Sewage fungus: Its nature and effects

Curtis, E.J.C.

doi:10.1016/0043-1354(69)90084-0

Cited by 58 publications

(32 citation statements)

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“…The bacterium Thiothrix nivea and the fungus Mucor racemosus were cited by Tiegs (1939) as important components of slimes, and Cooke ( I 954, I 963) lists additional fungi associated with polluted waters and slime growths. Butcher does not give any idea of relative abundance of the particular organisms except that S. natans was the major slime-forming organism in rivers, which is confirmed by other workers (Lackey & Wattie, 1940;Klein, 1962;Curtis, 1969; 507 I 983). The WPRL survey identified S. natans and zoogloeal bacteria as being the commonest slime-forming organisms associated with slime outbreaks (Curtis & Curds, 1971).…”

Section: ( I ) Composition Of Slimesmentioning

confidence: 70%

“…natans is common in organically enriched waters, including the aeration units in wastewater treatment plants (Gray, I 983 b). However, van Veen and his co-workers ( I 978) have suggested that S. discophorous is identical to Leptothrix cholodnii and although the taxonomy of the group has been extensively examined (Pringsheim, 1949a, b;Bahr, 1953;Mulder & van Veen, 1963;Phaup, 1968;Curtis, 1969;van Veen et al, 1978) our knowledge of the Sphaerotilus-Leptothrix group remains incomplete. Another species of Sphaerotilus, similar to S. paludosus which was described by Smit (1934), was observed in moderate numbers at 2.2% of the sites examined in the 1968-9 WPRL survey (Curtis & Curds, 1971).…”

Section: (B) Temporal Distributionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Slime-forming organisms are probably part of the normal microbial flora of all rivers, forming macroscopic slimes only when sufficient amounts of biodegradable organic matter is available as growth substrate . The morphology, taxonomy and biochemistry of the slime-forming organisms are well known from laboratory studies and subject to several reviews (Schade, 1940;Bahr, 1953;Waitz & Lackey, 1959;Phaup, 1968;Curtis, 1969;van Veen, Mulder & Deinema, 1978). Other aspects of slime growths in flowing waters are less well documented.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…This review aims not to simply reiterate previous studies but to critically review all the existing literature in the light of new research published since 1969, including new data collected by the author. Extensive literature exists on slime growths in flowing waters and a number of reviews have been published (Harrison & Heukelekian, 1958;Huber, 1961 ;Dondero, 1961 ;Curtis, 1969;Carpenter, 1970). The present review concentrates on those aspects not fully covered previously, namely the occurrence, and factors affecting the growth of, slimes, the problems resulting from slime growths in flowing waters and finally the ways in which growths can be controlled.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…11. OCCURRENCE OF HETEROTROPHIC SLIMES Slime-forming organisms have a ubiquitous distribution, and heterotrophic slimes have been reported in flowing waters receiving inadequately treated effluents throughout the temperate zones of the world (Harrison & Heukelekian, 1958;Curtis, 1969). Slime growths have been recorded in rivers in America (Gaufin & Tarzwell, 1955;Phaup, 1968;Hendry, Janhurst & Horsnell, 1982), Australasia (Loutit, Patrick & Matthews, 1973;Bryce-Cooper, 1983), Europe (Butcher, 1932;Tiegs, 1938;Gray, 1983a), and Scandinavia (Ormerod, Grynne & Ormerod, 1966;Baalsrud, I 967).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Heterotrophic Slimes in Flowing Waters

Gray

1985

Biological Reviews

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Summary 1. While much attention has been paid to the ecology of macro‐invertebrates in flowing water, the microbial ecology of such systems has been largely ignored and our knowledge of heterotrophic slimes in particular remains far from complete. Slime‐forming organisms are ubiquitous in their distribution and are part of the normal riverine flora. Slime outbreaks occur in all types of organically enriched flowing fresh waters, regardless of their chemical nature. Slimes are predominantly of heterotrophs which require a constant supply of (i) a suitable carbon source, (ii) inorganic nutrients and in particular nitrogen and phosphorous, and possibly (iii) growth factors such as vitamins. Phosphorous is not a limiting factor for growth, with slimes developing in rivers with < 0·02 mg P l‐1. Other inorganic nutrients such as nitrogen can be used in various forms and are usually present in adequate amounts, even in unpolluted streams. Therefore occurrence appears to be most closely correlated with the presence of a source of available carbon. 2. The severity of outbreaks are not closely associated with soluble organic carbon content although there is a tendency for heavy growths to occur more frequently in more severely polluted waters. Low‐molecular‐weight sugars are clearly the causative agents of Sphaerotilus natans dominated slimes with higher molecular weight material such as starches not immediately effective as growth promoters. Mono‐ to penta‐saccharides are mainly used by bacterial slimes while fungal components utilize fatty acids up to C8. It is not possible to adopt a nationwide BOD5 standards to control slime outbreaks as even small increases in river BOD5 (< 1·0 mg l‐1) can support slime growth. There is a need to develop new methods of assessing the slime‐promoting capability of effluents such as measuring the readily degradable low‐molecular‐weight carbon compounds, so that threshold concentrations of soluble organic carbon below which slime will not develop can be determined. 3. The effect of effluent enrichment on slime growth diminishes downstream as there is a tendency for the soluble carbohydrate to mix and dilute. The slime also metabolizes the carbohydrate, reducing the concentration by up to 60 % depending on the stage of slime development, thus limiting its own proliferation. This is the typical pattern of self‐purification in flowing waters. 4. The taxonomy of all the slime‐forming species are poorly understood as is the ecology of slimes. Species composition of slimes vary temporally and spatially within individual rivers. The primary factors affecting composition are nutrient type and water velocity, although pH determines whether a slime is either predominantly fungal or bacterial. The rate of transfer of oxygen and nutrients is dependent on water velocity with zoogloeal forms predominating as velocity falls to < 0·05 m s‐1. More details of the effects of water velocity and other environmental factors on all the slime‐forming organisms is required. 5. The effects of specific environmenta...

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Section: ( I ) Composition Of Slimesmentioning

confidence: 70%

Section: (B) Temporal Distributionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Heterotrophic Slimes in Flowing Waters

Gray

1985

Biological Reviews

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Early detection and environmental drivers of sewage fungus outbreaks in rivers

Albini,

Lester,

Sanders

et al. 2023

Ecol Sol and Evidence

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Sewage effluent is a major ongoing threat to water quality and biodiversity in freshwater environments. It can cause outbreaks of sewage fungus (fungus‐like bacteria which form macroscopic masses) but, until now, these were only qualitatively recorded from visual inspection, ignoring microscopic forms. Here, we used an innovative method that combines machine learning, microscopy and flow cytometry, to rapidly and efficiently quantify the presence and abundance of sewage fungus in rivers. Our study involved 11 rivers with (n = 6) and without (n = 5) sewage input in England over four sampling occasions. We were able to detect and enumerate the filaments before masses became visible to the naked eye and, as expected, we found a higher number of filaments downstream of sites where treated sewage was offloaded into the river. Therefore, our detection method could be used as a ‘canary in the coal mine’ for future outbreaks allowing early intervention. Combining our quantitative data on filaments with data on the physical and chemical parameters of the rivers, we found that high conductivity, sulphate, nitrates and TDS were associated with the presence and proliferation of sewage fungus. This information can be extremely useful for regulatory bodies and water companies to develop mitigating strategies and action to prevent future outbreaks.

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The Growth of Micromycetes in Activated Sludge Media

Häuslerová¹

1976

Acta hydrochim. hydrobiol.

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Summary: Today already numerous micromycetes are a recognized part of the biocenosis of growth in receiving waters strongly polluted by organically rich waste waters and of growth on biofilter media surfaces. The principal representatives are some Deuteromycetes, Mucorales and Saccharomycetaceae, whereas the so-called true aquatic fungi (Oomycetes) with the exception of Leptomitua lacteua are practically absent. The growth of micromycetes in activated sludge remains still an unanswered question. Generally, the filaments in the activated sludge are ascribed to filamentous bacteria and as long as fungi were isolated from activated sludge their presence has been reported only in the form of spores.The nitrogen deficiency with regard t o carbon present in the waste water is considered as one of the factors enhancing the development of fungi in the activated sludge. In a series of 13 tests carried out on laboratory-scale batch models using synthetic waste water, where the carbon source was glucose and the nitrogen source was (a) sodium nitrate, (b) ammonium sulphate, and (c) peptone, the fungal growth was studied in different models with the B0D:N ratio varying from 20 to 1000. The models were seeded with thickened activated sludge from the municipal sewage works. The sludge did not contain any microscopically detectable forms of fungoid growth. It was found that the fungi in activated-sludge medium grow well end both in the forms of single cells, occuring independently and in chains, as well a8 in the form of long branched filaments. In some instances, the micromycetes formed up t o 80 t o 100 per cent of the biocenosis of the activated-sludge flocs, but the dependency of their development on the increasing B0D:N ratios in the waste water has not been ascertained.Fifteen species of micromycetes were isolated and identified, and in addition several representatives of Saccharomycetaceae, which were not identified.

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Sewage fungus: Its nature and effects

Cited by 58 publications

References 64 publications

Heterotrophic Slimes in Flowing Waters

Heterotrophic Slimes in Flowing Waters

Early detection and environmental drivers of sewage fungus outbreaks in rivers

The Growth of Micromycetes in Activated Sludge Media

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