Activated sludge from a natural pigment factory Metagenome

This study aimed to investigate the microbial community dynamics and COD removal performance of activated sludge used in the treatment of wastewater from a natural pigment extraction factory. The wastewater, derived from Gardenia jasminoides processing, contains high levels of organic matter, leading to elevated COD. Microbial community profiling using 16S rRNA sequencing revealed changes in bacterial composition, with a notable decline in alpha diversity and distinct clustering patterns in beta diversity analyses. Core microbiome analysis identified dominant bacterial families, with key genera potentially responsible for organic degradation. Additionally, the study confirmed the presence of beta glucosidase related genes, indicating microbial involvement in the degradation of geniposide, the pigment precursor compound. These findings not only enhance our understanding of microbial functions in natural compound wastewater treatment but also provide a foundation for optimizing activated sludge systems and isolating functional strains to improve bioremediation efficiency in similar industrial applications.