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Bacterial diversity in Cr(VI) and Cr(III)-contaminated industrial wastewaters

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Abstract

The bacterial community structure of a chromium water bath, a chromium drainage waste system, a chromium pretreatment tank, and a trivalent chromium precipitation tank from the Hellenic Aerospace Industry S.A. was assessed using 16S rRNA libraries and a high-density DNA microarray (PhyloChip). 16S rRNA libraries revealed a bacterial diversity consisting of 14 distinct operational taxonomic units belonging to five bacterial phyla: Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. However, employing a novel microarray-based approach (PhyloChip), a high bacterial diversity consisting of 30 different phyla was revealed, with representatives of 181 different families. This made it possible to identify a core set of genera present in all wastewater treatment stages examined, consisting of members of Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Deltaproteobacteria, Epsilonproteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. In the chromium pretreatment tank, where the concentration of Cr(VI) is high (2.3 mg/l), we identified the presence of Pseudomonadales, Actinomycetales, and Enterobacteriales in abundance. In the chromium precipitation tank, where the concentration of Cr(III) is high, the dominant bacteria consortia were replaced by members of Rhodocyclales and Chloroflexi. The bacterial community structure changed significantly with changes in the chromium concentration. This in-depth analysis should prove useful for the design and development of improved bioremediation strategies.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the Hellenic Aerospace Industry S.A. for providing technical information on the chromium wastewater treatment plant and for their overall support throughout this study. This work was partially supported by EU CSA-REGPROT 203590 - MicrobeGR and by intramural funds of the University of Ioannina to KB. Microarray chip raw data can be obtained by sending an e-mail to the corresponding author.

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  1. Katerina Katsaveli, Dimitris Vayenas, George Tsiamis & Kostas Bourtzis

    Present address: Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management, University of Western Greece, 2 Seferi St., 30100, Agrinio, Greece

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management, University of Ioannina, 2 Seferi St., 30100, Agrinio, Greece

    Katerina Katsaveli, Dimitris Vayenas, George Tsiamis & Kostas Bourtzis

  2. Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Institute of Chemical Engineering and High Temperature Chemical Processes, 26504, Rio, Greece

    Dimitris Vayenas

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  1. Katerina Katsaveli
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  2. Dimitris Vayenas
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  4. Kostas Bourtzis
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Correspondence to Kostas Bourtzis.

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Communicated by A. Oren.

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Katsaveli, K., Vayenas, D., Tsiamis, G. et al. Bacterial diversity in Cr(VI) and Cr(III)-contaminated industrial wastewaters. Extremophiles 16, 285–296 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00792-012-0429-0

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