Activated Sludge Foaming - New Publication

PhD student Martin Fryer and Professor Nick Gray of the Water Technology Research Group, based in the Centre for the Environment have published a new and precise method for estimating foam development in full scale aeration tanks in wastewater treatment plants. Foaming is a major problem in the operation of activated sludge treatment which is a biological process that treats 90% of wastewater in the developed world. The new methodology opens up the possibility of better foam prediction allowing more time for operators to prevent problematic foam occurring; as well as now being able to measure the effect of remedial action. The foaming Scum Index (FSI) has been presented in the latest issue of the Journal of Environmental Management.



Fryer, M. and Gray, N.F. (2012) Foaming Scum Index (FSI) – A new tool for the assessment and characterization of biological mediated activated sludge foams. Journal of Environmental Management , 110, 8-19. Doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2012.05.009

New Research Paper from the Water Technology Research Group.

The latest research paper from the Water Technology Research Group

Dubber, D. and Gray, N.F. (2011) The influence of fundamental design parameters on ciliates community structure in Irish activated sludge systems. European Journal of Protistology, 47, 274-286.

Abstract
The protozoan community in eleven activated sludge wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the greater Dublin area has been investigated and correlated with key physio-chemical operational and effluent quality parameters. The plants represented various designs, including conventional and biological nutrient removal (BNR) systems. The aim of the study was to identify differences in ciliate community due to key design parameters including anoxic/anaerobic stages and to identify suitable bioindicator species for performance evaluation. BNR systems supported significantly different protozoan communities compared to conventional systems. Total protozoan abundance was reduced in plants with incorporated anoxic and anaerobic stages, whereas species diversity was either unaffected or increased. Plagiocampa rouxi and Holophrya discolor were tolerant to anoxic/anaerobic conditions and associated with high denitrification. Apart from process design, influent wastewater characteristics affect protozoan community structure. Aspidisca cicada was associated with low dissolved oxygen and low nitrate concentrations, while Trochilia minuta was indicative of good nitrifying conditions and good sludge settleability. Trithigmostoma cucullulus was sensitive to ammonia and phosphate and could be useful as an indicator of high effluent quality. The association rating assessment procedure of Curds and Cockburn failed to predict final effluent biological oxygen demand indicating the method might not be applicable to treatment systems of different designs.

PhD Awarded to Water Technology Research Group Member

Congratulations to former Water Technology Research Group research student Donata Dubber who was awarded her PhD degree today.  The title of her thesis was  The effects of anoxia and anaerobia on protozoan communities in activated sludge operation. The study was supported by Science Foundation Ireland.

Successful PhD candidate

Congratulations to our colleague Donata Dubber for successfully defending her PhD thesis ‘The effect of anoxia and anaerobia on protozoan communities in activated sludge operation.’ Dr Dubber has already published a number of research papers on her study including

• Enumeration of protozoan ciliates in activated sludge: Determination of replicate number using probability Water Research 43, 3443-52;
• Replacement of chemical oxygen demand (COD) with total organic carbon (TOC) for monitoring wastewater treatment performance to minimize disposal of toxic analytical waste J. Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part A , 45, 1595-1600;
• The effect of anoxia and anaerobia on ciliate community in biological nutrient removal systems using laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactors (SBRs). Water Research, 45, 2213-26;
• The influence of fundamental design parameters on ciliates community structure in Irish activated sludge systems. European Journal of Protistology, In press.

Reminder: TCD Postgraduate Open Day



Trinity College Dublin
copyright Tigroney



Just to remind you that members of the Water Technology Research Group will be at the School of Natural Sciences stand at this year's Postgraduate Open Day on Thursday, 27 January 2011 from 4pm - 7pm in the historic Exam Hall in Trinity College Dublin. All the schools and disciplines will be represented and you will have the chance to discuss postgraduate opportunities.

Launch of SFI Principal Investigator Programme 2011

The SFI Principal Investigator Programme call will be launched in December and SFI is hosting a webinar to outline the main points, including submission deadlines, of the 2011 call on Friday, December 3rd 2010 at 11.00 a.m. which will last an hour.  The webinar will also include an overview of the new SFI grants and awards management system (SESAME) through which applicants to the 2011 call must submit their proposals. To register for the webinar, please click on the link below.  After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar. Senior postdocs interested in applying for this programme in association with the Water Technology Research Group should contact me as soon as possible. Webinar link:  https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/465285563