes and a number of industrial fermentations — are not able to directly assimilate biopolymeric particulate material. Such organic particulates must first be solubilized into soluble polymers or monomers before they can diffuse through the capsular slime layer surrounding most bacteria, then transported across the cell membrane, to be used as either a carbon, energy or other essential nutrient source. Throughout these events, new cells are synthesized, which are themselves biopolymer particulates.The turnover of biopolymer particulates in biological treatment systems has not been examined with respect to its impact on system performance and culture physiology. The aim of this paper is to review the observations of particulate turnover in various biological treatment systems and to identify those fundamental mechanisms which govern microbial conversion of biopolymer particulates.