Biofoam biofilm sample 16S rRNA gene libraries

Small scale biosand filters (BSFs) utilized as point of use (POU) water treatment technologies can provide quality drinking water in arid regions. In this current study, biofilms within a novel biologically active POU technology that removes pathogens from water were studied. The biofilms develop across porous foam cartridge filters termed “biofoam,” and were assayed for community membership. Biofilms within the POU filter medium were developed at three different locations in the US using three different surface waters. Biofilm microbial communities that developed on biofoam were analyzed utilizing 454 pyrosequencing of the 16S rDNA genes, and showed a remarkable degree of shared community membership among the three locations. A large, diverse shared microbiome was found as defined by the top 100 shared operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at 0.03 cut off (97% similarity). This represented 280,000 of the 306,000 sequences (>90%). Of those, 25% were classified within the genus Pseudomonas. Members of the microbial communities found within the shared microbiome of the biofoam were closely associated with organisms commonly found in activated sludge, drinking water biofilms, rhizosphere, phyllosphere, and soil ecosystems. The biofoam provides a unique and effective porous matrix for biofilm formation, which appears to allow for the establishment of consistent microbial communities, even when developed at different locations utilizing different water sources. Improving our understanding of the biofoam’s microbial ecology may provide insights into mechanisms of pathogen removal, and allow development of customized biofilms for targeted remediation projects, as part of a lightweight and energy efficient water filtration system.