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Related Experiment Videos

Biomass development in slow sand filters.

L C Campos1, M F J Su, N J D Graham

  • 1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, UK.

Water Research
|November 7, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Light exclusion in slow sand filters limits microbial biomass development. However, both covered and uncovered filters effectively remove organic carbon, indicating biomass quantity is not critical for advanced water treatment.

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Microbiology
  • Water Treatment Engineering
  • Wastewater Treatment Processes

Background:

  • Slow sand filters (SSFs) are effective physical-chemical and biological wastewater treatment systems.
  • The schmutzdecke layer and interstitial sand biomass are crucial for SSF performance.
  • Light exposure can influence microbial community development within SSFs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of light exclusion on microbial biomass development in SSF sand and schmutzdecke layers.
  • To compare the efficiency of organic carbon removal in SSFs operated with and without light exclusion.
  • To assess the relationship between microbial biomass concentration, depth, and light conditions in SSFs.

Main Methods:

  • Two full-scale slow sand filters were operated under different light conditions (covered vs. uncovered).

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  • Microbial biomass concentrations in sand and schmutzdecke were measured using a chloroform fumigation-extraction technique.
  • Sand samples were collected to a 10 cm depth, and organic carbon removal was quantified.

    • Main Results:

    • The uncovered filter showed increased interstitial microbial biomass with time and decreasing concentration with depth.
    • The covered filter exhibited minimal sand biomass accumulation, with no clear depth-related pattern.
    • Schmutzdecke developed only on the uncovered filter; its biomass was highly variable.
    • Total and dissolved organic carbon removal efficiencies were similar in both covered and uncovered filters.

    Conclusions:

    • Light exclusion significantly reduces microbial biomass development in SSFs.
    • Photosynthetic activity in the schmutzdecke of uncovered filters likely contributes to sand biomass.
    • Sufficiently small biomass populations in covered filters are adequate for effective organic carbon removal in advanced water treatment.