| Water quality changes and metabolic diversity of microbial communities in wastewater treatment and soil aquifer for wastewater reuse were discussed, based on monitoring results from a SAT pilot-scale reactor. Dissolved organic carbon in the treated wastewater (3.68 mgC/L) dramatically decreased through top 25 cm sand layer infiltration (1.52 mgC/L), and the composition of organic matter also changed between them. BIOLOG assay cleared that a similar microbial metabolic patterns was obtained among the activated sludge, treated wastewater and the 0-5 cm top surface layer of sand. Meanwhile, below 10 cm from the top surface showed dramatically different metabolic patterns, including the 5-10 cm layer as a midpoint of the changing pattern. This suggests that the removal of different organic compounds by biodegradation would be expected to occur in the activated sludge and in the SAT sand layers immediately below 5 cm from the top surface. |
