Effect of carbon to nitrogen ratio on the composition of microbial extracellular polymers in activated sludge

• Published in: Water Science & Technology Vol. 44; no. 10; pp. 221 - 229
• Main Authors: DURMAZ, B, SANIN, F. D
• Format: Conference Proceeding Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London IWA Publishing 01.01.2001
• Subjects: Activated carbon; Activated sludge; Applied sciences; Bacteria; Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of waters; Biotechnology; Carbohydrates; Carbohydrates - analysis; Carbon - analysis; Carbon - chemistry; Carbon/nitrogen ratio; Composition; Environment and pollution; Environmental Monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; Extracellular; Extracellular polymers; Flocculation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General purification processes; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Microorganisms; Nitrogen; Nitrogen - analysis; Nitrogen - chemistry; Pollution; Polymers; Polymers - chemistry; Proteins; Proteins - analysis; Sewage - chemistry; Sewage - microbiology; Sludge; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Wastewaters; Water treatment and pollution; Activated sludge; Carbon nitrogen ratio; Microbial origin; Oside polymer; Chemical composition; Waste water purification; Extracellular; Protein; Biological purification
• ISBN: 9781843394044; 1843394049
• ISSN: 0273-1223; 1996-9732
• DOI: 10.2166/wst.2001.0626

Effect of carbon to nitrogen ratio (C/N) on the sludge extracellular polymer composition is studied in synthetically fed semi-continuous reactors with 8 days of sludge age. Results show that C/N ratio influences the relative distribution of polymer carbohydrate and protein. At low C/N ratio of 5, polymer extracts have high protein and low carbohydrate content. As the C/N ratio is increased to 17.5 and then to 40, carbohydrate concentration increases sharply and protein concentration decreases.