Microbiology of Activated Sludge...

Activated sludge can be defined as "a mixture of microorganisms which contact and digest bio-degradable materials (food) from wastewater." Activated sludge is microorganisms. The Activated sludge process is a biological process. To properly control the activated sludge process, you must properly control the growth of microorganism. This involves controlling the items which may affect those microorganisms.

Bacteria... a!e up about "#$ of the activated sludge biomass. These single celled organisms grow in the wastewater by consuming (eating) bio-degradable materials such as proteins, carbohydrates, fats and many other compounds. Protozoa & Rotifers... The presence of particular types of proto%oans is related to effluent &uality and plant performance. 'roto%oan play secondary but important role in purification of aerobic wastewater. The proto%oans in the activated sludge treatment process fall into four ma(or classes) amoebae, flagellates, and ciliates (free-swimming, crawling, and stal!ed). Amoebae ) Amoebae are the most primitive, single-celled proto%oans. They move by false feet. They are fre&uently present in raw influent, and their presence is short in the aeration basin. Amoebae can only multiply when there is an abundance of nutrients in the aeration tan!. They move very slowly and it is difficult for them to compete for food the there is a limited amount available. They are only dominant in the aeration basin for a short time. They feed on small organic particulates. *hen amoeba are present in large numbers in the aeration basin this usually indicates that there has been some sort of shoc! loading to the plant (there must be a lot of food available). Their presence may also indicate that there is a low +.,. environment in the aeration basin, because they can tolerate very low amounts of +.,. Flagellates ) ost flagellates absorb dissolved nutrients. -oon after amoebae begins to disappear and while there is still high concentrations of soluble food. .lagellates and bacteria both feed on organic nutrients in the sewage so as the nutrient level declines they have difficulty out competing the bacteria for soluble food so, their numbers begin to decrease. /f large amounts of flagellates are present in the later stages of the activated sludge development this usually indicates that the wastewater still contains a large amount of soluble organic nutrients. Ciliates ) 0iliates feed on bacteria not on dissolved organics. *hile bacteria and flagellates compete for dissolved nutrients, ciliates compete with other ciliates and rotifers for bacteria. The presence of ciliates indicate a good sludge, because they dominate after the floc has been formed and after most of the organic nutrients have been removed.

.ree-swimming ciliates - These ciliates appear as flagellates begin to disappear. As the bacterial population increases, a lot of dispersed bacteria is available for feeding and as a lightly dispersed floc appears, free-swimming ciliates begin to dominate and feed on the increased numbers of bacteria. 0rawling ciliates - As floc particles enlarge and stabili%e, crawling ciliates gra%e on floc particles. 0rawling ciliates out compete free-swimming ciliates for food because they can find food within the floc. -tal!ed ciliates - -tal!ed ciliates appear in the mature sludge. *ithin the mature sludge the crawling and stal!ed ciliates compete for dominance.

Factors Influencing Protozoa... Tem erature ! ost proto%oans can survive and reproduce in a temperature range at which activated sludge processes are carried out. They grow best in ambient temperatures (1# - 2# o0). " ! 'roto%oans are more sensitive to p3 than floc-forming bacteria. They have an optimum p3 range of 4.2-4.5 and a tolerance range of 6.7 - 8.7. #issolved $%ygen ! 9i!e bacteria, proto%oan must have oxygen to survive. Thus lac! of +, will severely limit both the !ind and number of proto%oans. &utrition ! ost municipal wastewater treatment plants, however dilute, contains sufficient nutrients to support most of the proto%oan associated with wastewater. Rotifers... :otifers are rarely found in large numbers in wastewater treatment processes. The principal role of rotifers is the removal of bacteria and the development of floc. :otifers contribute to the removal of effluent turbidity by removing non-flocculated bacteria. ucous secreted by rotifers at either the mouth opening or the foot aids in floc formation. :otifers re&uire a longer time to become established in the treatment process. :otifers indicate increasing stabili%ation of organic wastes. Indicator Microorganisms... The indicator microorganisms that feed on bacteria can be observed by using inexpensive microscopes at lower powers of magnification. -ome forms may need to be stained for viewing. 'rocess status can then be interpreted from these observations. .or operational purposes, the relative types of microorganisms present in an activated sludge sample, the predominance of each of the various types and the mobility of the microorganisms are the primary concerns. The microorganisms that appear most fre&uently and the activity of these microorganisms enables the operator to interpret occurrences in the process. The more common microorganisms encountered and their relative numbers are shown below. 'Relative Predominance of Microorganisms'... ,ne important operational philosophy that merits a constant reminder is that ; (1) any specific microorganism predominates in a given environment because it thrives in the existing conditions, (2) normally the operator has created the conditions favorable to the microorganism and (<) to decrease the microorganism predominance, the operator need only change its environment (that is control the process) to provide less favorable conditions. /f the environment is changed drastically, a different microorganism will &uic!ly predominate (unless all microorganisms are destroyed). A normal transition results in the gradual disappearance of the former, during routine observation, with the latter gradually ta!ing over.

Introduction to Filament Identification... Filament Identification... /n order to identify many of the following filament characteristics, the mixed li&uor must be examined under 177= using immersion oil. /t is difficult to see many of these characteristics under lower magnifications. Filament S(a e and )engt(... .ilaments may be long, short, smoothly curved, coiled, irregularly bent, straight, or bundled. Individual *ell S(a e... .ilamentous bacteria are made up of a chain of cells. The shape of the individual cells is a characteristic that can help us to identify the different filamentous bacterial types. 0ell shape may be round, s&uare, rectangular, oval, or discoid. *ell Se ta... The cell septa is the "line" which separates each individual cell which ma!es up the bacterial filament. The septa are clearly seen in some filaments an is very difficult to see in others. -ome septa are "indented" and some are not. /ndentations and the ability to clearly see the cell septa are other characteristics which can help us to identify the different filamentous bacteria. Motility... otility is the ability of an organism to produce motion or to move. Beggiatoa spp is only one filamentous bacterium found in activated sludge that is motile. Intercellular +ranules... -ome filaments store by-products as intercellular granules (mostly sulfur granules). -ulfur granules can be seen very clearly under phase contrast and are found usually in septic wastes. -ulfur granules are commonly found in Beggiatoa, Thiothrix and Type 721>.

Branc(ing... ?ranching may be "true" or "false". /f a filament has true branching the intercellular fluids will flow freely throughout all the branches of the filament. /ntercellular fluids cannot flow through false branches. /n false branching the filament are simply attached to each other simulating a branch. There are only two filaments which exhibit branching; one has true branching and the other false. Nocardia spp has true branching and Sphaerotilus natans exhibits false branching. S(eat(... The cells of some filamentous organisms are contained in a tight fitting sheath. The easiest way to detect a sheath is to loo! for "missing spaces" between the cells. -ome filaments which have a sheath are Haliscomenobactor hydrosis, Sphaerotilus natans, Type 1471, Type 7751, and Type 764#. Attac(ed +ro,t(...

-ome filaments have bacterial cells attached along the side, perpendicular to the filament. There are three filaments on which this commonly occurs. Type 7751, Type 764#, and Type 1471. Troubles(ooting Tests... The operator must determine the probable cause and select one or more of the corrective measures to restore the process to full efficiency with the least adverse effect on the final effluent &uality and at the lowest cost. To do this, the operator needs a thorough !nowledge of the plant@s activated sludge process and how it fits into the overall plant operation. Mi%ed )i-uor Settleability Test ! This section refers fre&uently to the mixed li&uor settleability test and a settleometer, a specially mar!ed wide mouth bea!er, for observing how sludge settles. -ome operators use a 1 - 9 graduated cylinder instead of the settleometer for this test, but the sidewall effects of the narrow cylinder interfere with the settling. This test, which shows the mixed li&uor settling characteristics under controlled conditions, is one of the most useful tools for understanding what is happening to the process. *hen performing the test, observe the floc in the settleometer to determine if it is granular with well - defined edges and interspaces. Troubles(ooting by Settling Test... 'Settleability Test for Bul.ing Sludge'...

Perform microsco ic e%amination... 1. Aery few or no filaments, dispersed floc, supernatant turbid or cloudy o 0hec! for toxics and low specific oxygen upta!e rate Bnforce sewer use ordinance o 0hec! for high .) bul!ing and 9A--, -:T, .) and influent ?,+ changes -witch to contact stabili%ation, if possible +ecrease wasting, put another aeration tan! on-line if necessary +ecrease return rate Cse settling aid, if possible 2. Aery few or no filaments, dispersed floc, supernatant clear but clarifier effluent cloudy o 0hec! for high .) bul!ing and 9A--, -:T, .) and influent ?,+ changes -witch to contact stabili%ation, if possible +ecrease wasting, put another aeration tan! on-line if necessary +ecrease return rate Cse settling aid, if possible

<. Aery few or no filaments, dispersed floc, supernatant clear o 0hec! for high 9--, low .) and old, thic! sludge causing hindered settling (not bul!ing) 0onduct dilution test, if dilution improves settleability, increase wasting to raise .)

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oderate to large number of filaments, (try to /+ filaments involved and determine if they are bacteria or fungi), supernatant very clear o 0hlorinate :A- at 1 - 17 !gD1,777 !g 9A--.day, starting low, chec! fre&uency of exposure onitor settleability, monitor effluent turbidity, and observe filaments with microscope, correct underlying cause of bul!ing o 0hec! available >, ', and .e for nutrient deficiency /f ?,+)> E 177)<, try adding > /f ?,+)' E 177)1, try adding ' /f ?,+).e E 177)7.#, try adding .e o 0hec! for too low +, for .) or specific oxygen upta!e rate /f +, too low, increase aeration /f +, uneven; (a) 0lean diffusers (b) /ncrease aerator speed or raise weir (c) 0hange to step feed, complete-mix or tapered aeration, if possible +ecrease .) , if possible Add a settling aid Cse upstream attached growth process, if possible o 0hec! p3 for wide fluctuations or low value 0hlorinate :A- (see above) /f influent p3 F 6.#, identify source and correct or try raising p3 /f widely varying, control at source /f process is nitrifying unnecessarily, increase wasting, if nitrification is re&uired, raise and maintain constant p3 o 0hec! influent wastewater and in-plant side-streams for filaments 0hlorinate influent at # - 17 mgD9 're-aerate upstream, if possible ,ptimi%e performance of or upgrade in-plant processes o 0hec! for insufficient soluble ?,+ gradient causing low .) bul!ing 0onsider using a selector or switching to plug-flow /ncrease .) +ecrease aeration tan!age on-line o 0hec! for high .) bul!ing -witch to contact stabili%ation, if possible +ecrease wasting, put another aeration tan! on-line, if necessary o 0hec! for septic wastewater with sulphides Add an oxidi%ing agent

're-aerate upstream, if possible