Potential of complex microbial community in aerobic granular sludge as a bio-startup approach for next-generation wastewater treatment

Abstract Activated sludge has a high diversity of infectious agents. However, many of these microorganisms contribute greatly to the biological treatment process due to the enzyme production and capability for degrading a wide range of organic compounds in wastewater. The present review discusses the potential of aerobic granular sludge as a bio-startup (AGS-BS-up) for new wastewater treatment plants. The complex microbial community in activated sludge was investigated using 16S metagenomic analysis. The potential of aerobic granular sludge prepared from activated sludge to be used as a bio-starting medium for food wastewater treatment plants (FWWTP) was discussed. AGS-BS-up appears to have high applicability to enhance the biological treatment of food wastewater (FWW). The hypothesis behind using aerobic granular sludge as a bio-startup for FWWTP lies in the high microbial biodiversity in the aerobic granular sludge, which contributes effectively to the biological treatment of food wastewater. Based on the previous studies, the AGS-BS-up is efficient in improving the quality of FWW to meet international standards required for safe disposal into the environment.