Experimental methods in wastewater treatment

Experimental Methods in
Wastewater Treatment



Experimental Methods in
Wastewater Treatment
Mark C. M. van Loosdrecht
Per H. Nielsen
Carlos M. Lopez-Vazquez
Damir Brdjanovic


Published by:

IWA Publishing
Alliance House
12 Caxton Street
London SW1H 0QS, UK
T: +44 (0) 20 7654 5500
F: +44 (0) 20 7654 5555
E:
I: www.iwapublishing.com

First published 2016
© 2016 IWA Publishing

Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents
Act (1998), no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of

the publisher, or, in the case of photographic reproduction, in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency in the UK,
or in accordance with the terms of licenses issued by the appropriate reproduction rights organization outside the UK. Enquiries concerning reproduction
outside the terms stated here should be sent to IWA Publishing at the address printed above.
The publisher makes no representation, express or implied, with regard to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and cannot accept any
legal responsibility or liability for errors or omissions that may be made.
Disclaimer
The information provided and the opinions given in this publication are not necessarily those of IWA and IWA Publishing and should not be acted upon
without independent consideration and professional advice. IWA and IWA Publishing will not accept responsibility for any loss or damage suffered by any
person acting or refraining from acting upon any material contained in this publication.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the Library of Congress
Cover design:
Graphic design:

Peter Stroo
Hans Emeis

ISBN: 9781780404745 (Hardback)
ISBN: 9781780404752 (eBook)


Preface
Wastewater treatment is a core technology for water
resources protection and reuse, as is clearly demonstrated
by the great success of its consequent implementation in
many countries worldwide. During the last decennia
scientific research has made vast progress in understanding
the complex and interdisciplinary aspects of the biological,

biochemical, chemical and mechanical processes involved.
It can be concluded that the global application of existing
knowledge and experience in wastewater treatment
technology will represent a cornerstone in future water
management, as expressed in the Strategic Development
Goals accepted by the UN in September 2015.
Only about one fifth of the wastewater produced
globally is currently being adequately treated. To achieve
the goal for sustainable water management by 2030 would
require extra wastewater treatment facilities for about
600,000 people each day. I am convinced that this book
will make its own significant contribution to meeting this
ambitious goal.
In the near future, most of the global population will
live in cities and in low and middle-income countries,
where most wastewater is not adequately treated. Probably
the most limiting factor in achieving the goals for
sustainable water management is the lack of qualified,
well-trained professionals, able to comprehend the
scientific research results and transfer them into practice. It
is therefore of prime importance to make currently
available scientific advances and proven experiences in
wastewater treatment technology applications easily
accessible worldwide. This was one of the drivers for the
development of this book, which represents an innovative
contribution to help overcome such a capacity development
challenge. The book is most definitely expected to
contribute to bridging the gaps between the science and
technology, and their practical applications.
The great collection of authors and reviewers

represents an interdisciplinary team of globally
acknowledged experts. The book will therefore make a
major contribution to establishing a common professional
language, enhancing global communication between
wastewater professionals. In addition, the authors have
linked the description of the scientific basis for wastewater
treatment processes with a video-based online course for
the training of students, researchers, engineers, laboratory
technicians and treatment plant operators, demonstrating

commonly accepted experimentation procedures and their
application for lab-, pilot-, and full-scale treatment plant
operation.
From the perspective of the IWA this book also has the
great potential to enhance the development of a new
generation of researchers and enable them to communicate
on a global scale and beyond their specific field of
expertise. Both aspects are urgently needed to develop
adapted solutions for specific local conditions and to make
them globally available for implementation.
There has been a trend for some time that scientific
research and practice have been growing apart from each
other. Part of the reason for this is the global
implementation of an academic assessment method that
primarily focuses on the impact of publications on the
progress in scientific research. Applied research results
with an impact on practice in water quality management
are not yet being sufficiently rewarded as their impact is
not always reflected by citations in scientific journals. This
book attempts to overcome this problem as it aims to

enhance the dialogue and co-operation between scientists
and practitioners. Scientists are encouraged to deal with the
practical problems with scientific methods, while the
practitioners are encouraged to understand the scientific
background of all the processes relevant for treatment plant
optimization.
While conventional wastewater treatment plant
operation was driven by effluent quality and cost
minimization, this book fully incorporates the paradigm
shift towards material and energy recovery from
wastewater. In this respect the book is also very relevant
for developed countries, as the new paradigm will heavily
influence the future development of wastewater
management worldwide.
As IWA president I want to congratulate the authors of
this book on their great achievement and also thank the Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation and the Dutch government
for their financial support.

Prof. Dr. Helmut Kroiss
President International Water Association


Contributors
Carlos M. Lopez-Vazquez
Damir Brdjanovic
Eldon R. Rene
Elena Ficara
Elena Torfs
Eveline I.P. Volcke

George A. Ekama
Glen T. Daigger
Gürkan Sin
Henri Spanjers
Holger Daims
Ilse Y. Smets
Imre Takács
Ingmar Nopens
Jeppe L. Nielsen
Jiři Wanner
Juan A. Baeza
Kartik Chandran
Krist V. Gernaey
Laurens Welles
Mads Albertsen
Mari K.H. Winkler
Mark C.M. van Loosdrecht
Mathieu Spérandio
Morten S. Dueholm
Nancy G. Love
Per H. Nielsen
Peter A. Vanrolleghem
Piet N.L. Lens
Rasmus H. Kirkegaard
Robert J. Seviour
Sebastiaan C.F. Meijer
Sophie Balemans
Søren M. Karst
Sylvie Gillot
Tessa P.H. van den Brand

Tommaso Lotti
Yves Comeau

UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, The Netherlands
UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, The Netherlands
UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, The Netherlands
Milan University of Technology, Italy
Université Laval, Canada
Ghent University, Belgium
University of Cape Town, South Africa
University of Michigan, United States of America
Technical University of Denmark, Denmark
Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands
University of Vienna, Austria
Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium
Dynamita, France
Ghent University, Belgium
Aalborg University, Denmark
University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Czech Republic
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
Columbia University, United States of America
Technical University of Denmark, Denmark
UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, The Netherlands
Aalborg University, Denmark
University of Washington, United States of America
Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands
Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Toulouse, France
Aalborg University, Denmark
University of Michigan, United States of America
Aalborg University, Denmark

Université Laval, Canada
UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, The Netherlands
Aalborg University, Denmark
La Trobe University, Australia
Yuniko BV, The Netherlands
Ghent University, Belgium
Aalborg University, Denmark
IRSTEA, France
KWR Watercycle Research Institute, The Netherlands
Milan University of Technology, Italy

École Polytechnique de Montréal, Canada

1. 2.
1. 2.
2.
2.
6.
4.
3.
6.
5.
3.
8.
6.
6.
6.
7.
7.
5.

4.
5.
2.
8.
6.
1. 2. 4.
3.
8.
2.
1. 7. 8.
3. 4. 6.
2.
8.
7.
5.
6.
8.
4.
2.
2.
2.

Chapter author
Chapter reviewer


About the editors

Prof. Dr. Mark C.M. van Loosdrecht
Mark C.M. van Loosdrecht is a well-renown scientist recognised

for his significant contributions to the study of reducing energy
consumption and the footprint of wastewater treatment plants
through his patented and award-winning technologies Sharon®,
Anammox® and Nereda®. His main work focuses on the use of
microbial cultures within the environmental process-engineering
field, with a special emphasis on nutrient removal, biofilm and
biofouling. Currently he is a full professor and Group Leader of
Environmental Biotechnology at TU Delft. A fellow of the Royal
Dutch Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), the Netherlands
Academy of Technology and Innovation (AcTI) and the
International Water Association (IWA), Professor van Loosdrecht
has won numerous prestigious awards. His research interests
include granular sludge systems, microbial storage polymers,
wastewater treatment, gas treatment, soil treatment, microbial
conversion of inorganic compounds, production of chemicals from
waste, and modelling. Apart from his other achievements, he has
published over 500 papers, supervised 65 PhD students so far and
is an honorary professor at the University of Queensland. He is
also currently the Editor-in-Chief for Water Research and Advisor
to IWA Publishing.

Prof. Dr. Per Halkjær Nielsen
Per H. Nielsen is a full professor at the Department of Chemistry
and Bioscience at Aalborg University, Denmark where he heads
the multidisciplinary Centre for Microbial Communities. He is also
a visiting scientist at the Singapore Centre on Environmental Life
Sciences
Engineering,
Nanyang
Technological

University, Singapore. Prof. Nielsen’s research group has been
active in environmental biotechnology for over 25 years, focusing
on the microbial ecology of biological wastewater treatment,
bioenergy production, bioremediation, biofilms, infection of
implants and the development of system microbiology approaches
based on new sequencing technologies. He chaired the IWA
specialist group Microbial Ecology and Water Engineering for
eight years (2005-2013) and is Chair of the IWA BioCluster. He is
a Fellow of the Danish Academy of Technical Sciences (ATV) and
the International Water Association (IWA) and has received
several prestigious awards. He has published more than 230 peerreviewed publications and supervised 25 PhD students. His main
research interest is microbial ecology in water engineering,
particularly related to wastewater treatment where he has
developed and applied several novel methods to study uncultured
microorganisms, e.g. by using next-generation sequencing
technologies. He is the initiator and responsible for the MiDAS
field guide open resource for wastewater microbiology.

Dr. Carlos M. Lopez-Vazquez
Carlos M. Lopez-Vazquez is Associate Professor in Wastewater
Treatment Technology at UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water
Education. In 2009 he received his doctoral degree on
Environmental Biotechnology (cum laude) from Delft University
of Technology and UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education.
During his professional career, he has taken part in different
advisory and consultancy projects for both public and private
sectors concerning municipal and industrial wastewater treatment
systems. After working for a couple of years in the Water R&D
Department of Nalco Europe on industrial water and wastewater
treatment applications, he re-joined UNESCO-IHE’s Sanitary

Engineering Chair Group in 2009. Since then, he has been
involved in education, capacity building and research projects
guiding dozens of MSc and several PhD students. By applying
mathematical modelling as an essential tool, he has a special focus
on the development and transfer of innovative and cost-effective
wastewater treatment technologies to developing countries,
countries in transition and industrial applications.

Prof. Dr. Damir Brdjanovic
Damir Brdjanovic is Professor of Sanitary Engineering at
UNESCO-IHE and Endowed Professor at Delft University of
Technology in the Environmental Biotechnology Group. Areas of
his expertise include pro-poor and emergency sanitation, faecal
sludge management, urban drainage, and wastewater treatment. He
is a pioneer in the practical application of models in wastewater
treatment practice in developing countries. He invented the Shit
Killer® device for excreta management in emergencies, the awardwinning eSOS® Smart Toilet and associated software eSOS
View®, with funding by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
(BMGF). He has initiated the development and implementation of
innovative didactic approaches and novel educational products
(including e-learning) at UNESCO-IHE. In 2015, together with the
BMGF, he founded the Global Faecal Sludge Management elearning Alliance. Currently his chair group consists of ten staff
members, three post-doctoral fellows and 22 PhD students. In
addition, in excess of 100 MSc students have graduated under his
supervision so far. Prof. Brdjanovic has a sound publication
record, is co-initiator of the IWA Journal of Water, Sanitation and
Hygiene for Development, and is the initiator, author and editor of
five books in the wastewater treatment and sanitation field. In
2015 he became an International Water Association Fellow.

About the book and online course
Over the past twenty years, the knowledge and
understanding of wastewater treatment has advanced
extensively and moved away from empirically-based
approaches to a fundamentally-based first-principles
approach embracing chemistry, microbiology, and physical
and bioprocess engineering, often involving experimental
laboratory work and techniques. Many of these
experimental methods and techniques have matured to the
degree that they have been accepted as reliable tools in
wastewater treatment research and practice. For sector
professionals, especially the new generation of young
scientists and engineers entering the wastewater treatment
profession, the quantity, complexity and diversity of these
new developments can be overwhelming, particularly in
developing countries where access to advanced level
laboratory courses in wastewater treatment is not readily
available. In addition, information on innovative
experimental methods is scattered across scientific
literature and only partially available in the form of
textbooks or guidelines. This book seeks to address these
deficiencies. It assembles and integrates the innovative
experimental methods developed by research groups and
practitioners around the world and broadly applied in
wastewater treatment research and practice.
Experimental Methods in Wastewater Treatment book
forms part of the internet-based curriculum in sanitary
engineering at UNESCO-IHE and, as such, may also be

used together with video recordings of methods and
approaches performed and narrated by the authors,
including guidelines on best experimental practices. The
book is written for undergraduate and postgraduate
students, researchers, laboratory staff, plant operators,
consultants, and other sector professionals.
The idea of making this book and the online learning
course was conceived in 2009 when UNESCO-IHE agreed
to utilize some of the programmatic funds provided by the
Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs to develop innovative
learning methods and products. However it took until 2011
to acquire the additional funds from the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation (BMGF) that enabled the original idea to
be fully executed. The conceptual framework for the book,
and the online course that it is part of, was agreed upon in
Montreal during the IWA World Water Congress and
Exhibition in September 2010 and further detailed during
the IWA event in Essen, Activated Sludge – 100 Years and
Counting. The latter was the occasion when the concept
was introduced of also having established reviewers in the

field to provide critical feedback on the manuscripts and
improve the quality of the final product, in addition to the
esteemed groups of experts writing the chapters of the
book. Besides providing chapters in the book, authors were
requested to prepare presentation slides, tutorial exercises
and to deliver scenarios and narration for video-recorded
lectures and execution of experimental procedures at
UNESCO-IHE and partner laboratories. These materials
have been compiled into a digital package available to

those registered for the online course. IWA Publishing has
agreed to publish the book and market both the book and
online learning course. It has also been agreed that the
book and online course digital materials are available free
of charge. The online course is delivered once or twice a
year depending on the demand (please consult the
UNESCO-IHE website for further information on how to
embark on the course or download the course materials).
The book is also used for teaching as part of a lecture series
in the Sanitary Engineering specialization of the UNESCOIHE’s Master’s Program in Urban Water and Sanitation. It
is conceptualized in such a way that it can be used as a selfcontained textbook or as an integral part of the online
learning course.
A number of individuals deserve to be singled out as
their support was crucial in this development and is highly
appreciated: Dr. Roshan Shrestha, Dr. Doulaye Koné, Dr.
Frank Rijsberman and Dr. Brian Arbogast (BMGF), and
Dr. Wim Duven and Jetze Heun (UNESCO-IHE). The
book was edited by Peter Stroo, Hans Emeis, Claire Taylor,
Michelle Jones, and Maggie Smith. The credit for the
content goes to all the authors, reviewers and enthusiastic
group of editors. Further, I acknowledge the contributors
who allowed their data, images and photographs to be used
in this book and the course.
Finally, I hope that this book and the training
materials will be useful in your research or practical work,
be it at a laboratory-, pilot- or full-scale wastewater
treatment plant.

Prof. Dr. Damir Brdjanovic
Professor of Sanitary Engineering

Table of contents
1. INTRODUCTION

1

Mark C.M. van Loosdrecht, Per H. Nielsen, Carlos M. Lopez-Vazquez
and Damir Brdjanovic (aut.)

2. ACTIVATED SLUDGE ACTIVITY TESTS

7

Carlos M. Lopez-Vazquez, Laurens Welles, Tommaso Lotti, Elena Ficara,
Eldon R. Rene, Tessa P.H. van den Brand, Damir Brdjanovic
and Mark C.M. van Loosdrecht (aut.)
Yves Comeau, Piet N.L. Lens and Nancy G. Love (rev.)
2.1 INTRODUCTION
2.2 ENHANCED BIOLOGICAL PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL
2.2.1 Process description
2.2.2 Experimental set-up
2.2.2.1 Reactors
2.2.2.2 Activated sludge sample collection
2.2.2.3 Activated sludge sample preparation
2.2.2.4 Substrate
2.2.2.5 Analytical procedures
2.2.2.6 Parameters of interest
2.2.3 EBPR batch activity tests: Preparation
2.2.3.1 Apparatus

2.2.3.2 Materials
2.2.3.3 Media preparation
2.2.3.4 Material preparation
2.2.3.5 Activated sludge preparation
2.2.4 Batch activity tests: Execution
2.2.4.1 Anaerobic EBPR batch activity tests
2.2.4.2 Anoxic EBPR batch tests
2.2.4.3 Aerobic EBPR batch tests
2.2.5 Data analysis
2.2.5.1 Estimation of stoichiometric parameters
2.2.5.2 Estimation of kinetic parameters
2.2.6 Data discussion and interpretation
2.2.6.1 Anaerobic batch activity tests
2.2.6.2 Aerobic batch activity tests
2.2.6.3 Anoxic batch activity tests
2.2.7 Example
2.2.7.1 Description
2.2.7.2 Data analysis
2.2.8 Additional considerations
2.2.8.1 GAO occurrence in EBPR systems
2.2.8.2 The effect of carbon source
2.2.8.3 The effect of temperature
2.2.8.4 The effect of pH
2.2.8.5 Denitrification by EBPR cultures
2.2.8.6 Excess and shortage of intracellular compounds
2.2.8.7 Excessive aeration
2.2.8.8 Shortage of essential ions
2.2.8.9 Toxicity/inhibition
2.3 BIOLOGICAL SULPHATE REDUCTION
2.3.1 Process description

2.3.2 Sulphide speciation
2.3.3 Effects of environmental and operating conditions on SRB
2.3.3.1 Carbon source
2.3.3.2 COD to SO42- ratio
2.3.3.3 Temperature
2.3.3.4 pH

7
9
9
11
11
16
16
17
19
22
22
22
24
24
25
28
29
30
33
34
36
36
41

42
42
45
46
47
47
47
51
51
51
51
52
52
52
53
53
53
54
54
56
57
57
58
58
59

2.3.3.5 Oxygen
2.3.4 Experimental set-up
2.3.4.1 Estimation of volumetric and specific rates
2.3.4.2 The reactor

2.3.4.3 Mixing
2.3.4.4 pH control
2.3.4.5 Temperature control
2.3.4.6 Sampling and dosing ports
2.3.4.7 Sample collection
2.3.4.8 Media
2.3.5 Analytical procedures
2.3.5.1 CODorganics and CODtotal
2.3.5.2 Sulphate
2.3.5.3 Sulphide
2.3.6 SRB batch activity tests: preparation
2.3.6.1 Apparatus
2.3.6.2 Materials
2.3.6.3 Media
2.3.6.4 Material preparation
2.3.6.5 Mixed liquor preparation
2.3.6.6 Sample collection and treatment
2.3.7 Batch activity tests: execution
2.3.8 Data analysis
2.3.8.1 Mass balances and calculations
2.3.8.2 Data discussion and interpretation
2.3.9 Example
2.3.10 Practical recommendations
2.4 BIOLOGICAL NITROGEN REMOVAL
2.4.1 Process description
2.4.1.1 Nitrification
2.4.1.2 Denitrification
2.4.1.3 Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox)
2.4.2 Process-tracking alternatives
2.4.2.1 Chemical tracking

2.4.2.2 Titrimetric tracking
2.4.2.3 Manometric tracking
2.4.3 Experimental set-up
2.4.3.1 Reactors
2.4.3.2 Instrumentation for titrimetric tests
2.4.3.3 Instrumentation for manometric tests
2.4.3.4. Activated sludge sample collection
2.4.3.5 Activated sludge sample preparation
2.4.3.6 Substrate
2.4.3.7 Analytical procedures
2.4.3.8 Parameters of interest
2.4.3.9 Type of batch tests
2.4.4 Nitrification batch activity tests: Preparation
2.4.4.1 Apparatus
2.4.4.2 Materials
2.4.4.3 Media preparation
2.4.5 Nitrification batch activity tests: Execution
2.4.6 Denitrification batch activity tests: Preparation
2.4.6.1 Apparatus
2.4.6.2 Materials
2.4.6.3 Working solutions
2.4.6.4 Materials preparation
2.4.7 Denitrification batch activity tests: Execution
2.4.8 Anammox batch activity tests: Preparation

59
60
60
60
61

61
61
62
62
62
63
63
64
64
65
65
65
65
66
67
68
68
69
69
70
70
72
73
73
74
75
76
76
77
77

78
79
79
79
80
81
82
82
83
83
86
86
86
86
86
87
92
92
93
93
93
93
99


2.4.8.1 Apparatus
2.4.8.2 Materials
2.4.8.3 Working solutions
2.4.8.4 Materials preparation
2.4.9 Anammox batch activity tests: Execution

2.4.10 Examples
2.4.10.1 Nitrification batch activity test
2.4.10.2 Denitrification batch activity test
2.4.10.3 Anammox batch activity test
2.4.11 Additional considerations
2.4.11.1 Presence of other organisms
2.4.11.2 Shortage of essential micro- and macro-nutrients
2.4.11.3 Toxicity or inhibition effects
2.4.11.4 Effects of carbon source on denitrification
2.5 AEROBIC ORGANIC MATTER REMOVAL
2.5.1 Process description
2.5.2 Experimental set-up
2.5.2.1 Reactors
2.5.2.2 Activated sludge sample collection
2.5.2.3 Activated sludge sample preparation
2.5.2.4 Media
2.5.2.5 Analytical tests
2.5.2.6 Parameters of interest
2.5.3 Aerobic organic matter batch activity tests: Preparation
2.5.3.1 Apparatus
2.5.3.2 Materials
2.5.3.3 Working solutions
2.5.3.4 Material preparation
2.5.3.5 Activated sludge preparation
2.5.4 Aerobic organic matter batch activity tests: Execution
2.5.5 Data analysis
2.5.6 Example
2.5.6.1 Description
2.5.6.2 Data analysis
2.5.7 Additional considerations and recommendations

2.5.7.1 Simultaneous storage and microbial growth
2.5.7.2 Lack of nutrients
2.5.7.3 Toxicity or inhibition

99
99
99
100
100
103
103
105
107
109
109
109
110
110
111
111
112
112
112
113
113
114
114
115
115
115

115
116
117
117
118
119
119
119
121
121
121
121

3. RESPIROMETRY

133

Henry Spanjers and Peter A. Vanrolleghem (aut.)
George A. Ekama and M. Spérandio (rev.)
3.1 INTRODUCTION
3.1.1 Basics of respiration
3.1.2 Basics of respirometry
3.2 GENERAL METHODOLOGY OF RESPIROMETRY
3.2.1 Basics of respirometric methodology
3.2.2 Generalized principles: beyond oxygen
3.2.2.1 Principles based on measuring in the liquid phase
3.2.2.2 Principles based on measuring during the gas phase
3.3 EQUIPMENT
3.3.1 Equipment for anaerobic respirometry
3.3.1.1 Biogas composition

3.3.1.2 Measuring the gas flow
3.3.2 Equipment for aerobic and anoxic respirometry
3.3.2.1 Reactor
3.3.2.2 Measuring arrangement
3.3.2.3 Practical implementation
3.4 WASTEWATER CHARACTERIZATION
3.4.1 Biomethane potential (BMP)
3.4.1.1 Purpose
3.4.1.2 General

133
134
135
136
136
136
136
138
141
141
141
142
143
143
143
144
150
150
150
150

3.4.1.4 Data processing
3.4.1.5 Recommendations
3.4.2 Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)
3.4.2.1 Purpose
3.4.2.2 General
3.4.2.3 Test execution
3.4.3 Short-term biochemical oxygen demand (BODst)
3.4.3.1 Test execution
3.4.3.2 Calculations
3.4.4 Toxicity and inhibition
3.4.4.1 Purpose
3.4.4.2 Test execution
3.4.4.3 Calculations
3.4.4.4 Biodegradable toxicants
3.4.5 Wastewater fractionation
3.4.5.1 Readily biodegradable substrate (SB)
3.4.5.2 Slowly biodegradable substrate (XCB)
3.4.5.3 Heterotrophic biomass (XOHO)
3.4.5.4 Autotrophic (nitrifying) biomass (XANO)
3.4.5.5 Ammonium (SNHx)
3.4.5.6 Organic nitrogen fractions (XCB,N and SB,N)
3.5 BIOMASS CHARACTERIZATION
3.5.1 Volatile suspended solids
3.5.2 Specific methanogenic activity (SMA)
3.5.2.1 Purpose
3.5.2.2 General
3.5.2.3 Test execution
3.5.2.4 Data processing
3.5.3 Specific aerobic and anoxic biomass activity

3.5.3.1 Maximum specific nitrification rate (AUR)
3.5.3.2 Maximum specific aerobic heterotrophic
respiration rate (OUR)
3.5.3.3 Maximum specific denitrification rate (NUR)

151
151
152
152
152
153
157
158
160
160
160
160
161
162
163
166
167
168
168
168
168
169
169
169
169

169
169
170
171
171

4. OFF-GAS EMISSION TESTS

177

173
173

Kartik Chandran, Eveline I.P. Volcke, Mark C.M. van Loosdrecht (aut.)
Peter A. Vanrollegem and Sylvie Guillot (rev.)
4.1 INTRODUCTION
4.2 SELECTING THE SAMPLING STRATEGY
4.2.1 Plant performance
4.2.2 Seasonal variations in emissions
4.2.3 Sampling objective
4.3 PLANT ASSESSMENT AND DATA COLLECTION
4.3.1 Preparation of a sampling campaign
4.3.2 Sample identification and data sheet
4.3.3 Factors that can limit the validity of the results
4.3.4 Practical advice for analytical measurements
4.3.5 General methodology for sampling
4.3.6 Sampling in the framework of the off-gas measurements
4.3.7 Testing and measurements protocol
4.4 EMISSION MEASUREMENTS
4.5 N2O MEASUREMENT IN OPEN TANKS

4.5.1 Protocol for measuring the surface flux of N2O
4.5.1.1 Equipment, materials and supplies
4.5.1.2 Experimental procedure
4.5.1.3 Sampling methods for nitrogen GHG emissions
4.5.1.4 Direct measurement of the liquid-phase N2O content
4.6 MEASUREMENT OF OFF-GAS FLOW IN OPEN TANKS
4.6.1 Protocol for aerated or aerobic zone
4.6.2 Protocol for non-aerated zones
4.7 AQUEOUS N2O and CH4 CONCENTRATION DETERMINATION

177
178
178
178
179
179
179
180
181
181
182
183
185
185
186
188
188
188
189
191

191
192
192
192


4.7.1 Measurement protocol for dissolved N2O measurement
using polarographic electrodes
4.7.1.1 Equipment
4.7.1.2 Experimental procedure
4.7.2 Measurement protocol for dissolved gasses using
gas chromatography
4.7.3 Measurement protocol for dissolved gas measurement
by the salting-out method
4.7.3.1 Equipment
4.7.3.2 Sampling procedure
4.7.3.3 Measurement procedure
4.7.3.4 Calculations
4.7.4 Measurement protocol for dissolved gas measurement
by the stripping method
4.7.4.1 Operational principle
4.7.4.2 Equipment
4.7.4.3 Calibration batch test
4.7.4.4 Measurement accuracy
4.7.4.5 Calculation of the N2O formation rate in the stripping device
4.8 DATA ANALYSIS AND PROCESSING
4.8.1 Determination of fluxes
4.8.2 Determination of aggregated emission fractions
4.8.3 Calculation of the emission factors

5. DATA HANDLING AND PARAMETER ESTIMATION

193
193
193
194
194
195
195
195
196
196
196
197
198
198
198
199
199
199
200
201

Gürkan Sin and Krist V. Gernaey (aut.)
Sebastiaan C.F. Meijer and Juan A. Baeza (rev.)
5.1 INTRODUCTION
5.2 THEORY AND METHODS
5.2.1 Data handling and validation
5.2.1.1 Systematic data analysis for biological processes
5.2.1.2 Degree of reduction analysis

5.2.1.3 Consistency check of experimental data
5.2.2 Parameter estimation
5.2.2.1 Manual trial and error method
5.2.2.2 Formal statistics methods
5.2.3 Uncertainty analysis
5.2.3.1 Linear error propagation
5.2.3.2 The Monte Carlo method
5.2.4 Local sensitivity analysis and identifiability analysis
5.2.4.1 Local sensitivity analysis
5.2.4.2 Identifiability analysis using the collinearity index
5.3 METHODOLOGY AND WORKFLOW
5.3.1 Data consistency check using elemental balance and
a degree of reduction analysis
5.3.2 Parameter estimation workflow for non-linear least
squares method
5.3.3 Parameter estimation workflow for the bootstrap method
5.3.4 Local sensitivity and identifiability analysis workflow
5.3.5 Uncertainty analysis using the Monte Carlo method and
linear error propagation
5.4 ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES
5.5 ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

201
202
202
202
203
204
205
205

205
209
209
209
210
210
210
211

6. SETTLING TESTS

235

211
212
212
213
213
214
232

Elena Torfs, Ingmar Nopens, Mari K.H. Winkler, Peter A. Vanrolleghem,
Sophie Balemans and Ilse Y. Smets (aut.)
Glenn T. Daigger and Imre Takács (rev.)
6.1 INTRODUCTION
6.2 MEASURING SLUDGE SETTLEABILITY IN SSTs
6.2.1 Sludge settleability parameters
6.2.1.1 Goal and application

6.2.1.2 Equipment

6.2.1.3 The sludge volume index (SVI)
6.2.1.4 The diluted sludge volume index (DSVI)
6.2.1.5 The stirred specific volume index (SSVI3.5)
6.2.2 The batch settling curve and hindered settling velocity
6.2.2.1 Goal and application
6.2.2.2 Equipment
6.2.2.3 Experimental procedure
6.2.2.4 Interpreting a batch settling curve
6.2.2.5 Measuring the hindered settling velocity
6.2.3 vhs-X relation
6.2.3.1 Goal and application
6.2.3.2 Equipment
6.2.3.3 Experimental procedure
6.2.3.4 Determination of the zone settling parameters
6.2.3.5 Calibration by empirical relations based on SSPs
6.2.4 Recommendations for performing batch settling tests
6.2.4.1 Shape and size of the batch reservoir
6.2.4.2 Sample handling and transport
6.2.4.3 Concentration range
6.2.4.4 Measurement frequency
6.2.5 Recent advances in batch settling tests
6.3 MEASURING FLOCCULATION STATE OF ACTIVATED SLUDGE
6.3.1 DSS/FSS test
6.3.1.1 Goal and application
6.3.1.2 Equipment
6.3.1.3 DSS test
6.3.1.4 FSS test
6.3.1.5 Interpretation of a DSS/FSS test
6.3.2 Recommendations
6.3.2.1 Flocculation conditions

6.3.2.2 Temperature influence
6.3.2.3 Supernatant sampling
6.3.3 Advances in the measurement of the flocculation state
6.4 MEASURING THE SETTLING BEHAVIOUR OF GRANULAR SLUDGE
6.4.1 Goal and application
6.4.2 Equipment
6.4.3 Density measurements
6.4.4 Granular biomass size determination
6.4.4.1 Sieving
6.4.4.2 Image analyser
6.4.5 Calculating the settling velocity of granules
6.4.6 Recommendations
6.4.6.1 Validation of results
6.4.6.2 Application for flocculent sludge
6.5 MEASURING SETTLING VELOCITY DISTRIBUTION IN PSTs
6.5.1 Introduction
6.5.2 General principle
6.5.3 Sampling and sample preservation
6.5.4 Equipment
6.5.5 Analytical protocol
6.5.6 Calculations and result presentation
6.5.6.1 Mass balance check
6.5.6.2 Calculation of the settling velocity distribution
6.5.6.3 Recommendations

237
237
237
238
238

238
239
239
240
241
241
241
242
242
243
244
245
245
245
245
245
245
246
246
246
246
246
247
248
249
249
249
249
250
250

250
251
251
252
252
253
253
254
254
255
255
255
255
256
256
257
258
258
258
259

7. MICROSCOPY

263

Jeppe L. Nielsen, Robert J. Seviour and Per H. Nielsen (aut.)
Jiři Wanner (rev.)
235
236
237

237

7.1 INTRODUCTION
7.2 THE LIGHT MICROSCOPE
7.2.1 Standard applications of light microscopy

263
263
265


7.2.2 Low power objective
7.2.3 High power objective
7.2.4 Immersion objective
7.2.5 Important considerations
7.2.6 Bright-field and dark-field illumination
7.2.7 Fluorescence microscopy
7.2.8. Confocal laser scanning microscopy
7.3 MORPHOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS
7.3.1 Microscopic ‘identification’ of filamentous microorganisms
7.3.2 ‘Identification’ of protozoa and metazoa
7.4 EXAMINING ACTIVATED SLUDGE SAMPLES MICROSCOPICALLY
7.4.1 Mounting the activated sludge sample
7.4.2 Gram staining
7.4.2.1 Reagents and solutions for Gram staining
7.4.2.2 Procedure
7.4.3 Neisser staining
7.4.3.1 Reagents and solutions for Neisser staining
7.4.3.2 Procedure
7.4.4 DAPI staining

7.4.4.1 Reagents and solutions for DAPI staining
7.4.4.2 Procedure
7.4.5 CTC staining
7.4.5.1 Reagents and solutions for CTC staining
7.4.5.2 Procedure
7.5 FLUORESCENCE in situ HYBRIDIZATION
7.5.1 Reagents and solutions for FISH
7.5.2 Procedure
7.6 COMBINED STAINING TECHNIQUES
7.6.1 FISH-DAPI staining
7.6.1.1 Reagents and solutions for DAPI staining
7.6.1.2 Procedure
7.6.2 FISH-PHA staining
7.6.2.1 Reagents and solutions for PHA staining
7.6.2.2 Procedure

265
265
265
266
266
267
269
269
270
271
272
272
273
273

274
274
274
275
275
275
275
276
276
276
276
277
278
280
281
281
281
282
282
282

8. MOLECULAR METHODS

285

Søren M. Karst, Mads Albertsen, Rasmus H. Kirkegaard, Morten S. Dueholm
and Per H. Nielsen (aut.)
Holger Daims (rev.)
8.1 INTRODUCTION
8.2 EXTRACTION OF DNA

8.2.1 General considerations
8.2.2 Sampling
8.2.3 DNA extraction
8.2.3.1 Cell lysis
8.2.3.2 Nuclease activity inhibition and protein removal
8.2.3.3 Purification
8.2.3.4 Elution and storage
8.2.4 Quantification and integrity
8.2.5 Optimised DNA extraction from wastewater activated sludge
8.2.5.1 Materials
8.2.5.2 DNA extraction
8.3 REAL-TIME QUANTITATIVE PCR (qPCR)
8.3.1 General considerations
8.3.2 Materials
8.3.3 Methods
8.3.4 Data handling
8.3.5 Data output and interpretation
8.3.6 Troubleshooting
8.3.7 Example
8.3.7.1 Samples
8.3.7.2 qPCR reaction setup

285
286
286
286
286
286
287
287

287
287
288
288
288
289
289
291
292
294
294
295
295
295
296

8.3.7.3 Results
8.4 AMPLICON SEQUENCING
8.4.1 General considerations
8.4.2 The 16S rRNA gene as a phylogenetic marker gene
8.4.3 PCR amplification
8.4.3.1 PCR reaction
8.4.3.2 PCR biases
8.4.3.3 Primer choice
8.4.4 DNA sequencing
8.4.4.1 Sequencing platform
8.4.4.2 Sequencing depth
8.4.5 Bioinformatic processing
8.4.5.1 Available software
8.4.5.2 Raw data

8.4.5.3 Quality scores and filtering
8.4.5.4 Merging paired end-reads
8.4.5.5 OTU clustering
8.4.5.6 Chimera detection and removal
8.4.5.7 Taxonomic classification
8.4.5.8 The OTU table
8.4.6 Data analysis
8.4.6.1 Defining the goal of the data analysis
8.4.6.2 Data validation and sanity check
8.4.6.3 Communities or individual species?
8.4.6.4 Identifying core and transient species
8.4.6.5 Explorative analysis using multivariate statistics
8.4.6.6 Correlation analysis
8.4.6.7 Effect of treatments on individual species
8.4.7 General observations
8.4.7.1 A relative analysis
8.4.7.2 Copy number bias
8.4.7.3 Primer bias
8.4.7.4 Standardization
8.4.7.5 Impact of the method
8.4.8 Protocol: Illumina V1-3 16S rRNA amplicon libraries
8.4.8.1 Apparatus
8.4.8.2 Materials
8.4.8.3 Protocol
8.4.9 Interpretation and troubleshooting
8.4.9.1 Sample DNA quality control and dilution
8.4.9.2 Library PCR
8.4.9.3 Library cleanup
8.4.9.4 Library quality control
8.4.9.5 Library pooling

8.4.9.6 Pool quality control and dilution
8.4.9.7 Storage
8.4.10 Protocol: Illumina V1-3 16S amplicon sequencing
8.4.10.1 Apparatus
8.4.10.2 Reagents
8.4.10.3 Protocol
8.4.10.4 Interpretation and troubleshooting
8.4.11 Design of Illumina 16S amplicon sequencing adaptors
8.5 OTHER METHODS

LIST OF SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS

296
297
297
297
299
299
300
300
301
301
301
301
301
302
303
303
303
304

304
304
304
304
305
305
306
306
307
307
307
307
307
307
308
308
308
308
308
309
311
311
312
312
313
314
314
314
314
314

314
314
315
317
319



1
INTRODUCTION
Authors:

Mark C.M. van Loosdrecht
Per H. Nielsen
Carlos M. Lopez-Vazquez
Damir Brdjanovic

Wastewater treatment forms a crucial link in the services
that the sanitation sector delivers to society. For
centuries, sanitation largely consisted of transporting
fresh, clean water to the cities, and using this water to
transport the waste out of the city and discharge it into
the natural environment. However, with the increase in
human populations in cities as a result of the industrial
revolution in the 19th century, this could no longer be
maintained. The occurrence of epidemic diseases
facilitated the development of wastewater treatment
facilities and their implementation since the early 20th
century. This development has been largely an empirical
activity with theoretical approaches following

experimental observations (Figure 1.1).

Figure 1.1 Noyes Laboratory on the campus of the University of Illinois in
Urbana was arguably the most important in promoting research in
wastewater in the early 20th century (photo: University of Illinois, 1902).

The discovery and development of activated sludge
technology (described in detail in Jenkins and Wanner,
2014) was crucial as it triggered the rapid development
and application of various analytical and experimental
methods. Experimental work in the Lawrence
Experimental Station in Massachusetts, USA, which at
that time (1912) was a unique facility aimed at the
experimental verification of different possible
wastewater treatment procedures, inspired Gilbert
Fowler to request Edward Ardern and William Lockett to
repeat the experiments with wastewater aeration in the
UK that he had seen in the USA. In 1913 and 1914
Lockett and Ardern carried out lab-scale experiments at
the Manchester - Davyhulme wastewater treatment plant
(Figure 1.2). Glass bottles were used to represent labscale aeration basins ‘fed’ by sewage from different
districts of Manchester. Contrary to the experiments that
Fowler saw in Massachusetts, in the Manchester aeration
tests the sediment that remained after decantation was left
in the bottle and a new dose of sewage was added to the
sediment for the next batch. Lockett and Ardern soon
found that the amount of the sediment increased with the
increasing number of batches. At the same time the
aeration time necessary for ‘full oxidation’ of sewage
(full oxidation was a term used to describe the removal

of degradable organics and for complete nitrification)
was reduced. By using this technique of repeated batch
aeration with the sediment remaining in the bottle,
Lockett and Ardern were able to shorten the required
aeration time for ‘full oxidation’ from a few weeks to less
than one day, which made the process technically

© 2016 Mark C.M. van Loosdrecht et al. Experimental Methods In Wastewater Treatment. Edited by M.C.M. van Loosdrecht, P.H. Nielsen. C.M. Lopez-Vazquez and D. Brdjanovic. ISBN:
9781780404745 (Hardback), ISBN: 9781780404752 (eBook). Published by IWA Publishing, London, UK.


2
feasible. The sediment formed during the aeration of
sewage was called activated sludge due to its appearance
and activity. Lockett and Ardern published their results
in a famous series of three papers (Ardern and Lockett
1914a, 1914b, 1915). This was the ‘birth’ of activated
sludge, which is today the workhorse of wastewater
treatment and the most widely applied sewage treatment
technology in the world.

EXPERIMENTAL METHODS IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT
Examples are the commonly used chemical or biological
oxygen demand tests. The iconic ‘Standard Methods for
the Examination of Water and Wastewater’ (APHA et al.,
2012, Figure 1.3) has for generations of sanitary
engineers been the resource for analysing their
experimental systems and full-scale operations. These
methods focus heavily on the chemical characterization
and measurement of specific microorganisms.

Figure 1.2 The Davyhulme Sewage Works Laboratory, where the activated
sludge process was developed in the early 20th century (photo: United
Utilities).

Wastewater engineering is a profession that is
extremely experiment-based, and therefore it has always
had the need to develop and standardise methods. This
seemingly simple activity is strongly hampered by two
factors, namely: (i) wastewater engineering is a typical
interdisciplinary activity where chemical engineers, civil
engineers, microbiologists and chemists interact to
develop and understand the processes; the challenge here
is to integrate methods and approaches from these
disciplines, and, (ii) in addition, wastewater and its
treatment processes are by their nature difficult to define
with exactitude. It is for instance virtually impossible to
measure all the individual compounds in the wastewater
itself. Identifying all the relevant microorganisms in the
processes has long been impossible and is still a
complicated challenge. Defining all the potentially
occurring chemical conversions is, due to the myriad of
chemicals present, again an almost impossible task.
Due to the undefined nature of the experimental
system, research has tended to progress slowly and it
heavily depends on standardised methods that may not be
exact but, when used in a standardised way, are very
helpful and useful to compare experimental results.

Figure 1.3 The Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and

Wastewater. The first edition appeared in 1905 (image: APHA et al., 2012).
Societal demands on the efficiency of wastewater
treatment plants have advanced, moving from public
health protection to water resources and environmental
protection and nowadays to integrated resource and
energy recovery. Therefore the need to accurately
characterize the microbial processes in the wastewater
treatment processes has increased over recent decades.
Certainly, it is a challenge to develop standardized
methods for experimental work that can be easily
repeated in different laboratories. In many cases, the
exact handling is important, but it is not easy to be written
down in a practical protocol.


INTRODUCTION
Therefore, to avoid these problems, it was decided to
develop not only a book describing all the experimental
methods but also a video catalogue with the methods
described in this book actually being demonstrated in the
laboratory. This book and its associated video-based
material are designed to support the research and
development field with a manual for characterizing the
biological processes in wastewater treatment. The editors
have decided in this first edition of the ‘Experimental
methods in wastewater treatment’ book to focus on the
activated sludge process since this is worldwide by far
the most applied technology. Nevertheless, most of the
methods presented in this book can also be applicable to
biofilm-based technologies or anaerobic digestion

processes.
The decision to focus on experimental methods
related to the activated sludge process has resulted in
seven chapters describing the key experimental methods.
The content and focus of these chapters are summarised
in Table 1.1. Activated sludge consists of a myriad of
microorganisms, converting a range of important
compounds (organic matter, oxygen, nitrogen and
phosphate compounds). The first three chapters focus on
characterizing the conversion capacities of the microbial
communities for the major microbial processes. A
distinction has been made between full liquid-phasebased methods and methods where the conversion are
characterized by measuring the respiration of the
organisms, usually gas-phase measurements. Since there
is an increasing focus on and interest in assessing the
environmental impact of wastewater treatment plants, a
separate chapter has been added for measuring
greenhouse gas emissions from wastewater treatment
plants. These chapters are followed by a chapter
describing data handling techniques. Measurements
often, certainly from full-scale or pilot plants, have
relatively large uncertainties. With adequate data
handling techniques the measurements can be used to
derive associated (difficult to directly measure) process
data or to minimise their uncertainty.
Activated sludge processes mainly depend on settling
of the flocculent sludge to separate the biomass from the
cleaned wastewater. This is often the Achilles heel of the
treatment process and a key factor in the process design.
One chapter is therefore devoted to characterization of

the sludge settling properties.
As said earlier, microorganisms are the workhorses in
the activated sludge process. Therefore the microscope is
unavoidably the main technique to observe them directly,
not only for individual organisms but also for the floc

3
morphology related to settling characteristics. For a long
time the microscope has been the main method of choice
when observing which bacteria are present in activated
sludge. However, although very helpful, it cannot show
the full complexity of the microbial community. The last
decade’s advance in molecular DNA-based techniques
has revolutionized the way one can observe
microorganisms. These generic novel methods are
described in the final chapter of this book.
Within the chapters the authors have tried to describe
especially those methods that are experimentally
complex and not standard analytical procedures.
Therefore, standard analytical methods for e.g. organic
matter, ammonium, phosphate etc. are not described in
detail. On the other hand, it was also decided to include
some analytical techniques recently developed and/or
improved that are becoming frequently used but are
scattered across scientific literature (e.g. glycogen and
poly-hydroxy-alkanoates determination). In addition,
methods that could be of academic interest but currently
have limited practical application have not been included
in detail in the text.
In terms of symbols and notation, an attempt has been

made to standardize them as much as possible. While this
was achieved at the chapter level, full standardization
was not possible across all the chapters due to their
diverse nature and heterogeneity of items as well as lack
of global agreement on the use of symbols and notations,
although the most common guidelines were quite closely
followed (e.g. Corominas et al., 2010).
The book is conceptualized so as to satisfy users with
high demands who are able to handle complex analytical
and experimental equipment. However, the content is
equally suited to the requirements of less advanced
laboratories and less experienced experimenters; in
particular, the complementary, freely available video
materials address the execution of experiments in more
challenging environments, such as those usually
prevailing in most less developed countries.

"To measure is to know."
Lord Kelvin


4

EXPERIMENTAL METHODS IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT

Table 1.1 A simplified overview of the experimental methods presented in the book per process of interest.
Process
Introduction

Organic matter

removal

Activated sludge
activity tests

Kinetics

AOO and NOO
activity
Kinetics
Stoichiometry

Nitrification

Overview and
rationale to
experimental
methods
Denitrification

Anammox

EBPR

Anaerobic
treatment

Respirometry

Biochemical

oxygen demand
(BOD)
Short-term
biochemical
oxygen demand
Wastewater
characterization
and fractionation
Biomass
characterization
Toxicity and
inhibition
Wastewater
characterization
and fractionation
Biomass
characterization
AOO and NOO
activity
Toxicity and
inhibition
Kinetics
Stoichiometry

Denitrification
over NO2 and NO3
Denitrification
on RBCOD and
SBCOD
Stoichiometry

Kinetics
AMX activity
Kinetics
Stoichiometry

Denitrification
over NO2 and NO3
Toxicity and
inhibition
Stoichiometry
Kinetics

PAO, GAO, and

Aerobic kinetics

DPAO activity

Kinetics
Stoichiometry

SRB activity
Kinetics
Stoichiometry

Chapter
Off-gas emission Data handling and Settling tests
tests
parameter
estimation

Sampling
methods for
nitrogen GHG
emissions
Methods for
off-gas
measurements
Aqueous N2O and
CH4 concentration
determination
methods
Gas
measurement
methods in open
tanks

Microscopy

Light
microscopy
distributions in
Confocal
primary settling microscopy
tanks
Morphological
investigations
Sludge
settleability in
Staining

secondary settling techniques
tanks
Fluorescence in
situ
Flocculation
Hybridization
properties
(FISH)
Settling
behaviour of
Combined
granular sludge staining
techniques

Molecular
methods

Settling velocity

Data handling
and validation
Parameter
estimation
Uncertainty
analysis
Local sensitivity
analysis and
identifiability
analysis

DNA extraction
Real-time
quantitative PCR
Amplicon
sequencing

and
stoichiometry
Toxicity and
inhibition
Specific
methanogenic
activity
Biomethane
potential
Toxicity and
inhibition
Kinetics
Stoichiometry

Settling

AMX Anammox organisms
AOO Ammonium oxidizing organisms
CH4 Methane
DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid
DPAO Denitrifying poly-phosphate accumulating organisms
EBPR Enhanced biological phosphorus removal
FISH Fluorescence in situ hybridization
GAO Glycogen accumulating organisms

GHG Greenhouse gas emissions

N2O Nitrous oxide
NO2 Nitrite
NO3 Nitrate
NOO Nitrite oxidizing organisms
PAO Poly-phosphate accumulating organisms
PCR Polymerase chain reaction
RBCOD Readily biodegradable COD also known as readily biodegradable organics
SBCOD Slowly biodegradable COD also known as slowly biodegradable organics
SRB Sulphate reducing bacteria or SRO Sulphate reducing organism


INTRODUCTION

5

Figure 1.4 The mission of UNESCO-IHE is to contribute to the education and training of professionals, to expand the knowledge base through research and
to build the capacity of sector organizations, knowledge centres and other institutions active in the fields of water, the environment and infrastructure in
developing countries and countries in transition. The photos depict the illustrative example of the Institute's latest project in Cuba where the laboratory of the
Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Alimenticia (IIIA) in Havana has been equipped with new state-of-the-art technology and where the local staff
has been trained on how to operate the equipment and prepare and carry out experimental work (photo: Brdjanovic, 2015).

References

American Public Health Association (APHA), American Water
Works Association (AWWA), and Water Environment
Federation (WEF) (2012). Standard Methods for the
Examination of Water and Wastewater, 22nd Edition. New
York. ISBN 9780875530130.

Ardern, E., Lockett, W.T. (1914a) Experiments on the Oxidation of
Sewage without the Aid of Filters. J. Soc. Chem. Ind., 33: 523.
Ardern, E., Lockett, W.T. (1914b) Experiments on the Oxidation of
Sewage without the Aid of Filters, Part II. J. Soc. Chem. Ind.,
33: 1122.
Ardern, E., Lockett, W.T. (1915) Experiments on the Oxidation of
Sewage without the Aid of Filters, Part III. J. Soc. Chem. Ind.,
34: 937.

Corominas, L.L., Rieger, L., Takács, I., Ekama, A.G., Hauduc, H.,
Vanrolleghem, P.A., Oehmen, A., Gernaey, K.V., van
Loosdrecht, M.C.M., Comeau Y. (2010). New framework for
standardized notation in wastewater treatment modelling.
Water Sci Technol. 61(4): 841-57.
Jenkins, D. and Wanner, J. Eds. (2014) 100 years of activated sludge
and
counting.
IWA
Publishing,
London,
ISBN
9781780404936, pg. 464.
The section on activated sludge historical development
presented in this chapter is adapted from Jenkins and Wanner
(2014).


6

EXPERIMENTAL METHODS IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT

2
ACTIVATED SLUDGE ACTIVITY TESTS
Authors:

Reviewers:

Carlos M. Lopez-Vazquez
Laurens Welles
Tommaso Lotti
Elena Ficara
Eldon R. Rene
Tessa P.H. van den Brand
Damir Brdjanovic
Mark C.M. van Loosdrecht

Yves Comeau
Piet N.L. Lens
Nancy G. Love

2.1 INTRODUCTION
Different conditions and factors affect the degree and rate
(speed) at which the compounds and contaminants of
concern are removed by microbial populations in
biological wastewater treatment systems. Certainly, the
plant configuration and operational conditions play a
major role in the prevalence of specific microbial
populations and their activities, but factors as diverse and
broad as wastewater characteristics and environmental

and climate conditions have a strong influence as well.
Eventually, in any biological wastewater treatment
system, there will be a need to assess, define and
understand the plant performance with regard to the
removal of certain contaminants and the response of the
sludge to inhibitory or toxic compounds of interest.
Moreover, from a modelling perspective it is also of
interest to assess and determine the stoichiometry and
kinetic rates of the conversion processes performed by
specific microbial populations (e.g. ordinary
heterotrophic organisms: OHOs; denitrifying ordinary
heterotrophic organisms: dOHOs; ammonium-oxidizing
organisms: AOOs; nitrite-oxidizing organisms: NOOs;

phosphate-accumulating organisms: PAOs; sulphatereducing bacteria: SRB, also identified as sulphatereducing organisms, SRO (Corominas et al., 2010); or,
anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing organisms: anammox.
Thereby, the execution of batch activity tests can be
rather useful to: (i) study the biodegradability of a given
wastewater stream (municipal or industrial), (ii)
determine the stoichiometric and kinetic parameters
involved in the conversion of a specific compound, (iii)
study the potential interactions (e.g. symbiosis and
competition) between microbial populations and (iv)
assess the potential inhibitory or toxic effects of certain
wastewaters, compounds or substances.
The nature and type of the batch activity tests can
differ depending upon the compounds of interest and the
metabolism and physiology of the microbial populations
involved in the removal or conversion processes. For
instance, they can range from relatively simple aerobic

tests where organic matter removal by OHOs is measured
to more complex alternating anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic

© 2016 Carlos M. Lopez-Vazquez et al. Experimental Methods In Wastewater Treatment. Edited by M.C.M. van Loosdrecht, P.H. Nielsen. C.M. Lopez-Vazquez and D. Brdjanovic. ISBN:
9781780404745 (Hardback), ISBN: 9781780404752 (eBook). Published by IWA Publishing, London, UK.


8
batch tests
presence of
nitrite and
performing
(EBPR).

EXPERIMENTAL METHODS IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT
to assess the activity of PAOs under the
different electron acceptors (such as nitrate,
oxygen) from activated sludge systems
enhanced biological phosphorus removal

This chapter presents an overview of the most
common batch activity tests and protocols and their
execution with the aim of assessing the conversion
processes involved in: (i) enhanced biological
phosphorus removal by PAOs under alternating
anaerobic-aerobic conditions, (ii) denitrification via
nitrate or nitrite by PAOs, (iii) reduction of sulphate by

SRBs, (iv) removal of organics under aerobic conditions
by OHOs, (v) denitrification by dOHOs using nitrate or

nitrite as final electron acceptor, (vi) oxidation of
ammonia and nitrite by AOOs and NOOs under aerobic
conditions and (vii) nitrogen removal by anammox
bacteria. These experimental protocols aim to serve as a
useful guide that establishes a basis for standardizing
batch activity tests for use on existing, emerging and
innovative treatment processes. It was decided to start the
order of presentation with EBPR systems involving
PAOs as the processes are complex and include all three
biochemical activated sludge environments: anaerobic,
anoxic and aerobic.

Figure 2.1.1 Experimental facilities for activated sludge activity tests at UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education in the Netherlands (photo: UNESCO-IHE).


ACTIVATED SLUDGE ACTIVITY TESTS

9
20i306, 2007; Nielsen et al., 2010). In particular, efforts
have focused on developing a better understanding of the
actual EBPR metabolic mechanisms, to unravel the
microbial identity of the organisms involved, and to
optimize the required process configurations, all with the
aim of improving and increasing the EBPR process
efficiency and reliability.

2.2 ENHANCED BIOLOGICAL
PHOSPHORUS REMOVAL
2.2.1 Process description
Enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) can be

implemented in activated sludge wastewater treatment
systems by introducing an anaerobic stage at the start of
the wastewater treatment lines. High P-removal
efficiency, lower operational costs, lower sludge
production and the potential recovery of phosphorus have
contributed to its application and popularity (Mino et al.,
1998; Henze et al., 2008; Oehmen et al., 2007). EBPR is
performed by phosphorus (polyphosphate)-accumulating
organisms (PAOs) (Comeau et al., 1987; Mino et al.,
1998) that, by intracellular accumulation of
polyphosphate (poly-P), can remove higher quantities of
phosphorus (0.35-0.38 g P g VSS-1 of PAOs) than OHOs
(0.03 g P g VSS-1 of OHOs) (Wentzel et al., 2008). The
scientific,
microbiological
and
engineering
characteristics of the EBPR process have been the main
focus of research carried out during the last few decades
by different research groups (Wentzel et al., 1986, 1987;
Comeau et al., 1986, 1987; Smolders et al., 1994a,b;
Mino et al., 1987, 1998; Oehmen et al., 2005a, 2005c,

Anaerobic

PAOs are heterotrophic organisms. However, unlike
OHOs, PAOs have the unique capability of using
intracellularly stored poly-P to produce the required
energy (adenosine tri-phosphate, ATP) under anaerobic
conditions to store readily biodegradable organic matter

(RBCOD), such as volatile fatty acids (VFA) like acetate
(Ac) and propionate (Pr), as intracellular poly-βhydroxy-alkanoates (PHAs). Stored PHAs are later
utilized under anoxic or aerobic conditions for enhanced
phosphorus uptake, glycogen synthesis, biomass growth
and maintenance. This feature gives PAOs a competitive
advantage over other microbial populations of relevance.
Thus, PAOs can be enriched to achieve EBPR by
recycling activated sludge through alternating the
anaerobic and anoxic or aerobic stages, while directing
the influent which is usually rich in VFA to the anaerobic
stage. A schematic representation of the PAOs’
metabolism is shown in Figure 2.2.1.

Aerobic (Anoxic)

Settling

CO2
PO4

VFA
Influent

Gly

(PO4, VFA)

PP

PHA

Effluent

PO4
Gly
PHA

PP

O2 (NOx)
RAS

WAS

Liquid phase

Anaerobic

Aerobic

Settling

PO4

PO4

VFA

PO4

PAO biomass

PP
PHA

PP
GLY

GLY

PHA

PHA

PP
GLY

Figure 2.2.1 Conceptual scheme of an activated sludge wastewater treatment plant performing EBPR, illustrating the activity of PAOs (Lopez-Vazquez, 2009;
adapted from Meijer, 2004).