Filamentous scum bacteria in activated sludge plants: detection and identification quality by conventional activated sludge microscopy versus fluorescence in situ hybridization.

Detection of filamentous bacteria morphotypes involved in scum formation in activated sludge wastewater treatment plants by conventional sludge microscopy is often doomed to fail because of morphological and taxonomical variations. The aim of this study is to compare detection, identification, and quantification quality of filamentous "scum bacteria" found by conventional activated sludge microscopy and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). In the case of filamentous Microthrix parvicella and Eikelboom morphotypes 1863 and 1851, conventional activated sludge microscopy and FISH results correspond well. In contrast, conventional activated sludge microscopy overlooks nocardioform actinomycete and type 1863 single cells. On the other hand, FISH underestimates filamentous nocardioform actinomycetes and morphotypes 0041/0675 or 0092 because of insufficient cell wall permeability or because of their taxonomic variability, with a resulting inadequacy of previously published probes. Nostocoida limicola morphotype results are still inconclusive because of low bacteria numbers being available in situ and the enormous taxonomic variability within this group.