Exploratory analysis of the microbial community profile of the municipal solid waste leachate treatment system: A case study

Studies on the degradation dynamics of landfill leachate indicate that the microbial community profile is a valuable and sensitive tool for landfill monitoring programs. Although knowledge about the microbial community can improve the efficiency of leachate treatment systems, little is known about the microbial profile changes that occur throughout the leachate attenuation process. In the present work, an exploratory analysis of the microbial community profile of the MSW leachate treatment system in the municipality of Os ' orio (Brazil) was conducted. In this way, a comprehensive analysis of chemical parameters, isotopic signature and microbial profile data were applied to monitor the changes in the structure of the microbial community throughout the leachate attenuation process and to describe the relationship between the microbial community structure and the attenuation of chemical and isotopic parameters. From data analysis, it was possible to assess the microbial community structure and relate it to the attenuation of chemical and isotopic parameters. Based on massive parallel 16S rRNA gene sequencing, it was possible to observe that each leachate treatment unit has a specific microbial consortium, reflecting the adaptation of different microorganisms to changes in leachate characteristics throughout treatment. From our results, we concluded that the structure of the microbial community is sensitive to the leachate composition and can be applied to study the municipal solid waste management system.

Automated summary

Studies on landfill leachate degradation dynamics have shown that the microbial community profile is a valuable tool for monitoring landfills. However, little is known about the changes in the microbial profile during the leachate attenuation process. This study conducted an exploratory analysis of the microbial community profile in a municipal solid waste leachate treatment system in Brazil, and found that each treatment unit had a specific microbial consortium that adapted to changes in leachate characteristics. The structure of the microbial community was found to be sensitive to leachate composition and could be applied to study solid waste management systems.