Understanding the presence of filamentous bacteria
Wastewater treatment plant operators are now used to problems related to the presence of filamentous bacteria in their wastewater. I remember a time where we would struggle with clarification problems, foaming problems, excess TSS in effluent, flocculation problems etc. and not being aware of the presence of filamentous bacteria causing those issues.
Now almost every wastewater operator is familiar with filamentous bacteria presence and their related issues. But I am not quite sure they all know how to efficiently deal with the situation.
Operators usually react two different ways when they know they have a filamentous growth issue.
The first one is to take action in order to control their growth. Some add chlorine, others have a more environmentally responsible approach by adding other microorganisms strains to create competition to the filaments.
But I say this is not a sustainable way of taking control over filamentous issues in wastewater treatment systems.
The second possible way and the best, is to sample, examine and conduct laboratory analysis, in order to determine what genus of filamentous bacteria are actually present. Then try to understand the causes of the presence of this specific genus in relation to operation parameters.
My aim today is to give you this simple tool, which will allow you to identify the causes of filamentous in wastewater treatment plants and systems. This way you can take better actions to control and prevent, whenever it is possible.
Table 1. Causes of Filaments
|
Bacterial Genus |
Description/Potential Cause |
|
Zoogloea |
Slime, typically caused by low nutrients |
|
Thiothrix |
Type 021N, Sulfur |
|
Meganema |
Unknown |
|
Acinetobacter |
Type 1863, FOG (fats, oils, grease) |
|
Flexibacter |
Unknown |
|
Microthrix |
FOG (fats, oils, grease); can also produce foam |
|
Runella |
Type 0411; septicity/organic acids |
|
Gordonia |
Nocardia; FOG (fats, oils, grease) |
|
Sphaerotilus |
Low DO |
|
Haliscomenobacter |
Low DO, Low P |
|
Trichococcus |
Nostocoida Limnicola II, septicity/organic acids |
|
Leptolinea |
Unknown |
|
Tetrasphaera |
Nostocoida Limnicola I; Septicity/organic acids |
|
Isosphaera |
Nostocoida Limnicola III; Septicity/organic acids |
|
Caldilinea |
Eikelboom Type 803; Low F:M ratio |
|
Skermania piniformis |
PTLO - Pine tree like organisms, can cause foam; possibly FOG (fats, oils, grease) |
|
Beggiatoa |
Unknown |
|
Brachythrix |
Unknown |
|
Kouleothrix |
Unknown |
|
Unnamed SJA-15 |
Unknown |
Good luck.
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