Reduction of production of microbial biomass in activated sludge process using metabolic uncoupler 3,3,4,5 tetrachlorosalicylanilide (TCS)

• Grant number: 06/03267-4
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2006
• End date: August 31, 2007
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Environmental Sanitation
• Principal Investigator: Alexandre Nunes Ponezi
• Grantee: Alexandre Nunes Ponezi
• Host Institution: Centro Pluridisciplinar de Pesquisas Químicas, Biológicas e Agrícolas (CPQBA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Paulínia , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The removal of organic matter present in the biological treatment process is the most frequently technology employed in wastewater treatment plants. Microbial cells excess (sludge), carbonic dioxide, soluble microbial products and water are the end products of this process. The excess sludge productions correspond to around 15-100 Kg/L-1 COD, where more than 95% of its composition is water. As consequence of the accelerate growth of the population and industries, the sludge production is increasing, creating a real problem in the field of the environmental engineering technology. The current regulations of safety with regard to production of nutritious products, become restrict the application of these residues as biosolids in agricultural fields in most of the countries. Nowadays, the production of excess sludge is one of the most serious problems found in aerobic treatment plants. The treatment of the excess sludge can account for up 25 - 65% of the total operation cost in a plant, generating a unnecessary waste. An ideal way to solve this problem would be to reduce the sludge production in the process (sludge-associated), instead the use of a secondary treatment of the excess sludge generated. Strategies for excess sludge reduction are important to revise the techniques that can be applied in municipal and industrial plants to reduce the sludge production, once this treatment is the most usual around the world. The aim of this work is to study the application of the 3,3`,4`,5-tetraclorosalicilanida (TCS) in the reduction of the sludge in activated sludge processes in the treatment of a municipal domestic wastewater. (AU)