Analysis of the microbial community dynamics during acclimatization of a membrane bioreactor treating table olive processing wastewater

Biological treatment of Table Olive Processing Wastewater (TOPW) may be problematic due to its high organic and polyphenolic compounds content. Biomass acclimatization is a necessary stage for efficient TOPW biological treatment; Next-Generation Sequencing technologies can provide valuable insights for this critical process step. An aerobic Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) system, initially inoculated with municipal activated sludge, was acclimatized to treat TOPW. Samples at different time stages were analyzed to profile the microbial community using 16S and 18S amplicon metabarcoding and metatranscriptomics.