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In aerobic fermentations, oxygen is vital for microbial growth and metabolite production. Since air comprises only about 20% oxygen and the gas is poorly soluble in water—just 9 ppm at 20°C—supplying sufficient oxygen becomes a critical challenge, especially in high-demand processes like yeast growth or citric acid production. Even a fully saturated broth may offer only a few seconds of oxygen availability.To address this, sterile or scrubbed air is introduced into the...
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Bioreactors are engineered vessels designed to cultivate microorganisms under controlled conditions for industrial bioprocessing. They maintain sterility and allow precise regulation of pH, temperature, oxygen, and nutrient levels to optimize microbial growth and metabolite production. Bioreactors range from small laboratory units of 1 liter to industrial systems holding up to 500,000 liters, though only about 75% of their volume is actively used for fermentation. The remaining headspace...
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Fermentation is a foundational biotechnological process used to produce pharmaceuticals, biofuels, enzymes, and food additives. Among industrial strategies, batch and continuous fermentation are the two most widely applied. Although both rely on microbial conversion of substrates into desired products, they differ markedly in operation, productivity, and suitability for specific applications.Batch fermentation occurs in a closed system in which nutrient media and inoculum are added at the...
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Aerobic sludge granulation in a full-scale sequencing batch reactor.

Jun Li1, Li-Bin Ding1, Ang Cai1

  • 1Department of Municipal Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, No. 18 Chao Wang Road, Hangzhou 310014, China.

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Summary

Aerobic granulation of activated sludge was successfully achieved in a large-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR). This method produced sludge with superior settling capabilities compared to other wastewater treatment systems.

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Engineering
  • Microbiology
  • Wastewater Treatment

Background:

  • Aerobic granulation is a crucial process for enhancing sludge settling and improving wastewater treatment efficiency.
  • Conventional wastewater treatment methods often struggle with sludge bulking and poor settling characteristics.
  • Sequencing Batch Reactors (SBRs) offer a potential platform for developing aerobic granules.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the successful achievement of aerobic granulation in a full-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR).
  • To characterize the properties of the formed aerobic granules.
  • To compare the performance and microbial community of SBR-generated granules with other reactor types.

Main Methods:

  • Operation of a full-scale SBR (50,000 m(3) d(-1)) for treating municipal wastewater over 337 days.
  • Sludge characterization including settleability tests (SVI30), particle size, and settling velocity.
  • Microbial community analysis using Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE).
  • Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS) analysis for protein content.
  • X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis for inorganic composition.

Main Results:

  • Aerobic granules were successfully formed in the full-scale SBR with an average SVI30 of 47.1 mL g(-1), diameter of 0.5 mm, and settling velocity of 42 m h(-1).
  • SBR-derived sludge exhibited a more compact structure and better settling ability than sludge from anaerobic/oxic (A/O) and oxidation ditch (OD) reactors.
  • DGGE analysis revealed distinct microbial communities, with specific bacteria dominant in the SBR granules.
  • EPS analysis showed high protein content in all sludge types, while XRF indicated inorganic precipitation acted as a core for granulation.

Conclusions:

  • Full-scale aerobic granulation is feasible in SBRs for municipal wastewater treatment, yielding sludge with excellent settling properties.
  • The SBR operational mode, characterized by periodic feast-famine conditions, shorter settling times, and no return sludge, is critical for granule formation.
  • Wastewater characteristics positively influence granulation, with inorganic precipitation playing a role in granule core development.