The role of bacteria in the sewage treatment process

Bacteria may be aerobic, anaerobic or facultative. Aerobic bacteria require oxygen for life support
whereas anaerobes can sustain life without oxygen. Facultative bacteria have the capability of
living either in the presence or in the absent of oxygen. In the typical sewage treatment plant,
oxygen is added to improve the functioning of aerobic bacteria and to assist them
in maintaining superiority over the anaerobes. Agitation, settling, pH and other controllable are
carefully considered and employed as a means of maximizing the potential of bacterial reduction
of organic in the wastewater.

Single-celled organisms grow and when they have attained a certain size, divide, becoming two.
Assuming an adequate food supply, they then grow and divide again like the original cell. Every
time a cell splits, approximately every 20 to 30 minutes, a new generation occurs. This is known as
the exponential or logarithmic growth phase. At the exponential growth rate, the largest number of
cells are produced in the shortest period of time. In nature and in the laboratory, this growth
cannot be maintained indefinitely, simply because the optimum environment of growth cannot be
maintained. The amount of growth is the function of two variables: - environment and food. The
pattern which actually results is known as the bacterial growth rate curve. Initially dehydrated
products (dry) must first re-hydrate and acclimate in a linear growth phase before the exponential
rate is reached.

Microorganisms and their enzyme systems are responsible for many different chemical reactions
produced in the degradation of organic matter. As the bacteria metabolize, grow and divide they
produce enzymes. These enzymes are high molecular weight proteins.

It is important to recognize the fact that colonies of bacteria are literally factories for the
production of enzymes. The enzymes which are manufactured by the bacteria will be
appropriate to the substrate in which the enzyme will be working and so you have automatic
production of the right enzyme for the biological reduction of any waste material, provided you
have the right bacteria to start with. Enzymes do not reproduce whereas as bacteria do.

Enzymes in biochemical reactions act as organic catalysts. The enzymes actually become a part of
the action, but after having caused it, split off from it and are themselves unchanged. After the
biochemical reactions are complete and products formed, the enzyme is released to catalyze
another reaction. The rate of reaction may be increase by increasing the quantity of the substrate or
temperature up to a certain point , but beyond this, the rate of reaction ceases to increase because
the enzyme concentration limits it.
 All treatment plants should be designed to take advantage of the decomposition
of organic materials by bacterial activity. This is something you can equate to lower costs,
increased capacity, and an improved quality of effluent; even freedom from bad odors which may
typically result when anaerobe bacteria become dominant and in their decomposition process,
produce hydrogen sulfide gas and similar by-products.

Consider the fact that the total organic load of wastewater or sewage is composed of constantly
changing constituent, it would be quite difficult to degrade all of these organics by the addition of
one enzyme, or even several enzymes. Enzymes are specific catalysts and do not reproduce. What
is needed is the addition of an enzyme manufacturing system right in the sewage that can be pre -
determined as to its activity and performance and which has the initial or continuing capacity to
reduce waste.

At the present time, the addition of specifically cultured bacteria seems to be the least expensive
and most generally reliable way to accomplish desirable results. When you add the right bacteria in
proper proportions to the environment, you have established entirely new parameters of potential
for the treatment situation.
What role does Bacteria have in Waste Water Treatment?

MICROORGANISMS ROLE IN AEROBIC WASTEWATER

TREATMENT

Among wastewater types we find: domestic (houses),

municipal (state or city), industrial (industries). There is one
characteristic they all share (organic matter breakdown by
bacterial digestion). These microorganisms are broadly
distributed, we can find them in mankind systems as
WastewaterTreatment Plants and natural systems as soils,
rivers, lagoons and the sea.

Human have developed knowledge and technology for

wastewater treatment that has led us to use microorganisms
for our benefit, this tecnology is as old as Pasteur experiments
to bring Pasteurization, then we had lactic fermentation and
thus all these technology now is known as Biotechnology.

Any kind of wastewater exhibits a variety of microorganisms,

as we said before, microorganisms can be clasified as: aerobic
microorganisms (require oxygen), anaerobic (does not require
oxygen) and facultative (survive with or without oxygen). Each
group has specific functions or abilities for a specific system
sustrata or food as well as tolerance to ecological maximums
and minimums such as: pH, temperature, oxygen levels and
nutrients.

Bioaugmentation Is a term that describes a biological waste

treatment in water and soils. This means that by adding
specialized microorganisms we promote organic matter
remotion and/or the capacity of biodegradable component to
degrade. All to increase biomass but not for replacing biomass.

Cultures are produced by Biotechnology, each product adapts

itself to the Biosystem for specific uses, its composition is
based on a synergistic microorganism fusion that secures
consistent and predictable results for a wide variety of
environmental applications.

Among the most frequent problems in WWTP where

Bioaugmentation is recommended we have:

 BOD-QOD overloading
 Poor clarification
 Carbon variations
 Grease and oils
 Odor
 Foam
 Toxics

An ecologically friendly way of BOD decrease ( NatureClean

PRODUCTS: WA , WA3, y WA33), specifically designed with
adequate combination of microorganisms is now available,
something that with time will replace chemicals use and
environment abuse.Our Biotechnological products contain
different microorganism species that have affinity for organic
substances as: xenobiotics, phenols, nitrates, phosphates and
proteic compounds.

How the process take place?

This process is a biotechnological method for wastewater

treatment that is done with a microorganism mix in an aerobic
environment. These microorganisms derive energy from
organic matter in the aerated treatment systems for the
production of new cells in a process know as respiration. This
microorganism consortia is the basic component of the process.

The global goal of NatureClean is to remove substances that

demand oxygen from the system. This isachieved by metabolic
synthesis reactions, nitrification, denitrification processe and
solid separation for the creation of an acceptable effluent
quality and recycling of microorganisms back to the system
(sludge reduction).

The dominant microbial species in a system such a WWTP

depends upon the environmental conditions, design process,
and the wastewater plant operation and influent
characteristics.

MORE VITAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MICROORGANISMS

What happens if the pH level is not adequate for

microorganisms?

The range in pH over which microorganism grow is defined by

three points: minimum pH (value for which organisms can not
growth), optimum pH (value for which the organism has an
optimum growth) and maximum pH (value up to which an
organism can not grow). Organisms that grow at optimum pH
(7.0) are neutrophiles, those that grow at an acid pH (lower
than 7.0) are called acidophiles and the ones in the middle are
called alkalophiles.

What happens if the temperature is not adequate?

Temperature is a determining factor for the survival of an

organism. The metabolic type and tolerance that will
characterize a microorganism depends on the temperature at
which they grow. Among these are: psycrophiles, mesophiles,
moderate thermophiles, mesophiles, extremes and archaeas
(extreme environments).

What happen if there is not enough oxygen?

The organism's response to oxygen depends on the occurrence

and distribution of various enzymes reaction with oxygen as
well as various oxygen radicals that are invariably generated
by the cell in the presence of oxygen. All cells contain enzymes
capable of recting with oxygen. For example, flavoproteins;
pro-oxygen oxidations invariably result in the formation of
peroxide (H2O2) as one of the major products.

Even many of the bacteria, as the lactic acid one, lack catalase
and decomposes H2O2 by peroxidases which derive NADH2
electrons for the reduction of peroxide to H2O. Anaerobic
organisms that lack dismutase, catalase or peroxidase,
undergo lethal oxidations when exposed to various oxygen
radicals. In other words, there is a linear relationship between
metabolic type of microorganisms and dissolved oxygen in the
system, this oxygen level is what most be care of.

Why is it important that our WWTP has an aeration system?

We can analyze this question by making an analogy between a

WWTP and a lake. Both are water bodies, the difference is that
one is in contact with other systems (natural environment),
while the WWTP is an isolated system. Another comparison we
can make, is by visualizing the characteristics of a WWTP
without natural movement and no aeration (no dissolved
oxygen) which passes through the same process as in a lake
with no oxygen available, resulting in STAGNATION.

The NatureClean system provides adequate system of aeration

by pumping air into it. These pumps are programmed for
working in alternate processes as in a lake with, which we
provide aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms that have the
oxygen they require in adequate proportions.

What happens with the dissolved oxygen and great amount of

organic matter?

Although oxygen is one of the most common atmospheric

gases (after nitrogen), it has limited solubility in water. In
lakes (as well as in WWTP) when oxygen has been consumed,
superficial layers become anoxic (without oxygen). Strict
aerobic microorganisms can not grow in the bottom layers
restricted to anaerobic bacteria. Additionally, there is a
conversion from respiratory metabolism (which is the normal
and the desired one) to fermentative (bad odor increment,
decomposition, non-desired one), thus, bringing important
consequences for the carbon cycle and other nutrient cycles in
lakes; and in case of WWTP sludge accumulation, bad odors
decomposition.

In an open water body, oxygen is present in its dissolved form,

we don´t need for oxygen supply but if organic matter is
introduced sporadic -as it is in non productive lakes with
organic matter excess) or WWTP with high BOD levels;
dissolved oxygen drops and BOD or organic carbon increase
reflecting in significant organic matter load that needs to be
dissolved.
Figure 1. The relation between BOD, oxygen, nitrate, ammonia
and phosphate after significant organic matter load in a river.

After any organic matter load, an increment in BOD levels is

observed and consequent decrese in dissolved oxygen, not
counting following algae growth.

The rate at which water motion occurs in correspondence with

surface water is very important, in terms of WWTP's we talk
about how is the system aeration going. When this water
masses movement occurs along with turbulence currents
(lakes), water mass must be well mixed and consequently the
oxygen will be transferred to the deepest layers; in other
words, good aeration and enough organisms of the ones that
consumes organic matter excess) gives efficient performance
of a lake or a WWTP.

In many template lakes, water masses stratify (separate)

during spring. Surface warm layers are less denser (up-side)
and get separated from cold waters, which are dense (bottom-
side). This is what is called stratification and as a result bottom
water becomes anoxic. At the end of autumn and the beginning
of winter, surface water becomes colder and denser than
bottom water – then we have consequent water mass
movement-. Most lakes in template climates have this annual
cycle in which bottom waters passes from oxygenic to
anoxygenic and then back again.

Microbiological activity changes with oxygen level fluctuation.

 All of these information is for understanding a way to compare
our WWTP and a natural lakes in terms of their function. In
NatureClean, we enhance Nature's job by adding benefic
microorganisms ( NatureClean WA ) so they can consume
stagnate organic matter.
Types of sewage treatment processes
14-Jul-2009
There are 2 basic types of sewage treatment processes
1) Aerobic

Definition: Aerobic or "non-septic" means with air or

oxygen. By keeping the organic matter (waste) oxygenated,
keeps naturally occurring bacteria alive, called Aerobic
Bacteria.

Facts about Aerobic Bacteria:

> Very aggressive in feeding on waste, making the treatment
process very effective & efficient - break down occurring in a
matter of hours.
> Not affected by household cleaners, disinfectants, & bleaches.
> No septic decomposition occurs, therefore no unpleasant
odours.
> Unaffected by antibiotics under prescribed use.
2) Anaerobic

Definition: Anaerobic or "septic" means without air or

oxygen. The process relies on the decaying of organic matter
through bacteria that do not require oxygen, called Anaerobic
Bacteria.

Facts about Anaerobic Bacteria:

> A slow treatment can take up to 3 months
> Are not only less active but they are far more fragile - inorganic
compounds like soaps, household cleaners, & disinfectants that
are commonly used in the household can quickly upset them
causing poor treatment performance.
> Due to septic decomposition, unpleasant odours may occur.
Activated Sludge Process
Activated sludge (AS) is a process dealing with the treatment
of sewage and industrial wastewaters and developed around 1912-1914.
There is a large varity of design, however, in principle all AS consist of
three main components: an aeration tank, which serves as bio reactor; a
settling tank ("final clarifier") for seperation of AS solids and treated waste
water; a return activated sludge (RAS) equipment to transfer settled AS
from the clarifier to the influent of the aeration tank (Fig. 1). Atmospheric air
or in rare cases pure oxygen is introduced to a mixture of primary treated or
screened sewage (or industrial wastewater) combined with organisms to
develop a biological floc ("Activated Sludge" AS). The mixture of
raw sewage (or industrial wastewater) and biological mass is commonly
known as Mixed Liquor. Typically, dry solids concentrations of mixed liquor
(MLSS) range from 3 to 6 g/L. With all activated sludge plants, the
concentration of biodegradable components present in the influent is
reduced due to biological (and sometimes chemical) processes in
the aeration tank. The removal efficiency is controlled by different boundary
conditions, e.g. the hydraulic residence time (HRT) in the aeration tank,
which is defined by aeration tank volume divided by the flow rate. Other
factors are: Influent load (BOD5, COD, Nitrogen,...) in relation to the AS
solids present in the aeration tank (Food:Microorganism Ratio, F:M Ratio),
oxygen supply, temperature, etc. At the effluent of the aeration tank, mixed
liquor is discharged into settling tanks and the supernatant (treated waste
water) is run off to be discharged to a natural water or undergo further
treatment before discharge. The settled AS is returned to the head of
the aeration tank (RAS) to re-seed the
new sewage (or industrial wastewater) entering the tank and to ensure the
desired MLSS concentration in the aeration tank. Due to biological growth
(and solids present in the raw waste water which are only partly degraded),
excess sludge eventually accumulates beyond the desired MLSS
concentration in the aeration tank. This amount of solid (called Waste
Activated Sludge WAS) is removed from the treatment process to keep the
ratio of biomass to food supplied (sewage or wastewater) in balance and
the F:M ratio in a defined range. WAS is stored away from the main
treatment process in storage tanks and is further treated by digestion,
either under anaerobic or aerobic conditions prior to disposal.

Purpose
  In a sewage (or industrial wastewater) treatment plant, the
activated sludge process can be used for one or several of the
following purposes:
 oxidizing carbonaceous matter: biological matter.
 oxidizing nitrogeneous matter: mainly ammonium and nitrogen in
biological materials.
 removing phosphate.
 driving off entrained gases carbon dioxide, ammonia, nitrogen, etc.
 generating a biological floc that is easy to settle.
 generating a liquor low in dissolved or suspended material
Sewage treatment generally involves three stages, called primary,
secondary and tertiary treatment.

 Primary treatment consists of temporarily holding the sewage in a

quiescent basin where heavy solids can settle to the bottom while oil,
grease and lighter solids float to the surface. The settled and floating
materials are removed and the remaining liquid may be discharged or
subjected to secondary treatment. Some sewage treatment plants that
are connected to a combined sewer system have a bypass arrangement
after the primary treatment unit. This means that during very heavy
rainfall events, the secondary and tertiary treatment systems can be
bypassed to protect them from hydraulic overloading, and the mixture of
sewage and stormwater only receives primary treatment.
 Secondary treatment removes dissolved and suspended biological
matter. Secondary treatment is typically performed by indigenous,
water-borne micro-organisms in a managed habitat. Secondary
treatment may require a separation process to remove the micro-
organisms from the treated water prior to discharge or tertiary treatment.
 Tertiary treatment is sometimes defined as anything more than primary
and secondary treatment in order to allow ejection into a highly sensitive
or fragile ecosystem (estuaries, low-flow rivers, coral reefs,...). Treated
water is sometimes disinfected chemically or physically (for example, by
lagoons and microfiltration) prior to discharge into
a stream, river, bay, lagoon or wetland, or it can be used for
the irrigation of a golf course, green way or park. If it is sufficiently clean,
it can also be used for groundwater recharge or agricultural purposes.
Simplied process flow diagram for a typical large-scale treatment pla
Process flow diagram for a typical treatment plant via subsurface flow
constructed wetlands (SFCW)
Pretreatment
Pretreatment removes all materials that can be easily collected from the
raw sewage before they damage or clog the pumps and sewage lines of
primary treatment clarifiers. Objects commonly removed during
pretreatment include trash, tree limbs, leaves, branches, and other large
objects.
The influent in sewage water passes through a bar screen to remove all
large objects like cans, rags, sticks, plastic packets etc. carried in the
sewage stream.[7] This is most commonly done with an automated
mechanically raked bar screen in modern plants serving large populations,
while in smaller or less modern plants, a manually cleaned screen may be
used. The raking action of a mechanical bar screen is typically paced
according to the accumulation on the bar screens and/or flow rate. The
solids are collected and later disposed in a landfill, or incinerated. Bar
screens or mesh screens of varying sizes may be used to optimize solids
removal. If gross solids are not removed, they become entrained in pipes
and moving parts of the treatment plant, and can cause substantial damage
and inefficiency in the process.
Grit removal]
Grit consists of sand, gravel, cinders, and other heavy materials. It also
includes organic matter such as eggshells, bone chips, seeds, and coffee
grounds. Pretreatment may include a sand or grit channel or chamber,
where the velocity of the incoming sewage is adjusted to allow the
settlement of sand and grit. Grit removal is necessary to (1) reduce
formation of heavy deposits in aeration tanks, aerobic digesters, pipelines,
channels, and conduits; (2) reduce the frequency of digester cleaning
caused by excessive accumulations of grit; and (3) protect moving
mechanical equipment from abrasion and accompanying abnormal wear.
The removal of grit is essential for equipment with closely machined metal
surfaces such as comminutors, fine screens, centrifuges, heat exchangers,
and high pressure diaphram pumps. Grit chambers come in 3 types:
horizontal grit chambers, aerated grit chambers and vortex grit chambers.
Vortex type grit chambers include mechanically induced vortex,
hydraulically induced vortex, and multi-tray vortex separators. Given that
traditionally, grit removal systems have been designed to remove clean
inorganic particles that are greater than 0.210 millimetres (0.0083 in), most
grit passes through the grit removal flows under normal conditions. During
periods of high flow deposited grit is resuspended and the quantity of grit
reaching the treatment plant increases substantially. It is, therefore
important that the grit removal system not only operate efficiently during
normal flow conditions but also under sustained peak flows when the
greatest volume of grit reaches the plant.
Flow equalization[
Clarifiers and mechanized secondary treatment are more efficient under
uniform flow conditions. Equalization basins may be used for temporary
storage of diurnal or wet-weather flow peaks. Basins provide a place to
temporarily hold incoming sewage during plant maintenance and a means
of diluting and distributing batch discharges of toxic or high-strength waste
which might otherwise inhibit biological secondary treatment (including
portable toilet waste, vehicle holding tanks, and septic tank pumpers). Flow
equalization basins require variable discharge control, typically include
provisions for bypass and cleaning, and may also include aerators.
Cleaning may be easier if the basin is downstream of screening and grit
removal.
Fat and grease removal
In some larger plants, fat and grease are removed by passing the sewage
through a small tank where skimmers collect the fat floating on the surface.
Air blowers in the base of the tank may also be used to help recover the fat
as a froth. Many plants, however, use primary clarifiers with mechanical
surface skimmers for fat and grease removal.
Primary treatment

Primary treatment tanks in Oregon, USA

In the primary sedimentation stage, sewage flows through large tanks,
commonly called "pre-settling basins", "primary sedimentation tanks" or
"primary clarifiers".[11] The tanks are used to settle sludge while grease and
oils rise to the surface and are skimmed off. Primary settling tanks are
usually equipped with mechanically driven scrapers that continually drive
the collected sludge towards a hopper in the base of the tank where it is
pumped to sludge treatment facilities.[8]:9–11 Grease and oil from the floating
material can sometimes be recovered for saponification (soap making).
Secondary treatment
Secondary treatment is designed to substantially degrade the biological
content of the sewage which are derived from human waste, food waste,
soaps and detergent. The majority of municipal plants treat the settled
sewage liquor using aerobic biological processes. To be effective,
the biota require both oxygenand food to live.
The bacteria and protozoa consume biodegradable soluble organic
contaminants (e.g. sugars, fats, organic short-chain carbon molecules, etc.)
and bind much of the less soluble fractions into floc.
Secondary treatment systems are classified as fixed-film or suspended-
growth systems.

 Fixed-film or attached growth systems include trickling

filters, constructed wetlands, bio-towers, and rotating biological
contactors, where the biomass grows on media and the sewage passes
 over its surface.[8]:11–13 The fixed-film principle has further developed
into Moving Bed Biofilm Reactors (MBBR)[12] and Integrated Fixed-Film
Activated Sludge (IFAS) processes.[13] An MBBR system typically
requires a smaller footprint than suspended-growth systems.[14]
 Suspended-growth systems include activated sludge, where the
biomass is mixed with the sewage and can be operated in a smaller
space than trickling filters that treat the same amount of water.
However, fixed-film systems are more able to cope with drastic changes
in the amount of biological material and can provide higher removal
rates for organic material and suspended solids than suspended growth
systems.[8]:11–13

Secondary clarifier at a rural treatment plant

Some secondary treatment methods include a secondary clarifier to settle
out and separate biological floc or filter material grown in the secondary
treatment bioreactor.
Tertiary treatment
The purpose of tertiary treatment is to provide a final treatment stage to
further improve the effluent quality before it is discharged to the receiving
environment (sea, river, lake, wet lands, ground, etc.). More than one
tertiary treatment process may be used at any treatment plant. If
disinfection is practised, it is always the final process. It is also called
"effluent polishing."
Filtration

swage treatment is the process of removing contaminants from

wastewater and household sewage water.

It includes physical, biological and sometimes chemical processes to remove

pollutants. Its aim is to produce an environmentally safe sewage water, called effluent,
and a solid waste, called sludge or biosolids, suitable for disposal or reuse. Reuse is
often for agricultural purposes, but more recently, sludge is being used as a fuel source.
Water from the mains, used by manufacturing, farming, houses (toilets, baths, showers,
kitchens, sinks), hospitals, commercial and industrial sites, is reduced in quality as a
result of the introduction of contaminating constituents. Organic wastes, suspended
solids, bacteria, nitrates, and phosphates are pollutants that must be removed.

To make wastewater acceptable for reuse or for returning to the environment, the
concentration of contaminants must be reduced to a safe level, usually a
standard set by the Environment Agency.

Sewage can be treated close to where it is created (in septic tanks and their associated
drainfields or sewage treatment plants), or collected and transported via a network of
pipes and pump stations to a municipal treatment plant. The former system is gaining
popularity for many new ECO towns, as 60% of the cost of mains sewerage is in the
pipework to transport it to a central location and it is not sustainable. It is called
'Decentralisation' of sewage treatment systems.

The job of designing and constructing sewage works falls to environmental engineers.
They use a variety of engineered and natural systems to meet the required treatment
level, using physical, chemical, biological, and sludge treatment methods. The result is
cleaned sewage water and sludge, both of which should be suitable for discharge or
reuse back into the environment. Sludge, however, is often inadvertently contaminated
with many toxic organic and inorganic compounds and diseases and the debate is
raging over the safety issues. Some pathogens, for example, 'Prion' diseases (CJD or
'Mad Cow Disease is a Prion disease) cannot be destroyed by the treatment process.

The features of wastewater treatment systems are determined by:

1. The nature of the municipal and industrial wastes that are conveyed to them by
the sewers.
2. The amount of treatment required to keep the quality of the receiving streams
and rivers.