Artificial intelligence and multivariate statistics for comprehensive assessment of filamentous bacteria in wastewater treatment plants experiencing sludge bulking

The excessive growth of filamentous bacteria and the resultant bulking of activated sludge constitute a serious problem in numerous wastewater treatment plants. Lecane inermis rotifers were previously shown to be capable of reducing the abundance of Microthrix parvicella and Nostocoida limicola in activated sludge. In the present study, the effectiveness of four Lecane clones in reducing the abundance of Type 021N filamentous bacteria was investigated. Three independent experiments were carried out on activated sludge from three different treatment plants. We found that Lecane rotifers are efficient consumers of Type 021N filaments.

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Deep learning-based morphology classification of activated sludge flocs in wastewater treatment plants

Environmental Science Water Research & Technology ◽

10.1039/d0ew00908c ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hisashi Satoh ◽

Yukari Kashimoto ◽

Naoki Takahashi ◽

Takashi Tsujimura

Keyword(s):

Wastewater Treatment ◽

Deep Learning ◽

Activated Sludge ◽

Morphological Change ◽

Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽

Filamentous Bacteria ◽

Sludge Flocs

A deep learning-based two-label classifier 1 recognized a 20% morphological change in the activated flocs. Classifier-2 quantitatively recognized an abundance of filamentous bacteria in activated flocs.

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Performances of three R-AN-D-N wastewater treatment plants in the Czech Republic

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2004.0467 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 50 (7) ◽

pp. 249-255 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Z. Bejvl ◽

P. Matuška ◽

J. Stara ◽

P. Chudoba

Keyword(s):

Wastewater Treatment ◽

Czech Republic ◽

Activated Sludge ◽

Nutrient Removal ◽

Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽

Industrial Effluents ◽

Filamentous Bacteria ◽

The Czech Republic ◽

Treated Sewage ◽

Nutrient Removal Efficiency

The evolution of Czech standards requires higher efficiency of nutrient removal from municipal wastewaters. At the beginning of the last decade of 20th century, a new activated sludge configuration called R-AN-D-N process has been described, successfully tested and now largely used at several wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in the Czech republic. The main feature of the R-AN-D-N process is the introduction of a regeneration zone in sludge recycle, which enables to increase sludge age in the system without any substantial increase in WWTP volume. Performances of three Czech large WWTP with R-AN-D-N configuration have been monitored and compared within a period of one and a half years. The results confirmed excellent nutrient removal efficiency for wastewaters with different proportion between sewage and industrial effluents. Two of three monitored WWTP received wastewaters from breweries (Budweiser and Pilsner Urquell). The settleability of activated sludge from all three WWTP was correct, with SVI values usually ranging from 50 to 150 ml/g. Monitoring of sludge composition indicated proliferation of several filamentous bacteria, particularly types 0581, 0092 and M. parvicella. No severe bulking events were observed. Finally, the operational costs expressed in CZK (Czech crown: 1CZK = €0.0322) per cubic metre of treated sewage or per capita amounts respectively from 2.24 to 6.52, and from 285 to 342.

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Molecular monitoring of bulking sludge in industrial wastewater treatment plants

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2002.0533 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 46 (1-2) ◽

pp. 551-558 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

J. van der Waarde ◽

J. Krooneman ◽

B. Geurkink ◽

A. van der Werf ◽

D. Eikelboom ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Wastewater Treatment ◽

Textile Industry ◽

Industrial Wastewater ◽

Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽

In Situ Hybridisation ◽

Filamentous Bacteria ◽

Molecular Monitoring ◽

Industrial Wastewater Treatment ◽

Operational Conditions ◽

Filamentous Microorganisms

Fluorescent In Situ Hybridisation (FISH) was used to monitor the presence of filamentous microorganisms in industrial wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Monitoring with a restricted set of FISH probes in WWTPs from potato industry showed growth and decline of Thiothrix populations that could be linked to operational procedures. In a follow up project new FISH probes were developed for filamentous bacteria in industrial WWTPs and 70 WWTPs were analysed for presence of these filaments. Several newly described species of filamentous bacteria appear to be common and dominant in industrial WWTPs. Monitoring of a WWTP from textile industry showed growth and decline of one of these organisms when operational conditions in the plant were varied. The present paper demonstrates that bulking sludge in industrial wastewater treatment plants can effectively be monitored using a combination of standard chemical analyses and the FISH technique.

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Control of Activated Sludge Bulking: From the Lab to the Plant

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.1989.0274 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 21 (6-7) ◽

pp. 717-726 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

R. Pujol ◽

P. Boutin

Keyword(s):

Wastewater Treatment ◽

Activated Sludge ◽

Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽

Treatment Plant ◽

Common Type ◽

Test Method ◽

Mixing Zone ◽

Operational Conditions ◽

Sludge Bulking ◽

Technical Aid

Activated sludge bulking often occurs in French wastewater treatment plants. Precise identification of filaments and better knowledge of their ecophysiology helped to clarify their re1ations with the operational conditions of plants. Effective techniques were therefore developed for control. The “mixing zone” is suitable for many cases of bulking ocurring in extended aeration plants (the most common type in France). A test method was developed to provide the elements for dimensioning the system. Unreserved cooperation between the owner of the plant, the manager, the SATESE (Service of technical aid to wastewater treatment plant managers) and specialized laboratories is required to implement such measures. Some cases, about which CEMAGREF was consulted, were examined; three of them are detailed and reasons for success or fai1ure are analysed. Seeking funds for the works too often leads to excessive delays.

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Causes and control practices of filamentous foaming in wastewater treatment plants

Water Practice & Technology ◽

10.2166/wpt.2012.049 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

D. Mamais ◽

M. Marneri ◽

C. Noutsopoulos

Keyword(s):

Wastewater Treatment ◽

Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽

Sewage Treatment ◽

Economic Feasibility ◽

Control Methods ◽

Filamentous Bacteria ◽

Foam Control ◽

Filamentous Foaming ◽

And Control ◽

Athens Area

Three large Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP) in Greece with occasional severe foaming were selected in order to evaluate the influence of the recycle of foaming filamentous bacteria from the solids handling processes to their foaming problems. According to the results, a range of 3–39% of the total quantity of viable foaming filamentous bacteria present in biological wastewater treatment stage of the WWTPs was found to be recycled through the underflows of thickening and dewatering processes. In parallel, the feasibility of alternative nonspecific foam control methods was assessed. Within the context of this study two foam control practices were evaluated: (a) the addition of polyaluminium chloride (PAX) to the mixed liquor and (b) the selective wasting of foam from the activated sludge system followed by dewatering. The economic feasibility of each method was assessed by evaluating and comparing the total cost (capital cost and operation and maintenance costs) of each alternative for Psyttalia Sewage Treatment Works, which is the largest WWTP in Greece serving the Greater Athens Area with a treatment capacity of approximately 3.5 million people. The estimated total costs of the two foam control methods were 0.009 and 0.002 €/m3 of wastewater for PAX addition and selective wasting of foam, respectively.

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Modelling and Forecasting the Sludge Bulking in Biological Reactors of Wastewater Treatment Plants by Means of Data Mining Methods

Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing - Intelligent Systems in Production Engineering and Maintenance – ISPEM 2017 ◽

10.1007/978-3-319-64465-3_29 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 296-305

Author(s):

Bartosz Szeląg ◽

Jan Studziński

Keyword(s):

Data Mining ◽

Wastewater Treatment ◽

Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽

Sludge Bulking ◽

Mining Methods ◽

Modelling And Forecasting

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Population dynamics of filamentous bacteria identified in Polish full-scale wastewater treatment plants with nutrients removal

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2014.512 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 71 (5) ◽

pp. 675-684 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

A. Miłobędzka ◽

A. Muszyński

Keyword(s):

Population Dynamics ◽

Wastewater Treatment ◽

Correlation Coefficient ◽

Municipal Wastewater ◽

Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽

Full Scale ◽

Volume Index ◽

Nutrients Removal ◽

Filamentous Bacteria ◽

Municipal Wastewater Treatment

A comprehensive study of the identity and population dynamics of filamentous bacteria in five Polish full-scale municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with nutrients removal had been carried out for 2 years. A quantitative culture-independent, molecular method – fluorescence in situ hybridization – was applied to evaluate the structure of different filamentous bacteria populations and their temporal variations. Activated sludge was examined for the abundance of 11 groups of filamentous bacteria. On average, filaments constituted 28% of all bacteria. All samples presented a low diversity of probe-defined filamentous bacteria, usually with significant domination of Chloroflexi (with distinction to types 1851, 0803 and others) and/or Microthrix (14% and 7% of EUBmix, respectively). Haliscomenobacter hydrossis, Mycolata, Skermania piniformis and TM7 were less abundant, whereas Curvibacter, Thiothrix/021N and family Gordonia have not been detected in any of the samples. The tested WWTPs showed similarity among species found and differences in their abundance. The composition of filamentous populations was rather stable in each plant and similar to those found in other European countries. Little differences between plants were shown by multivariate analysis of variance in terms of Chloroflexi and Microthrix. No significant general correlations have been found with Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. Medium correlation strength between the presence of different filaments was recorded only for Microthrix and Skermania piniformis. Deleterious effect on settling properties of sludge (measured as sludge volume index) was found only for abundance of Microthrix; a strong linear correlation was recorded between them. However, no other correlations with wastewater and operational data were revealed.

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