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Are filamentous mycolata important in foaming?
1Department of Civil Engineering, University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK.
Summary
Branched filamentous mycolata are a minor part of the population during wastewater treatment foaming events. Their low numbers mean they do not cause foaming, suggesting caution when using microscopy for monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Environmental microbiology
- Wastewater treatment technologies
Background:
- Foaming events in activated sludge plants are often linked to increased mycolata populations.
- Previous studies indicated a significant rise in mycolata during foaming.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the proportion of branched filamentous mycolata in activated sludge plants experiencing foaming.
- To determine the contribution of filamentous mycolata to observed foaming events.
Main Methods:
- Microscopic examination of mixed liquor and foam samples from activated sludge plants.
- Quantification of different mycolata morphotypes.
- Statistical analysis to compare mycolata populations in foaming and non-foaming conditions.
Main Results:
- Branched filamentous mycolata constituted less than 21% of the total mycolata population.
- Filamentous mycolata numbers were negligible compared to other morphotypes in most samples.
- Filamentous mycolata did not significantly correlate with foaming events (P<0.01).
Conclusions:
- The presence of branched filamentous mycolata is not a primary driver of foaming in activated sludge systems.
- Conventional microscopic monitoring of mycolata for foaming prediction may be misleading.
- Further research into dominant mycolata morphotypes is warranted for effective foaming control.