Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 22, 2026

Experimental Column Setup for Studying Anaerobic Biogeochemical Interactions Between Iron OxyHydroxides, Trace Elements, and Bacteria
Published on: December 19, 2017
Dewatering of saline sewage sludge using iron-oxidizing bacteria: Effect of substrate concentration
Jonathan W C Wong1, Kumarasamy Murugesan2, Ammaiyappan Selvam3
1Sino-Forest Applied Research Centre for Pearl River Delta Environment, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong; Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong.
Abstract:
This study investigated the improvement in dewaterability of activated sludge (ACS) and anaerobically digested sludge (ADS) through bioacidification approach using iron-oxidizing bacterium, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. ACS and ADS were treated with A. ferrooxidans culture with addition of different concentrations of energy substrate, in terms of Fe(2+):sludge solids ratio (0:1, 0.01:1, 0.05:1 and 0.1:1), and the dewaterability was assessed by determining the capillary suction time (CST), time to filter (TTF) and specific resistance to filtration (SRF) of the sludge. The results revealed that the levels of Fe(2+) significantly influenced the sludge acidification (pH⩽3). The CST, TTF and SRF values rapidly decreased in treated sludge, indicating that dewaterability of the sludge was significantly (p<0.05) improved than untreated sludge. This investigation clearly demonstrates that A. ferrooxidans culture, as biogenic flocculant, can be potentially used for improving the sludge flocculation, stabilization and dewaterability.
More Related Videos
15:19Development of Sulfidogenic Sludge from Marine Sediments and Trichloroethylene Reduction in an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor
Published on: October 15, 2015
11:43Dissolved Solute Sampling Across an Oxic-Anoxic Soil-Water Interface Using Microdialysis Profilers
Published on: March 24, 2023
Related Concept Videos
Microbial Leaching
Acid Mine Drainage
Microbes and Other Elemental Cycles
Ionic Strength: Effects on Chemical Equilibria
In this solution, the primary...
Bioreactor Controls-II
Factors Affecting Solubility