Cultivating aerobic granular sludge in a developed continuous-flow reactor with two-zone sedimentation tank treating real and low-strength wastewater.

A continuous-flow reactor with two-zone sedimentation tank (CFR-TST) was developed to evaluate the formation of aerobic granular sludge (AGS). Micropowder made of excess sludge was added for a while in the CFR-TST, and selection pressure associated with settling time was created by the two-zone sedimentation tank. To avoid AGS disintegration, an airlift system for sludge return was used.

Analysis of bacterial, fungal and archaeal populations from a municipal wastewater treatment plant developing an innovative aerobic granular sludge process.

Mature granules and flocs from aerobic sludge were collected from the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) treating both municipal and industrial effluents in Haining city China. This plant has been operating under conditions favoring aerobic granular sludge formation, for over 3 years, suggesting that the granules, which stably retained under changing effluent conditions, may contain unique microbial populations. Microbial analysis indicated that the granular sludge was primarily composed of Planctomycetes, Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes from the bacterial phyla.