Reassessing phosphorus removal by employing classical and fermentative metabolism of polyphosphate accumulating organisms in complex carbon environments

The Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive adopted by the EU acknowledges enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) as a sustainable process that prevents eutrophication, saves marine assets estimated at 500 billion and counters depletion of phosphorus ore.

EBPR is mediated microbially by polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs), but our understanding is limited to identifying Ca. Accumulibacter as a globally dominant PAO that utilises volatile fatty acids as carbon substrate.

However, a variety of PAOs exists in full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) that display metabolic versatility in the assimilation or fermentation of complex carbon substrates such as amino acids and sugars. The REMaP-Carbon action will explore the metabolic versatility of PAOs using complex carbon substrates.

An interdisciplinary approach involving engineering principles, multi-omics analyses, and advanced modelling techniques will be implemented. Under the supervision of Prof.

Mark van Loosdrecht, TU Delft, I will study the metabolism of PAOs using isotope labelling techniques, kinetic and stoichiometric characterisation, and metabolic models. During the secondment at Aalborg University with Prof. Per Nielsen, I will gain complementary skills in bioinformatics and microspectroscopy techniques.

To extend EBPR application to complex carbon substrates in WWTPs, an industrial placement is planned at the end of the fellowship to exploit research outputs with Royal HaskoningDHV.

In leading international and intersectoral collaborations, I aim to develop research skills, project management and communication abilities to improve overall effectiveness as a researcher.

Independently leading this action will provide me experience and confidence to undertake ambitious projects and collaborations in my academic career.

Overall, this action will contribute to Europes knowledge-based economy by defining how PAOs turn the wheels of the biogeochemical phosphorus cycle in natural environments.