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Updated: Sep 6, 2026

Extraction of Structural Extracellular Polymeric Substances from Aerobic Granular Sludge
Published on: September 26, 2016
Stability of enhanced biological phosphorus removal and composition of polyphosphate granules
C Schönborn1, H D Bauer, I Röske
1Institute for Solid State and Materials Research, Dresden, Germany.
Abstract:
The influence of varying Ca- and Mg-concentration of the influent wastewater on the enhanced biological phosphorus removal was investigated in an anaerobic-aerobic bench-scale plant. The artificial enhancement of the Mg-concentration in the influent from 15 to 24 mg l(-1) and 31 mg l(-1), respectively, caused a raise of the mean P-removal efficiency from 85 to 97%. The P-elimination was very stable in time. A chemical precipitation of magnesium ammonium phosphate could be excluded. The elemental composition of polyphosphate granules was investigated by electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The elements Ca, Mg and K were the principal metal components of polyphosphate granules. Concerning the metal composition, different types of granules could be distinguished. The quantitative ratios of Ca, Mg and K varied in dependence on the influent concentration of these metals. A relation between the Mg/Ca-ratio of the granules and the efficiency of enhanced biological phosphorus removal can be supposed.
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