Biological treatment of

wastewater
 Biological treatment of wastewater
• The mixed population of microorganisms, naturally
present in the wastewater, is able to utilize the colloidal
and dissolved biodegradable organic matter as their
food for their growth and multiplication.
• So, to remove the colloidal and dissolved solids from
primary effluent, the wastewater is further treated
normally using biomass as an agent.
• This further treatment of wastewater is called
secondary treatment and since it usually employs
biological process(es), it is also termed biological
treatment of wastewater
 Objectives of biological treatment
• The main objectives of biological treatment of
wastewater are:
• To coagulate and remove both organic
and inorganic non-settle able colloidal
particles which do not get removed in
primary treatment
• To stabilize the dissolved organic matter
(normally carbonaceous BOD) that
remains present in the effluent from
primary treatment.
 How it works??
• Removal of colloidal suspensions is achieved
by the principle of physicochemical adsorption
and by trapping of suspended solids or
particulate matter on the biological floc.
• The reduction of soluble organic solids (BOD
or COD) is achieved by microbial biosorption
and their further degradation and stabilization
by microbes.
 How it works??
• The microbes convert these solids into simpler
end products like water (H2O) and carbon
dioxide (C02)and synthesize their own new
cells.
• These cells are known as biomass or biological
floc.
• As the biomass floc thus produced has a
specific gravity slightly greater than that of
water, it settles easily by gravity.
 Efficient performance
• The efficient performance of a biological
treatment unit depends on:
• Developing a suitable mixed culture of
microorganisms in the treatment unit
(bioreactor).
• Maintaining appropriate environmental
conditions for the system.
• Removing the excess sludge produced.
 Classification of Biological Treatment System

• The biological processes of treatment systems

have been broadly classified into two
categories:
• Operational conditions necessary for microbial
metabolism
• The method by which microorganisms are
maintained in the system.
 Operational conditions necessary for microbial
metabolism

• Aerobic process
• Anaerobic process
• Facultative process
• Anoxic process

Metabolism: the series of processes by which food is converted into the energy and products
needed to sustain life
 Aerobic process
• The process that essentially requires the
presence of molecular oxygen for metabolic
activity of microorganisms is called an aerobic
process.
• The process can be designed to supply
required oxygen either naturally or by
artificial/mechanical means.
 Anaerobic process
• The process that operates in the absence of
molecular oxygen in the reactor for the growth
of microbes and normally fails in the presence
of excessive oxygen is called an anaerobic
process, e.g. anaerobic sludge digester.
 Facultative process
• The process that can operate both in the
presence or absence of oxygen in the reactor
for the growth of facultative bacteria is called a
facultative process, e.g. facultative
stabilization ponds.
 Anoxic process
• This is the biological process in which
microbes convert nitrate nitrogen of
wastewater into nitrogen gas in the absence of
oxygen.
• It is also known as denitrification process.
 Processes by which microorganisms are
maintained in the system.

• Suspended growth process

• Attached growth or fixed film process
 Suspended growth process:

• When the microorganisms are maintained as

suspension in the reactor by an appropriate
mixing method, the process is known as
suspended growth process.
• e.g. activated sludge process, oxidation ditch,
aerated lagoon, etc.
Attached growth or fixed film process:
• In this case, the microorganisms in the reactor remain
attached to some inert packing material or medium.
• e.g. trickling filter, rotating biological contactor, etc.
• Video
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