In situ enzyme activities of filamentous scum bacteria in municipal activated sludge wastewater treatment plants

In situ phosphatase, esterase, lipase, and β‐glucuronidase activities were investigated in filamentous scum bacteria by ELF (enzyme labeled fluorescence)‐technology. Microthrix parvicella exhibited significant activities for all four enzymes with lipase activity being the highest. In situ activities were considerably higher in activated sludge as compared to scum indicating M. parvicella growth to occur mainly in the sludge fraction. “Nocardioform actinomycetes” showed significant activities for phosphatase, esterase, and β‐glucuronidase, lipase activity was only moderate. Activities revealed to be similar for activated sludge and scum. As population densities of enzyme‐active actinomycetes were noticeably higher in scum they presumably find good growth conditions in the scum layer. Enzyme activities in Nostocoida limicola morphotypes were only low with no lipase activity being detected. Due to their phylogenetic diversity activity assignment should be combined with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Numerous type 0041/0675 and type 1851 filaments showed all but lipase activity. However, some of their attached bacteria revealed to be lipase‐active. Only a few morphotype 0092 filaments revealed phosphatase, esterase, and β‐glucuronidase activity. ELF investigations proved suitable for monitoring in situ filamentous activity. Present imponderabilities of Eikelboom morphotype phylogenetic affiliation are discussed.     

Scum in Nutrient Removal Plants: The Role of Carbon Sources in “Microthrix parvicella” Growth

Scum formation is a widespread problem in activated sludge nutrient removal plants. It often comes along with an excessive development of the filamentous bacterium “Microthrix parvicella” stabilizing the flotation process. As “M. parvicella” was found to depend on long‐chain fatty acids (LCFA) as sole carbon source not only in vitro but also in situ, some options of in‐situ substrate supply are discussed. Wastewater concentrations of fatty acids in the range of 2 to 15 mg L^‐1 and homologue concentrations from synthetic surfactant degradation below 10 mg L^‐1 rule out these substrates as source for excessive biomass production. They might, however, well be suitable for start‐up of a “M. parvicella” population. Build‐up of excessive biomass might rely on fatty acid supply originating in cell walls of lysed stationary phase bacteria of long residence time sludge fractions such as scum layers. Moreover, biogenic surfactants such as rhamnolipids have been proved to be an excellent carbon source for excessive biomass production in vitro.     

The role and significance of extracellular polymers in activated sludge. Part I: Literature review

In biological wastewater treatment, bacteria tend to aggregate by forming flocs, biofilms and even granules. A large part of the floc structure in activated sludge is composed of extracellular polymers. The extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are mainly responsible for the structural and functional integrity of biofilms/flocs and they are considered to be important for the physico‐chemical properties of activated sludge. This review considers the composition of EPS and proportion between the constituents. Moreover it includes the relationship between the EPS constituents and sludge properties such as sludge retention time, hydrophobicity and surface charge.     

Quality and Possibilities of Use of Stabilized Sludge Compost Obtained by Inoculation with Geocell‐1 Consortium

Anaerobically stabilized sludge from wastewater treatment is always a challenge from the environmental aspect of management. The agrarian environmental surroundings present a possibility for swift and efficient utilization of compost from anaerobically stabilized sludge in order to increase the quality of the biological product. With intensification of the composting procedure by means of the microbiological consortium Geocell‐1 (Cellvibrio sp., Pseudomonas fluorescens with the addition of micro‐ and macro‐elements), the results show that the compost obtained from stabilized sludge after inoculation is significantly improved in terms of moisture reduction (39–43%), while in the control compost, this value is significantly higher with 61%. The results of the pathogenic effect show a significant reduction in the number of fecal coliform (<1 × 10³) and Enterococcus bacteria (<1 × 10⁴) in the inoculated (treated) compost. With a slight decrease in the concentration of limiting factors such as As, Cd, Cu, a quality biological product can be achieved, which can be safely deposited on soil. The phytotoxicological germination test with white mustard (Sinapis alba) shows a higher number of sprouting plants with a mixture of treated compost and standard soil for flowers 1:1 and 1:4 compared to the control group.     

Naphthalene Degradation Kinetics of Micrococcus sp., Isolated from Activated Sludge

Biodegradation of naphthalene by Micrococcus sp., isolated from the effluent of an activated sludge plant, was studied. The effects of pH (5–8), glucose concentration (100–1000 mg/L) and inoculum concentrations (1–5%) on the growth and naphthalene degradation potential of Micrococcus sp. were investigated. Maximum naphthalene degradation and subsequent high microbial growth were observed at optimum pH (pH 7), glucose concentration (500 mg/L) and inoculum concentration (3%). To investigate the maximum naphthalene tolerance potential of Micrococcus sp., very high concentrations of naphthalene (500–5000 mg/L) were used in the presence of non‐ionic surfactants. The examined surfactants (Triton X‐100 and Tween‐80) increased the bioavailability of naphthalene to the microbes and Complete naphthalene degradation by Micrococcus sp. was observed at an initial naphthalene concentration of 500 mg/L. However, the degradation potential decreases as the naphthalene concentration increases. Very high naphthalene concentrations also affected the growth of microbes and the corresponding substrate inhibition kinetics was described using four models (Haldane, Webb, Edward and Aiba). Based on correlation coefficient and percentage error values, all four substrate kinetic models were able to describe the dynamic behavior of naphthalene biodegradation by Micrococcus sp.     

Evaluation of Sludge Digester Effluent as Feeding Solution for the Enrichment of Anammox Bacteria

The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of sludge digester effluent as feeding solution to enrich anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) bacteria. The performance of the two parallel pilot scale‐upflow packed bed anammox reactors (UPBAn1 and UPBAn2) are examined in terms of the enrichment of anammox bacteria. The control experiment is set up conducting synthetic wastewater as feeding solution in the UPBAn1 reactor whereas, the sludge digester effluent is fed to the nitritation reactor and then the partially nitrated digester effluent to the UPBAn2 reactor. Anammox activities are evaluated by mass balances based on ammonium (NH₄⁺), nitrite (NO₂^?), and nitrate (NO₃^?) analysis and NRR. Microbial community of anammox bacteria is analyzed using real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results demonstrate that UPBAn 1 and UPBAn2 reactors are successfully enriched on days 64 and 40 with NRRs of 19.54 and 19.43 g N m^?3 per day, respectively. This study reveals that both synthetic wastewater and digester effluent are suitable for the enrichment of anammox bacteria; however, digester effluent as feeding solution for enrichment of anammox bacteria based on the ease of process control and process stability is more advisable.     

Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopic characterization of Neoproterozoic organic microfossils from the Fifteenmile Group in Yukon,Canada

Conventional and synchrotron radiation‐based (SR) Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopies (micro‐FTIR) were applied to four types of ~ 810 Ma organic‐walled microfossils together with diffuse organic matter (OM) and one irregularly shaped structure from the Fifteenmile Group, in Yukon, Canada, for their chemical characterization. The microfossils comprised one filamentous type and three coccoidal types. Micro‐FTIR mapping analysis revealed the micrometer‐scale, spatial distribution of organic components (aliphatic C‐H bonds) and carbonate in the microfossils. Based on comparisons of CH₃/CH₂ peak height ratios (R_3/2) and morphologies of the microfossils (without the diffuse OM) to those of previously described Proterozoic microfossils, possible affinities of the microfossils are suggested, as follows. Palaeolyngbya? and Glenobotrydion belong to bacteria. Myxococcoides is not clearly characterized due to the significant mixing with diffuse OM containing abundant aliphatic C‐H groups. The irregularly shaped structure may represent a eukaryote. The diffuse OM may represent a mixture of decomposed microbial cells and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). SR micro‐FTIR measurements of two coccoid types (Glenobotrydion and Unnamed Coccoid Form D) revealed that the R_3/2 values of the internal spots with wall structures are similar to those without wall structures in Glenobotrydion: those values from Unnamed Coccoid Form D were different. The results suggest that these two coccoids are different chemically as well as morphologically. Micro‐FTIR characterization of the organic‐walled microfossils together with morphological analysis provides new insight into their biological affinities.     

Behavior of Steroid Hormones and Conjugates During Wastewater Treatment – A Comparison of Three Sewage Treatment Plants

The fate of the steroid hormones 17 β‐estradiol, estrone, estriol, 16 α‐hydroxyestrone, and β‐estradiol 17‐acetate, the hormone‐conjugates β‐estradiol 3‐sulfate and estrone 3‐sulfate, and the oral contraceptives 17 α‐ethinylestradiol and mestranol were studied during wastewater treatment as wastewater treatment plants are the major source contamination of urban surface waters with steroid hormones. The elimination efficiencies of three different concepts of WWTPs, i. e., activated sludge versus trickling filter, were compared over four weeks at different weather conditions. While larger WWTPs operating on activated sludge eliminated hormones more constantly than smaller WWTPs, heavy rainfall events led to a collapse of the elimination efficiency. By using trickling filter techniques for the treatment of wastewater an elimination of the steroid hormones could not be observed. Additionally, mass flows on a per person basis are compared. In the three experiments, which ran continuously for four weeks each, it turned out that the concentrations of ethinylestradiol and mestranol were below 6 ng/L in all samples. The inflow concentrations were 70 to 82 ng/L (estrone), 17 to 44 ng/L (estradiol), 61 to 130 ng/L (hydroxyestrone), 189 to 255 ng/L (estriol), 10 to 17 ng/L (estrone‐3‐sulfate) and about 28 ng/L (estradiol‐3‐ sulfate). While in the activated sludge treatment plants the elimination of estrone was 90 and 50%, respectively, estrone was formed from precursors in the trickling filter plant. A similar situation occurred for 17β‐estradiol, estrone 3‐sulfate, and estradiol 3‐sulfate. Hydroxyestrone was eliminated with similar efficiencies in all wastewater treatment plants (64 to 82%), as well as estriol (34 to 69%). Accordingly, the emissions of the wastewater treatment plants differed largely and were not attributed to the size of the respective plant, only.     

Flocculation–Sedimentation Combined with Chemical Oxidation Process

Flocculation and sedimentation of particles are essential to many environmental and industrial processes. Solid–liquid separation in olive‐oil mill wastewater treatment by means of Fenton system is the key to work continuously and maintain a constant outlet flow of clarified water at the end of the oxidation process. Natural sedimentation is not capable to eliminate the sludge formed. The efficiency of flocculation operation using different flocculants as QG‐2001, QG‐2002, DQGALFLOC‐130H, and Nalco‐77171 was investigated. The optimum dosage of each flocculant, 150, 2.5, 66, and 6 mg dm^?3, respectively, was determined. The results revealed that the best flocculant was Nalco‐77171, which determined 13.5% v/v final sludge separation and 86.5% v/v final clarified water obtained. Kinetics of sludge removal in the transition zone was adjusted to power law, v/v₀ = Kt^ε, where the exponent, ε, varied in the range 0.141–0.670.     

Gewässerfeindliche Wirkungen von Phosphaten in Flüssen und Bächen

Phosphates cause an increasing proliferation of submerged flowering plants or green filamentous and other algae types in surface waters. These tangles of growth impede the water flow, distort the flow rates calculated on the basis of the water level, disturb and disrupt bathers, shipping activities, fishing and fish breeding, power plant operations, the replenishment of the underground aquifer and the preparation of water for drinking. Primary and secondary wastewater treatment cannot offset the strong imbalance produced in surface waters. Protective measures are discussed.      

Comparative Assessment of Sludge Pre‐Treatment Techniques to Enhance Sludge Dewaterability and Biogas Production

Effectiveness of ultrasonication, microwave technologies, and enzyme addition prior to anaerobic digestion is investigated using sludge samples taken from the secondary settling tank of a domestic wastewater treatment plant to improve methane production, enhance dewaterability characteristics of the sludge, and to reduce excess sludge. Microwave pre‐treatment (1500 W, 10 min at 175 °C) results in better extra digester performance (compared to the control reactor) in terms of methane production (25 m³ ton^?1 suspended solids (SS)) than ultrasound (no improvement) and enzyme pre‐treatment (11 m³ ton^?1 SS). While methane production is not improved as a result of ultrasonication pre‐treatment (15 000 kJ kg^?1 SS), a noticeable increase (19%) is observed in the case of microwave pre‐treatment. Higher compactibility values are obtained after ultrasonication and microwave application compared to the control (i.e., from 7.1 to 8.7 and 9.2%, respectively) before anaerobic digestion. Although ultrasonication and microwave application decrease the dewaterability of the raw sludge (capillary suction time (CST) from 827 to 1364 and 2290 s, respectively), similar dewaterability results are obtained at the end of the anaerobic digestion process for all pre‐treated sludge samples. An economic assessment of this study shows that pre‐treatment with microwave results in more than 10‐fold less net cost compared to the enzyme application.     

Using of the Ornamental Fish in Wastewater Biological Treatment

Breeding ornamental fish in wastewater was a successful solution not only to decrease sanitary risks but also to encourage fish growth. In fact, the secondary treated effluent was used to grow a walking catfish (Clarias batrachus), a western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis; Poeciliidae), and a leopard pleco (Glyptoperichthys gibbiceps). The growth rate of fish reared in final treated wastewater was significantly higher than of treated effluent (25 and 50%) and the relative growth rate during 2 months reached 2, 4, and 2.5, respectively. Bacterial loads were important in the gills compared to other fish organs (intestine, skin, and edible muscles). However, the total aerobic germs ranged between 2 × 10³ and 3.4 × 10³ cfu/g in the edible fish species cultured in secondary treated effluent. The pathogenic bacteria Aeromonas hydrophila was absent in all examined fish muscles. However, the presence of tested fishes did not prevent the reduction of the treatment biological parameter (BOD and COD) at half, in the three treated wastewater proportions (25, 50, and 100%) and thereafter, they clearly participated to the tertiary biological treatment of used water. Further bacteriological and physico‐chemical analyses indicated that the use of treated wastewater in aquaculture is safe and risks to human health are reduced.     

Use of Chemotaxonomy To Study the Influence of Benzalkonium Chloride on Bacterial Populations in Biodegradation Testing

Contradictory results are reported for the behaviour of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) in sewage treatment plants (STPs). QACs may sorb onto activated sludge. Only little information is available with respect to effects of QACs against bacteria in STPs. Only 5 to 15 % of bacteria present in sewage sludge can be detected by means of culture dependent microbiological methods. The shift of the bacterial populations due to effects of test compounds have not been studied up to now with culture independent methods. The microbial populations shift was studied in situ using culture independent chemotaxonomy profiling ubiquinones and polyamines. Additionally, toxic effects of QACs against bacteria present in the test vessels of the Zahn‐Wellens test (OECD 302 B) were assessed with a toxicity control in the test. The ubiquinone profiles representing changes in Gram‐negative populations mainly showed that the activated sludge was affected only in test vessels containing benzalkonium chloride. According to chemotaxonomy Acinetobacter or/and some members of Pseudomonas spp. have been selected by benzalkonium chloride after some adaptation period (8 to 12 days).     

Partitioning of Fluoroquinolones on Wastewater Sludge

Laboratory‐scale batch experiments were conducted to investigate the adsorption behavior of eight fluoroquinolones (FQs) on aerobic, anoxic, and anaerobic sludge, under different adsorpiton time, pH, and temperature conditions. Results indicated that adsorption of FQs onto all sludge was a physical sorption process. The relationship of the partitioning coefficient (K_d) and the octanol/water partition coefficient (K_ow) for each FQ was established. The adsorbed fraction of FQs on sludge could then be predicted with the K_d. It was calculated that about 50–72% of the FQs were adsorbed on the sludge. Therefore, the adsorption effect must be considered when studying the fate and occurrence of FQs in wastewater treatment systems.     

Untersuchung des biologischen Abbaus von polycyclischen aromatischen Kohlenwasserstoffen in einer Labor-Kläranlage

Study of the Biological Degradation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in a Laboratory-scale Plant A one-stage laboratory-scale wastewater treatment plant composed of a bubble column reactor with sedimentor and sludge recycle is fed with an oil/water emulsion from a contaminated site. The oil phase is highly contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). The samples are taken regularly at defined points of the treatment plant (influent, reactor, return sludge, effluent). The analysis of PAH is performed by HPLC. We can show that all analysed PAH including the poorly degradable carcinogenic substances such as benzo[a]pyrene are biologically transformed. Additional measurements of the toxic and mutagenic potential of the wastewater show that in the laboratory-scale plant full removal of the carcinogenic potential is not achieved. This is due to the fact that during the biological transformation of higher condensated PAH mutagenic dead-end metabolites are produced.     

Untersuchung von drei Grundwasserwerken auf Vorkommen von Acanthamoeben,Naeglerien und anderen freilebenden Amöben

Prevalence of Acanthamoebae, Naegleriae and Other Free-living Amoebae in the Course of Water Treatment in Three Well Waterworks Numerous species of free-living amoebae and other protozoa had been observed in the raw water of three representative waterworks with enriched well water. They were eliminated most effectively during the water treatment procedure. Acanthamoebae and Naegleriae including thermophilic strains of these genera could not be identified in any of the clear water samples. Acanthamoebae and Vannellae isolated from different samples exhibited repeatedly intracellular infections with bacteria of the genus Cytophaga. Their role as possible hosts of different pathogenic and non pathogenic bacteria like Legionella sp., Listeria sp., and Pseudomonas sp. is confirmed by this observation. As known from earlier findings in connection with the Acanthamoeba-Legionella model, it can be assumed, that bacteria multiplying in trophozoites or being enclosed in cysts are protected against high concentrations of chlorine and other biocides.     

Waste Activated Sludge Disintegration in an Ultrasonic Batch Reactor

The production of excess sludge is one of the most serious challenges in biological wastewater treatment. In the present work, disintegration is added as a new additional unit operation in a wastewater treatment plant, and the main objective is to reduce the amount of excess sludge. The use of high power ultrasound can effectively disintegrate the bacterial cells, and thereby, enhance the subsequent biodegradation during digestion. In the study, attempts are made to determine the disintegration capacity of waste activated sludge that has different total solids (TS) concentrations with low ultrasound frequency (20 kHz) and a fixed amplitude value (50%). The results show that in terms of soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) release, sludge disintegration was primarily governed by ultrasonic density (W mL^–1), whereas specific energy input appears to be more critical for protein release. A SCOD release of about 329 mg SCOD gTS^–1 was obtained at a TS content of 2% and specific energy input of 5 kWs gTS^–1. The SCOD release decreased to 248.5 and 124.2 mgSCOD gTS^–1 at TS contents of 4 and 6%, respectively. The highest protein release of 80.7 mg gTS^–1 was obtained at a TS content of 2% and a specific energy input of 10 kWs g^–1. The sludge disintegration efficiency declined significantly at higher TS content.     

Anwendung von biologischen Testverfahren an Abwässern der Textilindustrie

Testing Effluents of the Textile Refining Industry with Biological Methods The environmental problems caused by the manufacture of finished textiles involve a long chain of individual processes. This “textile chain” includes very diverse enterprises of varied size and structure. The textile refiners occupy a key position in the “textile chain”. On the one hand, this is due to their use of an obscurely large number of chemicals which can end up in the wastewater as well as in the textile products. On the other hand, this key role of the textile refining industry is based on their central position between the preproduction stage and the consumers. This study dealt with the textile refining industry's wastewater. As measured by volume and contents of its wastewater, this industry can be counted among the major industrial plants which discharge into municipal wastewater treatment plants. German wastewater legislation includes the provision that substances which are toxic, persistent, capable of accumulating, carcinogenic, fetotoxic or mutagenic be kept out of natural waters as well as technically possible (Wasserhaushaltsgesetz WHG). Several biotest methods for examining the effect of the substances contained in the wastewater were incorporated into the appendix of the German wastewater regulation (Rahmenabwasser-Verwaltungsvorschrift based on § 7a WHG). The aim of this study was to show, with the aid of biotest methods, how strongly the wastewater of textile refining companies is polluted as compared to other known industrial branches and to what degree the pollution of these wastewaters is eliminated by the treatment in wastewater treatment plants. Finally, we experimented to find out which biotest methods were suited for the examination of these wastewaters. The study's results show that the ecotoxicity of the textile refining industry's wastewater was only extraordinary high in isolated cases as compared to other examined branches of industry. The textile wastewaters exhibit values of G_L = 3 to G_L = 96 in the luminescent bacteria test, G_D = 1 to G_D = 192 (with one exception of G_D > 30000) in the daphnia test and G_F < = 2 to G_F = 32 in the fish test. It turned out though, that a large number of the samples from the textile refining companies (27%) reacted mutagenically in the Ames test in their native state. Consecutive tests for chromosomal aberrations (V79 hamster cell test) also showed mutagenic potential in five out of nine native samples. The employed testing methods with fish, daphnia and luminescent bacteria demonstrate a higher sensitivity of the luminescent bacteria and/or the daphnia as opposed to the fish in most cases. As the fish test is controversial anyway on the grounds of animal protection, a replacement of the fish test by these other tests should be aimed at: on account of the different end points of the luminescent bacteria and the daphnia test, a combination of these tests appears most sensible.     

Typology of segregated (armoured/paved) surfaces: Some comments

A review of the characteristics of segregated surfaces and consideration of the origins of the terms armoured and paved suggests that the two terms are interchangeable, and that neither term is specifically associated with a particular segregation process. The dichotomy between segregated surfaces which are formed in channels in which the entire range of bed material is mobile under the prevailing hydrologic regime, and segregated surfaces which are intrinsically stable, forms the basis of an elementary distinction between different types of segregated surface. It is suggested that the term stable armour or stable pavement be applied to those cases where the segregated surface is considered to be inactive under the prevailing hydrologic regime, and that the term unstable armour or unstable pavement be applied to cases where the segregated surface experiences periodic mobilization.