APPLICATION OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY TECHNIQUES FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF MICROORGANISMS NITRIFIYING AND DENITRIFYING ATTACHED ON NATURAL ZEOLITE

This study identified microbial populations in nitrifying and denitrifying batch reactors using chilean natural zeolite with different diameters for microbial support. The microbial populations were analyzed using molecular biology techniques: DGGE and FISH, founding that Gamaproteobacteria are the best adapted to the present nitrification and denitrification conditions. Nitrifying reactors showed similarity in their microbiological composition independent of the support size used, presenting all 80% of Gammaproteobacteria. However, the denitrifying reactors showed a big diversity, finding Bacteria and Archaea in different proportions depending of the diameter utilized. It is recommended DGGE and subsequent FISH analysis with specific probes to determine Gamaproteobacteria and Archaea species involved.Key words: Denitrification; DGGE; FISH; Nitrification; Zeolite.