Study of Bauxsol^TM pellets' efficiency in wastewater treatment and their biocompatibility with microbial communities

This doctoral thesis developed and investigated Bauxsol^TMpellets for the bio-geochemical treatment of municipal wastewater. Field experiments demonstrated the effectiveness of Bauxsol^TM pellets to bind phosphate (~95% removal over 6 months) and trace-metals from wastewater. Moreover, genetic analysis confirmed the biocompatibility of Bauxsol^TM pellets in wastewater treatment. These results showed distinct, well-adapted, and highly diverse microbial communities attached to Bauxsol^TM pellet. Many of the bacterial communities investigated were involved in the nitrogen cycle, which is ~50% bio-geochemically removed. In conclusion, Bauxsol^TM pellets provided an improved treatment to municipal wastewater by promoting biological processes while eliminating chemical use for phosphate precipitation.