Abstract
The processes of enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) have been widely applied in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). However, meeting the increasingly stringent effluent discharge standards requires a more stable EBPR performance. Under the circumstances, the identification of genus Tetrasphaera as potential phosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs) has aroused much research interests on them. In practice, a large biovolume of genus Tetrasphaera has been reliably observed in a number (up to 80) of WWTPs around the world. Tetrasphaera show a phenotype of aerobic polyphosphate (poly-P) accumulation at the condition of assimilating glucose and/or amino acids anaerobically in advance. Moreover, Tetrasphaera also present versatile physiologies, of which some show no net orthophosphate removal. While there are certainly some contradictory results and gaps in our knowledge concerning Tetrasphaera, this review summarizes the discovery, abundance in WWTPs, functions on EBPR, and biochemistry of the genus Tetrasphaera in the existing literature. It is expected to present the state-of-art progress about the genus Tetrasphaera, and to guide future R & D work.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
