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Updated: Jul 14, 2026
08:13
A Novel Bioreactor for High Density Cultivation of Diverse Microbial Communities
Published on: December 25, 2015
Immobilized-cell-augmented activated sludge process for treating wastewater containing hazardous compounds
Rungrod Jittawattanarat1, Konstantinos Kostarelos, Eakalak Khan
1Department of Civil Engineering, Polytechnic University, Brooklyn, New York, USA.
Summary
A new bioaugmentation method using immobilized cells significantly enhanced pentachlorophenol removal in wastewater treatment. This immobilized-cell-augmented activated sludge (ICAAS) process proved effective in degrading pollutants.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Microbiology
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is a persistent organic pollutant requiring effective wastewater treatment strategies.
- Conventional activated sludge processes may struggle with shock loads of recalcitrant compounds like PCP.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a novel bioaugmentation strategy, immobilized-cell-augmented activated sludge (ICAAS), for treating pentachlorophenol (PCP) pulse loading.
- To compare the efficacy of different immobilization media for enhancing PCP removal.
Main Methods:
- Developed ICAAS by augmenting completely mixed activated sludge (CMAS) with immobilized PCP-degrading bacteria.
- Utilized cellulose triacetate (CA) and powder activated carbon combined with CA (PAC + CA) as immobilization media.
- Assessed PCP removal efficiency under pulse loading conditions and evaluated the long-term viability of immobilized cells.
Main Results:
- ICAAS achieved significantly higher PCP removal (73.1% with CA, 75.1% with PAC + CA) compared to control CMAS (48.7%).
- Immobilized cells demonstrated sustained PCP-degrading ability with periodic inducer feeding every 20 days.
- Both biodegradation, volatilization, and adsorption onto cells/media contributed to overall PCP removal.
Conclusions:
- Immobilized-cell bioaugmentation is a promising approach for enhancing the resilience and efficiency of activated sludge systems treating PCP.
- The choice of immobilization medium (CA or PAC + CA) influences the overall performance of the ICAAS system.
- The ICAAS method offers a robust solution for managing recalcitrant organic pollutants in industrial wastewater.
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