Optimal production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) in activated sludge fed by volatile fatty acids (VFAs) generated from alkaline excess sludge fermentation.

To reduce the production cost of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) and disposal amount of excess sludge simultaneously, the feasibility of using fermentative volatile fatty acids (VFAs) as carbon sources to synthesize PHA by activated sludge was examined. At pH 11.0, 60 degrees C and fermentative time of 7d, the VFAs yield was 258.

Study of microfiltration behaviour of oily wastewater.

Crossflow microfiltration experiments were carried out with oily wastewater using alpha-Al(2)O(3) membranes with 0.05 microm pore size. The influence of parameters such as transmembrane pressure (TMP), crossflow velocity (CFV), oil concentration, pH and salt concentration on the microfiltration behaviors were studied based on the measurements of permeate flux, total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiency, and size and zeta potential of the emulsion droplets.

Biosorption and desorption of copper (II) ions by Bacillus sp.

Batch biosorption experiments were conducted to investigate the removal of Cu2+ ions from aqueous solutions by a series of bacterial strains isolated from a local activated sludge process. The characteristics of 12 isolates were identified and examined for their ability to bind Cu2+ ions from aqueous solution. Among the isolates, two species exhibited biosorption capacity >40 mg of Cu/g of dry cell.