Production of extracellular polymeric substances by isolate consortia obtained from mesophilic aerobic granules from the treatment of paper mill effluent

Aerobic granules are large, compact microbial aggregates when compared to flocculent sludge, and they can be used in wastewater treatment. The application of aerobic granular sludge in bioreactors for the treatment of industrial effluents is still considered innovative and has been the subject of several recent studies. In the present study, 19 microbial isolates from mesophilic aerobic granules, obtained from a previous study, were evaluated in co-aggregation tests. The extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) produced, such as carbohydrates, proteins, and humic acids, were determined. The aim was to evaluate the relationship between the amount of EPS produced and the contribution of each isolate in the granulation process. The results of EPS production were used to analyze the polysaccharide / protein (PS / PN) ratio. The consortia with an absence of isolates 4, 8, 11, 14, 19, and 25 presented a PS / PN ratio <0.5. These isolates, identified as belonging to the genera Staphylococcus, Agrobacterium, Enterobacter, and Rhodococcus, were considered effective for the production and stability of the mesophilic aerobic granules.