Application of microbial indices to assess the performance of a sequencing batch reactor and membrane bioreactor treating municipal wastewater

Microbial indexes of filamentous bacterial density were evaluated for their potential to act as indicators of sludge settling characteristics for sequencing batch reactor (SBR) and membrane bioreactor (MBR) treatment options. These options were operated using settled sewage over a range of aerated loading rates from 0.05 to 0.4/d and the evolution of protozoan and metazoan populations analysed. A filament density score ranging between 0 and 5, which has previously been applied to conventional activated sludge processes, was shown also to be a useful tool for the SBR and MBR, and was correlated to the settleability of the mixed liquor from both reactors. Due to the hydrodynamics of both systems and the subsequent differences in mixed liquors, optimum performance for each bioreactor was obtained under different operating conditions. Although there was no correlation between the numbers of any given protozoan species and plant operating conditions, there was a clear dependence between operating conditions and protozoan diversity. The highest diversity was found when operating conditions were optimum for both the SBR and MBR.

[1]  L. Alvarez-Cohen,et al.  Bacterial community structure in geographically distributed biological wastewater treatment reactors. , 2010, Environmental science & technology.

[2]  G. Cappai,et al.  A direct comparison amongst different technologies (aerobic granular sludge, SBR and MBR) for the treatment of wastewater contaminated by 4-chlorophenol. , 2010, Journal of hazardous materials.

[3]  Manuel Gómez,et al.  Applicability of the Sludge Biotic Index (SBI) for MBR activated sludge control. , 2009, Journal of hazardous materials.

[4]  Y. F. Yang,et al.  Evaluation of performance and microbial ecology of sequencing batch reactor and membrane bioreactor treating thin-film transistor liquid crystal display wastewater. , 2008, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.

[5]  E. Fiałkowska,et al.  The role of Lecane rotifers in activated sludge bulking control. , 2008, Water research.

[6]  R. Qi,et al.  Comparative study of protozoan communities in full-scale MWTPs in Beijing related to treatment processes. , 2008, Water research.

[7]  Gianni Andreottola,et al.  Flux criticality and sustainability in a hollow fibre submerged membrane bioreactor for municipal wastewater treatment , 2007 .

[8]  Jiayin Dai,et al.  The microfauna communities and operational monitoring of an activated sludge plant in China. , 2006, European journal of protistology.

[9]  Corinne Cabassud,et al.  Comparison of sludge characteristics and performance of a submerged membrane bioreactor and an activated sludge process at high solids retention time. , 2006, Water research.

[10]  Nazim Cicek,et al.  STATE-OF-THE-ART OF MEMBRANE BIOREACTORS: WORLDWIDE RESEARCH AND COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS IN NORTH AMERICA , 2006 .

[11]  Christian G. Klatt,et al.  Adaptations in bacterial catabolic enzyme activity and community structure in membrane-coupled bioreactors fed simple synthetic wastewater. , 2006, Journal of biotechnology.

[12]  C X Huo,et al.  SBR Performance with an Excessive Long Sludge Age , 2005, Environmental technology.

[13]  Somnath Basu,et al.  Ciliate populations as bio-indicators at Deer Island Treatment Plant , 2004 .

[14]  M. V. van Loosdrecht,et al.  Filamentous bulking sludge--a critical review. , 2004, Water research.

[15]  I. Chang,et al.  Domestic wastewater treatment by a submerged MBR (membrane bio-reactor) with enhanced air sparging. , 2003, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.

[16]  David M. Stamper,et al.  Bacterial Population Changes in a Membrane Bioreactor for Graywater Treatment Monitored by Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoretic Analysis of 16S rRNA Gene Fragments , 2003, Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

[17]  M. Takashima,et al.  Filamentous bulking control by sponge media in lab‐scale SBR process , 2003, Environmental technology.

[18]  Jinwoo Cho,et al.  Modeling of submerged membrane bioreactor process for wastewater treatment , 2002 .

[19]  J. Burgess,et al.  Assessment of Microbial Populations in Activated Sludge Using an Organism Diversity Index , 2002 .

[20]  Xia Huang,et al.  Effect of sludge retention time on microbial behaviour in a submerged membrane bioreactor , 2001 .

[21]  M. Höfle,et al.  Grazing of protozoa and its effect on populations of aquatic bacteria. , 2001, FEMS microbiology ecology.

[22]  J. Keller,et al.  Full-scale demonstration of biological nutrient removal in a single tank SBR process. , 2001, Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research.

[23]  F. Nakajima,et al.  Predator grazing effect on bacterial size distribution and floc size variation in membrane-separation activated sludge , 2000 .

[24]  T. Stephenson,et al.  Low Biomass Yield Activated Sludge: A Review , 1997 .

[25]  R. Harvey,et al.  Effect of flagellates on free-living bacterial abundance in an organically contaminated aquifer. , 1997, FEMS microbiology reviews.

[26]  M. Martín-Cereceda,et al.  A comparative study of ciliated protozoa communities in activated-sludge plants , 1996 .

[27]  J. M. Amigó,et al.  Capability of ciliated protozoa as indicators of effluent quality in activated sludge plants , 1995 .

[28]  K. Schleifer,et al.  Phylogenetic identification and in situ detection of individual microbial cells without cultivation. , 1995, Microbiological reviews.

[29]  Miroslav Macek,et al.  Bacteria and Protozoa Population Dynamics in Biological Phosphate Removal Systems , 1994 .

[30]  P. Madoni.  Microfauna biomass in activated sludge and biofilm. , 1994 .

[31]  J R Saunders,et al.  The phylogeny of autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria as determined by analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences. , 1993, Journal of general microbiology.

[32]  K. Schleifer,et al.  Probing activated sludge with oligonucleotides specific for proteobacteria: inadequacy of culture-dependent methods for describing microbial community structure , 1993, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[33]  N. Horan,et al.  The use of protozoa to indicate changes in the performance of activated sludge plants , 1991 .

[34]  Kazuo Yamamoto,et al.  Direct Solid-Liquid Separation Using Hollow Fiber Membrane in an Activated Sludge Aeration Tank , 1989 .

[35]  C. R. Curds,et al.  A theoretical study of factors influencing the microbial population dynamics of the activated-sludge process—I The effects of diurnal variations of sewage and carnivorous ciliated protozoa , 1973 .

[36]  Willy Verstraete,et al.  Reduced sludge production in a two-stage membrane-assisted bioreactor , 2000 .

[37]  Nazim Cicek,et al.  Characterization and Comparison of a Membrane Bioreactor and a Conventional Activated‐Sludge System in the Treatment of Wastewater Containing High‐Molecular‐Weight Compounds , 1999 .

[38]  Peter A. Wilderer,et al.  Controlled unsteady state processes and technologies - An overview , 1997 .

[39]  N. Horan,et al.  Protozoan and metazoan populations in sequencing batch reactors operated for nitrification and/or denitrification , 1997 .

[40]  G. Daigger,et al.  Manual on the causes and control of activated sludge bulking and foaming , 1992 .

[41]  A. E. Greenberg,et al.  Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater : supplement to the sixteenth edition , 1988 .