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. 1978 Jan;35(1):38–44. doi: 10.1128/aem.35.1.38-44.1978

Phototrophic purple and green bacteria in a sewage treatment plant.

E Siefert, R L Irgens, N Pfennig
PMCID: PMC242774  PMID: 623470

Abstract

In all purification stages of a biological sewage treatment plant, phototrophic bacteria were detected by the method of viable cell counts. The predominant species identified belonged to the genus Rhodopseudomonas of purple nonsulfur bacteria. The number of phototrophic bacteria was highest in wastewater containing sludge. In activated sludge, an average of 10(5) viable cells/ml was found; the number depended upon concentration of sludge rather than on seasonal changes in light conditions in the course of a year. Bacteriochlorophyll a was extracted from activated sludge. Relative to the viable counts of phototrophic bacteria, the content of bacteriochlorophyll a was 5- to 10-fold higher than that of three representative pure cultures. By incubation of activated and digester sludge under different environmental conditions, it was shown that phototrophic bacteria can complete with other bacteria only under anaerobic conditions in the light.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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