

@article {8744,
	title = {{Determination of virus abundance, diversity and distribution in a municipal wastewater treatment plant}},
	journal = {Water Research},
	volume = {43},
	year = {2008},
	pages = {1101{\textendash}1109},
	abstract = {a b s t r a c t Procedures to extract and count sludge viruses-like particles from municipal sewage treatment plant were optimized by epifluorescence microscopy using SYBR Green I as a stain. The highest indigenous virus yields from the bulk of the anaerobic digestion sludge and influent (solid) were obtained by utilizing 10 mM sodium pyrophosphate as eluant solution with vortex and 1 min of sonication. The use of 1{\^A} phosphate buffered saline as eluant with vortex and 1 min of sonication yields highest indigenous virus from activated sludge. The efficiency of extracting indigenous viruses by sodium pyrophosphate-ultra-sound treatment was about 62{\%} of the extractable virus particles from activated sludge and 87{\%} for anaerobic digestion sludge, respectively. Samples treated with DNase had decreased, but not significant, virus counts, suggesting a minor effect of extracellular DNA on virus count. Following the optimized procedure, we investigated the abundance and diversity of virus particles in the wastewater stream of a municipal treatment plant. The concentrations of virus particles ranged from 0.28 {\^A} 10 9 ml {\`A}1 to 27.04 {\^A} 10 9 ml {\`A}1 . Trans-mission electron microscopy (TEM) showed a high variety of virus morphotypes in sludge. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) revealed a diverse and dynamic viral community in different stages of the system with genome sizes ranging from 33 kb to {\textgreater}350 kb with most of the viral DNA in the 30{\textendash}80 kb and 200{\textendash}350 kb size ranges. Collectively, our study sug-gested that indigenous viruses are abundant and dynamic in the municipal wastewater treatment system and may play an important role in functioning of the system.},
	keywords = {Abundance, Diversity, Municipal wastewater treatment plant, Sludge, Virus particle},
	doi = {10.1016/j.watres.2008.11.039},
	author = {Wu, Qinglong and Wen T Liu}
}
