Iranian Journal of

Background & Objectives: Listeria bacterium resists to the sludge digestion conditions and Listeria monocytogenes is the most important of them. Sludge produced in the north Isfahan wastewater treatment plant is stabilized by anaerobic digesters and is used for fertilizing agricultural lands after drying in the sludge drying beds. Based on the importance of the subject, the objective of this study was evaluation of sludge processing units efficiency, particularly anaerobic sludge digestion for reduction or removal of Listeria. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, samples were collected weekly from sludge processing units 13 times in north Isfahan wastewater treatment plant according to standard methods over three months. Listeria bacteria were enumerated and isolated by triple-tube fermentation method and U.S Department of Agriculture method respectively. Isolated Listeria were confirmed by phenotypic method and then bacterial species were diagnosed differentially by biochemical carbohydrate fermentation and CAMP test. Results: Contamination of raw, stabilized and dried sludge at least to one of L. Monocytogenes, L. Innocua and L. Seeligeri species was 100, 92.3 and 53.8 percent respectively. Anaerobic sludge digesters efficiency to remove L. Monocytogenes, L. Innocua and L. Seeligeri species was determined 64.7, 39.72, and 100 percent while the efficiency of drying sludge beds for L. monocytogenes and L.innocua species removal was 73.4 and 96.68 percent respectively. Conclusion: Listeria monocytogenes is more resistant than other identified species against the sludge processing conditions. Thus, the use of sludge as fertilizer can cause the spread of this bacterium in the environment and agricultural products pollution.