Bacterial community analysis of a gas-phase biotrickling filter for biogas mimics desulfurization through the rRNA approach

Abstract The bacterial composition of a lab-scale biotrickling filter (BTF) treating high loads of H 2 S was investigated by the rRNA approach. Two 16S rRNA gene clone libraries were established 42 and 189 d after reactor startup, while fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH) with DNA probes was performed throughout 260 d of reactor operation. Diversity, community structure and metamorphosis were studied from reactor startup to fully-established pseudo-steady state operation at near neutral pH and at an inlet H 2 S concentration of 2000 ppmv (load of 55.6 g H 2 S m −3  h −1 ). In addition, FISH was used for assessing the spatial distribution of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) along the len…