Operational and exocellular biopolymer characteristics of sludges generated from an air products and a conventional activated sludge system

This study compared the sludge characteristics of a lab-scale Air Products (A/O) and a conventional activated sludge system. The sludges were analyzed for operational properties and the exocellular biopolymers of each sludge was characterized. Operational analysis mainly consisted of measurements of settling (SVI) and dewatering (specific resistance, CST) parameters at each sludge age. Biopolymers were measured using pH extraction followed by gel filtration and subsequent analysis for carbohydrate and protein concentrations. The results showed a high degree of similarity between the two systems both operationally and with respect to biopolymer characteristics. The A/0 system did produce a lower effluent soluble COD at sludge ages below 5 days. Also, the A/O system showed some consistent differences in the distribution of bound and unbound fractions of protein and carbohydrate ECP but these had no discernible· effect on sludge operational characteristics. In addition relationships between unbound ECP and effluent BOD, bound HMW ECP and SVI, and phosphorus and Mg uptake were observed, with varying degrees of consistency, in this study.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Environmental Planning

Department dc:contributor.department

Environmental Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1987

Author dc:creator

• Randall, Andrew A.

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Novak, John T.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Randall, Clifford W.
• Knocke, William R.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-07242012-040054

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/43890