Causes of Filamentous Bacterial Bulking in The Aeration Tank of The SWTP and Its Control

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CAUSES OF FILAMENTOUS BACTERIAL BULKING IN THE AERATION TANK OF

THE SWTP AND ITS CONTROL
Article in APPITA · November 2022
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CAUSES OF FILAMENTOUS BACTERIAL BULKING IN THE AERATION TANK
OF THE SWTP AND ITS CONTROL
Ghulam Mustafa*, Paul Chappell**, Allan Bate***, Misheel Jargalsaikhan****
*Corresponding author, Process Chemist, Opal paper & Recycling Mill,

Botany, NSW
** Quality Manager, *** Process Expert, **** Process Engineer
Filamentous bulking in the aeration tank may be caused by the excessive fat, oil, and
grease coming through the paper mill water. The presence of abundant filamentous
bacteria can reduce flock settling as reported by Pal, P. (2017). Normally, the
additional discharge of sugar into the aeration tank could lead to rapid filamentous
growth but with the long lasting effects (Foot & Robinson, 2003). Gas bubbles may
also be found trapped under the filamentous bacterial bulking mat and enhance its
floating.
Filamentous growth in the aeration tank of the Secondary Water Treatment Plant
(SWTP) can easily be detected by calculating the Sludge Volume Index 30 (SVI30).
SVI30 index depends on the two values such as 30-minutes settleability test result
and the activated sludge Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids (MLSS) test result. The
SVI30 values where the filamentous bulking begins varies from treatment plant to plant
1
(Clifton, 1988). Filamentous growth causes major disruption and does not allow solids
to settle down at the base of the clarifiers, thus causing the supernatant solution to be
more turbid. Therefore, due to filamentous bacterial bulking, suspended solids laden
waste water is a costly disposal option.
Currently, the upper limit of SVI30 for Opal’s SWTP is 120 mL/g. The Sludge Volume
Index (SVI30) of the aeration tank is measured twice a week. However, if the SVI30
values are higher than 120 mL/g, it is monitored daily until the rectification of trouble
shooting. If we find the values of SVI30 are consistently higher than 120 mL/g for at
least 3 days, then a microscopic analysis is conducted in Opal’s Wet Chemistry
Laboratory to ascertain the stage of the filamentous bacterial growth using the
subjective scoring system per Jenkins et.al. (2004). After 3 days, upon filamentous
growth confirmation, filamentous growth reduction treatment is applied. For this
purpose 12.5% sodium hypochlorite @ 15 L/hour was found effective to overcome the
excessive filamentous bulking in the aeration tank without killing the microbial
population.
Filamentous bulking at the start of sodium hypochlorite dosing is shown in figure 1 and
the reduction of filamentous growth after the 1 week of treatment application is shown
in figure 2. Figure 3 shows the effectiveness of hypochlorite treatment after 12 days
with the reduction of sludge volume index to 59 mL/g. It is suggested to apply this dose
through the sludge recirculation line and not directly into the aeration tank to avoid the
excessive disruption to the microbes. The application of sodium hypochlorite may
prolong up to 2 weeks or more depending on the phase of the filamentous bulking in
the aeration tank.
2
Figure 1: Filamentous bacterial growth in the MLSS sample under the compound microscope
at the start of sodium hypochlorite treatment.
Figure 2: Filamentous bacterial growth in the aeration tank after the one week of treatment.
3
Figure 3: Scanty filamentous bacterial growth in the aeration tank after the 10 days of
treatment. SVI 30 reduced to 59 mL/g.
Other signs of filamentous bacterial bulking include a misty odor coming from the
surface of the aeration tank and the clarifiers. Production of foam at the surface of the
aeration tank may also indicate filamentous bacterial growth. Misty odor and foam
formation issues were observed during filamentous growth in our aeration tank of the
SWTP. Furthermore, the clarifier surface looked muddy and the supernatant solution
became turbid. The sludge at the base of clarifier was difficult to see, especially when
SVI30 was 203 mL/g as shown in figure 4.
4
Figure 4: Muddy surface of Opal's SWTP Clarifier due to the filamentous bulking @ 203 mL/g
SVI30.
It is important to note that after the tenth day of the sodium hypochlorite treatment,
suspended solids in the treated effluent or the disposal water reduced to 528 ppm from
796 ppm (34% reduction) in the disposal water. The SVI30 reduced to 121 from 231
mL/g. The reduction in Sludge Volume Index (54%) showed the effectiveness of the
treatment after 10 days. The higher TSS concentration may be due to the suspension
in the mesh or nest like filamentous structure, reducing the amount of solids to settle
down at the base of clarifier. Sodium hypochlorite treatment was found effective to
reduce the high cost associated with the disposal of wastewater containing solids of
more than 600 ppm. However, the effect of degree of bacterial filament abundance in
the aeration tank on the solid concentration in the disposal water is inconclusive and
needs more research.
CONCLUSIONS
• The growth of filamentous bacteria in the aeration tank can be controlled by the
application of 12.5 % sodium hypochlorite @ 15 L/hour.
5
• High Total Suspended Solids (TSS) in the clarifier supernatant solution can be
reduced quickly to save money paid to Sydney Water due to the high TSS load.
• It is a cost effective method and a quick solution for the filamentous growth
problem in the aeration tank of the SWTP.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This work is carried out in the Wet Chemistry Laboratory, Opal Paper and Recycling
Mill, Sydney, Australia. The author is thankful to Opal Paper and Recycling Mill for the
supply of the necessary resources and equipment required to conduct this research
work.
REFERENCES
Clifton, J. 1988. Wastewater Treatment Plant Operation, 2nd ed., Univ. of Florida, DEC:
Kendell Hunt Publishing.
Foot, R. J. & Robinson, M. S. 2003. Activated Sludge Bulking and Foaming: Microbes
and Myth. In Handbook of Water and Wastewater Microbiology.
Jenkins, D., Richard, M.G., Daigger, G. T. 2004. Manual on the Causes and Control
of Activated Sludge Bulking, Foaming, and other Solids Separation Problems, 3rd ed.,
CRC Press, Washington D.C.
Pal, P. 2017. Biological Treatment Technology: In Industrial Water Treatment

Technology. Butterworth-Heinemann.
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See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

CAUSES OF FILAMENTOUS BACTERIAL BULKING IN THE AERATION TANK OF

Article in APPITA · November 2022

Ghulam Mustafa Paul Chappell

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

Ghulam Mustafa, Paul Chappell, Allan Bate, Misheel Jargalsaikhan****

*Corresponding author, Process Chemist, Opal paper & Recycling Mill,

Pal, P. 2017. Biological Treatment Technology: In Industrial Water Treatment

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