Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 2, 2026
06:10
Extraction of Structural Extracellular Polymeric Substances from Aerobic Granular Sludge
Published on: September 26, 2016
23.6K
Insight into the internal microscopic structure and composition of aerobic granular sludge under high salinity based
Yuhao Tong1, Aqiang Ding1, Jun Liu1
1State Key Laboratory of Coal Mine Disaster Dynamics and Control, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China; Department of Environmental Science, College of Environment and Ecology, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400045, China.
Environmental Research
|December 5, 2025
Summary
High salinity damages aerobic granular sludge (AGS) structure, increasing porosity and reducing biomass. Micro-CT analysis reveals internal structural failure precedes collapse, impacting wastewater treatment resilience.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Microbiology
- Wastewater Treatment Engineering
- Materials Science
Background:
- Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) shows promise for high salinity wastewater treatment.
- Quantitative, non-destructive analysis of AGS internal structure under salinity is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the internal structural response of AGS to varying salinity levels using micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT).
- To correlate internal structural changes with AGS performance and operational stability.
Main Methods:
- High-resolution micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT) for non-destructive internal structural analysis.
- Quantification of porosity, pore size, biomass aggregate size, and particle size distribution.
- Assessment of wastewater pollutant removal efficiency and operational stability.
Main Results:
- Increasing salinity from 0% to 5% significantly increased AGS porosity (57% to 72%) and average pore size, while decreasing total pore count and biomass aggregate size.
- Salinity ≤2.5% preserved structural integrity, while salinities >3.5% caused notable internal damage.
- Internal structural collapse at high salinity led to prolonged recovery periods and reduced functional resilience, despite effective pollutant removal.
Conclusions:
- Internal structural integrity of AGS is crucial for maintaining operational stability and functional resilience in hypersaline environments.
- Micro-CT provides a valuable non-destructive method for assessing AGS internal structure and predicting performance.
- Understanding salinity-induced structural failure is key for designing robust AGS systems for industrial wastewater treatment.
