In the seventies of the last century the researches on filamentous bacteria overproliferation in wastewater treatment plants and development of adequate bulking control methods have been started. Due to numerous problems connected with bulking and foaming, various methods of dealing with them have been developed. Some of these methods are non-specific and even though they improve sewage sedimentation properties, they do not eliminate problems connected with bulking of the sludge. Most frequently applied methods include addition of synthetic organic polymers, inorganic coagulants and flocculants, such as aluminium and iron salts, talc, chlorine and hydrogen peroxide. However, all these methods are burdened with some shortcomings such as high costs, increase of sludge mass, disadvantageous influence on the nitrification process and are not always effective. The research aimed at finding a cost-effective and environment-friendly ways of filamentous bacteria control are still being conducted. Our studies of activated sludge showed a clear negative relation between rotifers abundance and filaments density. The results of the laboratory experiments give hope of developing innovative, biological bulking control method, based on trophic relation between organisms naturally occurring in the activated sludge.
Institute of Environmental Sciences of the Jagiellonian University in cooperation with CITTRU received 2,5 millions PLN of financial support in a frame of Innovative Economy Program (1.3.1 Research and development of the new technologies).
The project entitled „Activated sludge bulking control in wastewater treatment plants with usage of rotifers (Rotifera)” is realized with cooperation with University of Warmia and Mazury, wastewater treatment plants of southern and north-eastern Poland as well as Universities in Barcelona (Spain) and Sumy (Ukraine). The project lasts from January 2010 till December 2012. In a first part of a project researches focus on a selection of different rotifer strains, best adapted to control filamentous bacteria in the activated sludge and a development of a mass culture method. In the laboratory conditions different kinds of media, food and suplements as well as temperature and dissolved oxygen level are tested. In the next step, the resistance of rotifers to toxic substances potentially occurring in the sewage will be determined. One of the most important issue will be studies on rotifers influence on the physico-chemical parameters of the effluent as well as on the sludge volume index. The ultimate goal of the project is preparation of procedures, protocols and special devices which would enable the implement of this biological method directly in wastewater treatment plants.
Project co-financed by the European Union in a frame of Innovative Economy Program (2007-2013)
