Insights into the effect of sulfate in Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal (EBPR) Process by metagenomics

Two EBPR reactors were operated undet different sulfate concentrations, low sulfate concentration (SBR-L) and high sulfate concentration (SBR-H). High percentage of phosphorus removal concurrently with reduction of sulfate has been discovered in our reactor while it has been known that sulfate might induce growth of SRB and produce sulfide which inhibit PAOs activity in EBPR thus may deteriorate the process. Therefore, we analyzed the effect of sulfate concentrations towards EBPR performance by metagenomes. 8 short-read paired-end metagenomes (llumina) collected from two EBPR reactors, SBR-L and SBR-H. This aimed to understand the key as well as the ecology behind the simultaneous phosphorus removal and sulfur metabolism in EBPR system.