Efficiency of activated sludge in municipal wastewater treatment

Abstract

Čista voda i kanalizacijski sustav potrebe su današnjice, a pročišćavanje otpadnih voda je neophodno. Biološki postupci pročišćavanja komunalnih otpadnih voda najčešće uključuju proces s aktivnim muljem. Aktivni mulj je zajednica mikroorganizama odgovornih za razgradnju različitih onečišćujućih tvari prisutnih u komunalnoj otpadnoj vodi. Prisutna mikrobna zajednica pokazatelj je učinkovitosti rada uređaja za pročišćavanje otpadnih voda zbog povezanosti s fizikalno-kemijskim i operativnim parametrima procesa. U ovom je radu praćena učinkovitost aktivnog mulja tijekom 2019. godine na uređaju za pročišćavanje komunalnih otpadnih voda grada Zagreba. Učinkovitosti uklanjanja taložive krute tvari, ukupne suspendirane tvari, KPK i BPK5 iznosile su više od 90 % u prosjeku, a koncentracija ukupnog dušika i ukupnog fosfora smanjila se za 44 %, odnosno 45 %. Mikroskopska analiza omogućuje brzi uvid u sustav s aktivnim muljem i pridonosi boljem vođenju procesa obrade komunalne otpadne vode.Clean water and sewage system are the needs of today, and wastewater treatment is necessary. Biological processes for municipal wastewater treatment most often involve sludge process. Activated sludge is a community of microorganisms responsible for the decomposition of various pollutants present in municipal wastewater. The present microbial community is an indicator of wastewater treatment plant efficiency due to connection with physico-chemical and operational parameters of the process. In this paper, the efficiency of activated sludge process of municipal wastewater treatment plant of city of Zagreb during the year 2019 was monitored. The removal efficiencies of the settleable solids, total suspended solids, COD and BOD5 were more than 90 % in average, and the concentration of total nitrogen and total phosphorus decreased by 44 % and 45 %, respectively. Microscopic analysis provides quick insight into the activated sludge system and contributes to better process control of municipal wastewater treatment