Waste water

QG21W™ – the unique solution for quantification of active biomass in biological waste water treatment

Processes for biological waste water treatment are based on the capacity of microorganisms to degrade organic, nitrogen and phosphorus pollution. Often, active biomass can be inhibited, decreasing the treatment efficiency by either the presence of toxic products in the influents, either a modification of operational conditions or simply by a modification of the quality of the influent to treat. Acute or chronic stress of the biomass leads to decrease of treatment performances and to variability of the final effluent quality. In such situations, final effluent is non-conform regarding authorized thresholds (BOD5, COD, TSS, NTK, Pt…) Operators lack the possibility to detect biological dysfunctions and implement corrective actions, as often the only analytical tools used are still based on physical and chemical parameters. QG21W kits are the unique solution for fast quantification of total living flora in municipal and industrial waste water treatment plants.

Application of QG21W kits for surveillance, optimization and reduction in costs in waste water treatment plants

2^nd generation of ATP-metry enables a fast measurement (3minutes) of the concentration of active biomass in water. The technology is based on the quantification of microorganisms through the measurement of only intracellular ATP, the energy stock of all living cells.  Intracellular ATP is the true indicator of living biomass. With only one analysis, QG21W kit supplies three essential pieces of information required for operating the wastewater treatment installation:

1. cATP™ - concentration of active biomass responsible for water treatment
2. BSI™ - health of active biomass. This parameter enables to measure the toxicity linked to the environment or the upstream process
3. ABR™  - living part of total suspended solids, expressing viability of biosolids

The technology can be used on all types of biological treatment plants (active sludge, fixed biomass, lagoons, MBRs) and allows:
- Real-time surveillance of the concentration of total living biomass in bioreactors.
- Early detection of operational problems and anticipation of decrease in biological treatment efficiency.
- Surveillance and on–site toxicity studies on raw water and influents.

Benefits from using QG21W in surveillance and optimization of WWTP

ATP-metry is a useful and reliable field tool for monitoring and prevention of operational drifts based on the only pertinent parameters in biological treatment, which are the activity and health of biomass.  QG21W kit enables:

1. Understanding biological treatment processes in the WWTP. The technology enables performing a biological mapping of the WWTP for better understanding of the functioning and health of active biomass. ATP-metry analysis is performed on raw water, sludge from primary treatment basins, aerobic, anaerobic or anoxic basins, return sludge, clarifier and final water. These measurements enable identification of dysfunctions of waste water treatment installation, such as bad homogenization of active biomass, insufficient aeration, toxicity problems, insufficient recirculation and problems in settlement of biomass. 
2. Monitoring the installation: monitor and operate the installation on the basis of cATP, BSI and ABR values. These parameters are useful for anticipating and preventing treatment efficiency drifts – ATP value is used as an early alarm for operational problems enabling fast correction.  
3. Studying the impact of influents:
   • Qualify and monitor the toxicity of influents

   • Study the consequences of upstream industrial process changes on the active biomass – change of raw materials, chemical products used during production. Validate the maximum concentration of a toxic product or influent to be introduced into the WWTP without an impact on the health of the biomass.   

   • Study the impact of external influents brought to the WWTP.
4. Optimizing operational conditions and surveillance of improvement actions.
5. Optimizing aeration
6. Monitoring the re-start of a WWTP.
7. Validating the efficiency of bio-additives.
8. Improving quality of final effluents for better reuse of water.
9. Optimizing sludge reduction.

By direct measurement of the concentration and health of microorganisms, treatment processes can reach a new level of stability and reduction in operating costs.   Significant improvements can be achieved in the following applications:

1. Filamentous bacteria detection
2. Detection and study of toxicity issues
3. Optimization of aeration
4. Assessment of bio-additives

Filamentous bacteria

Proliferation of filamentous bacteria in aeration basins can have dramatic consequences for the environment, related to important costs for the operator.  High concentration of filamentous bacteria in the basins leads to settling problems and sludge release downstream in environment. The only way to solve the problem, at least temporary, is to inject a biocide product (chlorine, oxygen peroxide…) for eliminating filamentous bacteria, or add a flocculating agent for reducing their impact. Existing solutions are often costly and bear the risk to damage the whole active biomass in the basin.
Microscope analyses are generally implemented for detecting the presence of filamentous bacteria. However, this method is difficult to perform by non specialists and lacks of reliability. The second method used in the field is the Mohlman index, but positive results are often delivered too late.
fbATP^TM quantification is an ATP-metry method, based on the use of QG21W kit, developed for regular surveillance, easy and precise indication of the presence of filamentous bacteria in sludge. The kits enable measuring the proportion of filamentous bacteria among total living active biomass.
Using fbATP makes possible the implementation of preventive measures. If filamentous bacteria are present in the basin, fbATP index gives an alarm result approximately two weeks before Mohlman index increases.  

Detection and study of toxic effluents

Massive arrival of toxic influent or an important change in the influents quality may inhibit or destroy active biomass of waste water treatment plant (WWTP), leading to important pollution of water resources and important costs linked to re-growth of microorganisms.
Second generation of ATP-metry is the perfect tool for a precise and easy surveillance of toxicity of influents and stress of active biomass. The Biomass Stress Index (BSI™) is the parameter obtained using the QG21-W™ kit and expressing the ratio of dead biomass versus total biomass. The higher the BSI index, the higher the mortality of microorganisms. The technology enables distinguishing between toxicity linked to an influent or toxicity linked to WWTP operating conditions (nutrient disorder, brutal changes of external temperature, pH…). If a toxic influent is responsible for disturbing health of active biomass, simple to implement jar-test studies can be conducted for identifying the individual influent or the toxic product responsible for the toxicity. The method also makes possible determining the maximum concentration of the toxic element which can enter the basin without disturbing active biomass.

Optimization of aeration

The biggest part of energy consumption in WWTP is for aerating the basins. With the increase of electricity costs, reducing oxygenation of basins, without disturbing treatment efficiency, is more and more important.
In general, the aeration time is determined by a clock or is linked to the concentration of dissolved oxygen.  In both cases, effective needs of treating biomass are not considered. Calculations are based on the Total Suspended Solids (TSS) concentration, which does not reflect exactly living microorganism’s level in the basins.

QG21-W™ kit quantifies active biomass and enables the determination of the proportion of living microorganisms in TSS: the method makes possible a precise dosing of aeration in correlation with the living microorganisms concentration. A better level of knowledge of the installation is reached using this technology.

Assessment of bioadditives

Treating biomass in basins may be insufficient or not adapted to some types of pollutions. One of the solutions used is the introduction of “bioadditives” in the basins – bioadditives are bacteria or fungi strains, enzymes or nutriments acting as “bio-activators” and favoring the development of active biomass. Today, in most cases, concentrations of bioadditives are determined without real studies of their impact.

ATP-metry using QG21-W™ kit is the best tool for directly measuring the benefit of bioadditives addition in the bioreactors. The optimum concentration can be easily determined for reaching optimum efficiency. Evolution of active biomass concentration and health can be followed over the time.