Molecular techniques in wastewater: Understanding microbial communities, detecting pathogens, and real-time process control
K.A. Gilbridea,
,
,
D.-Y. Leeb
and L.A. Beaudettec
aDepartment of Chemistry and Biology, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria
St. Toronto, ON, Canada M4B 2K3
bEnvironment Canada, Wastewater Technology Centre, 867 Lakeshore
Blvd. Box 5050, Burlington, ON, Canada L7R 4A6
cEnvironment Canada, Environmental Technology Centre, 335 River Rd.,
Ottawa, ON, Canada K1A 0H3
Received 26 July 2005; revised 30 January 2006; accepted 28
February 2006. Available online 24 April 2006.
Abstract
Traditionally, the detection of pathogens in water, wastewater, and other environmental samples is restricted by the ability to culture such organisms from complex environmental samples. During the last decade the use of molecular methods have supplied the means for examining microbial diversity and detecting specific organisms without the need for cultivation. The application of molecular techniques to the study of natural and engineered environmental systems has increased our insight into the vast diversity and interaction of microorganisms present in complex environments. In this paper, we will review the current and emerging molecular approaches for characterizing microbial community composition and structure in wastewater processes. Recent studies show that advances in microarray assays are increasing our capability of detecting hundreds and even thousands of DNA sequences simultaneously and rapidly. With the current progress in microfluidics and optoelectronics, the ability to automate a detection/identification system is now being realized. The status of such a system for wastewater monitoring is discussed.
Keywords: Wastewater; Bacterial communities; Pathogen
detection; Molecular techniques; Nucleic acid finger printing; PCR; Microarray
FISH; Lab-on-chip
Murulee Byappanahalli, Ph. D.
Research Investigator
U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center
Lake Michigan Ecological Research Station,
1100 N. Mineral Springs Road
Porter, Indiana 46304