Characteristics of enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) process under the combined actions of intracellular and extracellular polyphosphate

The characteristics of enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) process under the combined actions of intracellular and extracellular polyphosphate (polyP) were investigated with the 31 P Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and the fractionation extracting the loosely-bound and tightly-bound extracellular polymer substances (i.e., LB-EPS and TB-EPS) and bacterial cells in EBPR sludge. The hydrolysis/synthesis of extracellular and intracellular polyP was a key step of the phosphate migration and transformation in EBPR sludge. The orthophosphate (orthoP) produced from the intracellular and extracellular polyP anaerobic-hydrolysis was partially accumulated in the bacterial cells and TB-EPS, and then the accumulated orthoP was main composition for these polyP aerobic-synthesis. Importantly, the anaerobic-hydrolysis enhancement of intracellular and extracellular ployP could promote EBPR sludge to absorb volatile fatty acids (VFAs) followed by being transformed into intracellular poly-hydroxy-alkanoates (PHAs). The mechanism for VFAs passing through the LB-EPS and TB-EPS should be an anion-exchange action between orthoP and VFAs. The orthoP accumulation in the TB-EPS kept an orthoP concentration gradient among the TB-EPS, LB-EPS and bulk solution, driving orthoP and VFAs migrations. The orthoP accumulation in the bacterial cells could keep an orthoP concentration difference between the cell-membrane two sides of phosphorus accumulating organisms (PAOs) to promote VFAs passing through the cell membrane considered as an anion exchange membrane. The intracellular PHAs continuously hydrolyzed accompanied with the average chain-length increases of the extracellular and intracellular polyP during the whole aerobic stage. Additionally, the energy of the extracellular polyP synthesized in situ should came from the intracellular PHAs hydrolysis. • OrthoP from the anaerobic-hydrolysis of intracellular and extracellular polyP was partially accumulated in cells and TB-EPS. • Mechanism of the VFAs passing through LB-EPS and TB-EPS should be an anion-exchange action between orthoP and VFAs. • Intracellular PHAs hydrolyzed accompanied with the average chain-length increases of extracellular and intracellular polyP. • Energy of the extracellular polyP aerobically synthesized in situ should came from the intracellular PHAs hydrolysis.