Phosphate removal using aerobic bacterial consortium and pure cultures isolated from activated sludge

• We examine kinetic behavior of bacterial consortium for reducing phosphate.
• Efficient PO4− uptake depends to the initial concentration of C and P source.
• Short chain volatile acids present the suitable substrates for enhanced P-uptake.
• Isolation of P-accumulating-bacteria was conducted upon aero-anaerobic batch culture.
• Best rate of phosphate uptake was achieved using Acinetobacter Junii AS3.

In the present study, an attempt is made to evaluate the kinetics of biological phosphate removal using a bacterial consortium of activated sludge, as well as screening for dominant polyphosphates accumulating bacteria. The results showed an efficient phosphate uptake (P < 0.001) of the consortium, with rates related to the initial concentration of both phosphate and carbon sources. Short chain volatile fatty acids presented the suitable substrates for enhanced biological phosphorus removal, of which maximum yield reached 99.23% and 78.51% in basal salt medium supplemented with 0.5% of sodium acetate and lactate respectively. Fifteen phosphate-accumulating bacteria were isolated from the activated sludge and only four isolates were selected and characterized as Pseudomonas aeruginosa AS1, Moraxella lacunata AS2, Acinetobater junii AS3 and Alcaligenes denitrificans AS4. The highest efficiency of phosphate uptake using pure culture was achieved with Ac. junii AS3 (83.36) followed by P. aeruginosa AS1 (81.78%), Al. denitrificans AS4 (76.72%), and M. lacunata AS2 with 50.6%.