Last Summer I volunteered with Habitat for Humanity. I assisted in building a home in St. Tammany Parish, La. I had never worked with Habitat for Humanity before, but I immediately felt welcomed. I chose to work with Habitat for Humanity due to their belief that every person deserves a decent place to live. At the job site I worked along with teenagers who were with a church group from Florida. It was a normal, hot and humid summer day in South Louisiana but the fact that these kids came from another state to help build homes in my community gave me extra motivation to put in the good days work. At the end of the day I went home tired, but more importantly I left satisfied knowing that the work that I did that day got a deserving family closer to their dream of owning a house.

As an employee of Environmental Business Specialists, located in Mandeville, La., management encourages employees to take an active role in the community. We are allowed to spend 5 workdays a year performing charitable activities. I appreciate the opportunity to work for a company that stresses the importance of making our communities and the world a better place. I look forward to volunteering with Habitat for Humanity in the near future.

Kermit Francis
Environmental Business Specialists
www.ebsbiowizard.com

There are 2 major types of systems used for wastewater treatment: aerobic and anaerobic systems. Each has different uses along with pros and cons. This particular article focuses on aerobic treatment. Anaerobic treatment is the focus of a companion article written by EBS.

Aerobic Treatment

Aerobic wastewater treatment is a process where bacteria utilize oxygen to degrade organic matter (generally quantified as biochemical oxygen demand or BOD) and other pollutants involved in various production systems. The two most common types of aerated wastewater systems are activated sludge systems and aerated stabilization basins (ASBs). ASBs are commonly found as treatment systems in the pulp and paper industry and are used in some municipalities, as well as other industries.

There are eight growth pressures  that affect a treatment system but we will review two major ones: oxygen and organic loading (BOD). In a typical wastewater treatment system, the influent coming into the system has the most BOD because it hasn’t yet been treated.  As the influent reaches the ASB, it enters an aerated environment where the degradation will begin. Different types of aeration are used in ASBs but the most widely used are either surface aerators or diffused aeration systems. When using surface aeration, multiple units are needed to be properly spaced to treat the water. Diffused aeration is normally air that is supplied by compressors or blowers and piped under the surface where the air is released evenly throughout the ASB. Occasionally, pure oxygen is utilized in wastewater treatment, but this is relatively uncommon in ASBs.

The degradation of BOD is achieved through aerobic bacteria in a system. The bacteria utilize oxygen as an electron receptor in order to convert the organic material (BOD or oxygen demand) to carbon dioxide. Via this process they multiply, which in turn creates more bugs to break down more BOD. As the water flows through the system, many changes will occur. As the amount of BOD in the system reduces, the total number of bacteria will also decrease. The oxygen demand, as measured by oxygen uptake rate (OUR) will decrease and the environmental will become acceptable for more advanced life forms, such as protozoa or metazoan. A few of the common higher life forms are: flagellates, free swimming ciliates, stalked ciliates, and rotifers. The higher life forms will feed on the dispersed bacteria and flocculated bacteria that have been formed after degradation has occurred. Higher life forms are an indication that most BOD has been removed from the system.

ASBs tend to be very resilient systems and generally produce adequate quality effluent for typical discharge requirements. However, proper aerator placement and routine maintenance are critical to ensuring that system performance does not deteriorate over time.

Whether it is aerobic or anaerobic treatment, each treatment system has its place in the world today. They are very different in the process but both are used to achieve maximum degradation, while meeting the strict regulations set by the environmental agencies that regulate what is released into the air, ground, or water.

There are 2 major types of systems used for wastewater treatment: aerobic and anaerobic systems. Each has different uses along with pros and cons. This particular article focuses on anaerobic treatment. Aerobic treatment is the focus of a companion article written by EBS.

Anaerobic Treatment

Anaerobic treatment is a process where wastewater or material is broken down by microorganisms without the aid of dissolved oxygen. However, anaerobic bacteria can and will use oxygen that is found in the oxides introduced into the system or they can obtain it from organic material within the wastewater. Anaerobic systems are used in many industrial systems including food production and municipal sewage treatment systems.

Anaerobic digestion is commonly used to treat sludges in the first areas of a wastewater treatment plant. This process is popular because it is able to stabilize the water with little biomass production. Anaerobic treatment occurs in many different stages. The key microorganisms are methane formers and acid formers. The acid formers are microorganisms that create various acids from the sludge. Methane formers convert the acids into methane.

The two main anaerobic systems are batch systems and continuous systems. In a batch system, the biomass is added into a reactor that is sealed for the rest of the digestion process. This is the simplest form of anaerobic treatment but can have odor issues associated with it. As the most simple, it is also one of the least expensive ways to achieve treatment.

A continuous system has organic matter constantly added to the treatment system. Since it is continuously being fed, there is a need for the byproduct to continuously be removed. The byproduct can result in a constant source of biogas, which can be used as an alternative source for energy. This system is usually more expensive to operate because of the need for constant monitoring and manpower.

Biogas is produced as the bacteria feed off the biodegradable material in the anaerobic process. The majority of the biogas produced is methane and carbon dioxide. These gases can be stored and used for energy production. The methane in the biogas can be burned to produce heat and electricity. The heat and electricity can be used to aid the process of the anaerobic system by providing power and heat for the digestion to occur.

Biogas can also be used as alternative source for fuel. This has received a lot of attention due to the ever-rising cost of burning fossil fuels. To produce fuel, the biogas must be treated to reduce or eliminate hydrogen sulfide. The treatment may become expensive but is necessary because the EPA has strict limits on the amount of hydrogen sulfide released into the atmosphere.

Whether it is aerobic or anaerobic treatment, each treatment system has its place in the world today. They are very different in the process but both are used to achieve maximum degradation, while meeting the strict regulations set by the environmental agencies that regulate what is released into the air, ground, or water.

Biochemical oxygen demand testing can be separated into three measurable categories: total biochemical oxygen demand (tBOD), soluble biochemical oxygen demand (sBOD), and carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand (CBOD). Total biochemical oxygen demand measures all biodegradable material in the sample. Soluble biochemical oxygen demand measures the dissolved biodegradable material in the sample. Carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand measures the amount of oxygen required by bacteria to biologically oxide the carbonaceous fraction of organics and removes interference from nitrification.

To test the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), the water samples of interest are diluted with nutrient rich water (containing a phosphate buffer solution, a magnesium sulfate solution, a calcium chloride solution, and a ferric chloride solution) and seeded with a known amount of bacteria. Dilutions are determined by estimating the amount of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) in the sample using the measured chemical oxygen demand (COD) or another suitable surrogate. The dissolved oxygen (DO) of the sample is measured initially after mixing the solution and again after five days for the BOD₅ test or after one day for the BOD₁ test. The seed (bacteria) added to each solution will degrade the biodegradable material in each sample relative to the amount of oxygen removed from the water. The sample dilution and amount of oxygen removed can be used to calculate the amount of biodegradable material in the sample in mg/L. Each sample must produce a residual of 1.0 mg/L of dissolved oxygen and have had a dissolved oxygen uptake of at least 2.0 mg/L.

Quality control for this procedure is sometimes misinterpreted from the Standard Methods procedure and care should be taken to ensure compliance is met. This is almost always a NPDES permitted test that requires reporting to state or federal environmental compliance departments.

For more information and/or a full procedure, please contact Environmental Business Specialists Technical Director J’ohnnie Wilson at wilson@ebsbiowizard.com or at her direct line 985-674-0660 ext. 115.

EBS Production and Maintenance Coordinator Kenny Smith has evaluated, purchased, and serviced numerous pump types over the years and has found the Blue-White Industries Flex-Pro ® A3 and A4 Peristaltic Metering Pump http://www.blue-white.com/Products/Peristaltic/flexflo.htm to be an excellent pump for nutrient feed. Kenny indicates that Blue-White Industries provides him with the following benefits:

• dependability,
• ease of operation and maintenance, and
• excellent technical support.

The following information is provided by Kenny based on his experience and does not mean that proper safety precautions and procedures should not be taken. For a Tube Failure Detection (TFD), do not use until proper service is completed as noted below.

1. Before servicing the pump, be sure to have Proper Protective Equipment (PPE) available.
   • Gloves
   • Safety glasses
   • Protective clothing
2. Press the stop button on the pump.
3. Disconnect the suction and discharge tubing from the pump.
4. Remove the four thumb screws from the pump head cover; then remove the cover.
5. Press the start button. Notice that the roller rotates at a slow, safe speed.
6. Grasp the inlet pump tube fitting & pull the fitting straight out of the pump head.   Allow the pump tube to automatically walk itself out of the pump head.
7. Grasp the outlet pump tube fitting & pull the fitting straight out of the pump head.
8. Press the stop button.
9. The roller assembly and the pump head should be inspected and cleaned before installing a new pump tube. This is especially important if the pump tube ruptured and the TFD system was activated.
10. To remove the roller assembly, disconnect the electrical plug.
11. Pull the small spacer washer from the shaft.
12. Remove the roller assembly from the pump head by pulling the assembly straight off of the motor shaft.
13. Inspect the roller assembly. If chemical has come in contact with the roller assembly, wipe clean with a damp cloth and dry thoroughly.
14. Inspect the pump head. Wipe clean any chemical or debris inside the pump head and the TFD sensor pins.
15. Locate the FRONT side of the roller assembly (it is marked “FRONT”). With the FRONT side facing forward, replace the roller assembly back on the shaft.
16. Replace the small spacer washer on to the motor shaft.
17. Apply power to the pump.
18. Press the START button. Notice that the roller will only rotate at a slow safe speed.
19. Locate the inlet fitting on the curved tubing.
    • If the roller rotation is counterclockwise, this will be the bottom fitting.
    • If the roller rotation is clockwise, this will be the top fitting.
20. Press the inlet fitting into the slot in the pump head. Be sure the U-shaped fitting sits securely in the rear of the slot.
21. Allow the pump tube to walk its way into the pump head.
22. An installation tool is included with Blue-White pumps.
23. Install the tool on the pump tube adapter on the outlet side.
24. Gently pull on the outlet fitting until the fitting aligns with the outlet slot. Press the fitting into the pump head and remove the installation tool.
25. Replace the pump head cover. Be sure that the four thumb screws are fully installed.

The service is now complete. The Blue-White Peristaltic Metering Pump is ready to feed nutrient to your wastewater treatment system and make those bacteria happy campers once again. For more information on equipment reliability, please contact Environmental Business Specialists at 985-674-0660 or contact Kenny at Smith@ebsbiowizard.com.

For more information, please contact Environmental Business Specialists at 985-674-0660.

Novak, J.T., Goldsmith, C.D., Benoit, R. E. and O’Brien, J. H. 1985. Biodegradation of methanol and teriary butyl alcohol in subsurface systems. Water Sci. Technol. 17: 71-85.

Verschueren, K. 1983. Handbook of environmental data on organic chemicals. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company. New York, NY.

Unlike activated sludge systems, aerated stabilization basins constantly change.   ASBs accumulate solids which results in a lost of system capacity and a change in flow patterns. Two services that EBS provides that assist mills in evaluating these changes are tracer and depth studies. These two studies should be done in conjunction in order to get a clear picture of how well a basin is being utilized.

A depth study is conducted using Global Positioning System (GPS) and an electronic sonar.     In a boat, several passes are made throughout the basin collecting thousands of depth measurements.   The measurements are averaged in order to calculate the average depth of the basin. With the current basin depth and the original basin depth, the basin volume and total sludge accumulated can be calculated. The depth measurements are also used to plot a three dimensional graph of the basin.

While depth studies give the actual volume of a basin and the theoretical retention time of the basin, a tracer study tells how the basin is being utilized. EBS uses lithium chloride brine as a tracer.   Lithium chloride is introduced into the system and samples are collected at the basin effluent over a period of time in order to measure how long the tracer takes to leave the system.   The lithium concentration of the samples is analyzed and using that data, the retention time of a basin can be calculated.

In many cases the retention time calculated from the tracer study is less than the theoretical retention time of the system. This is due to non-ideal flow patterns in the system.   These flow patterns can be a result of short circuiting or channeling which can be caused by a faulty baffle or sludge build up in the basin.

The information obtained from these studies can assist the mill in making decisions regarding baffle installation or repair, dredging, and basin capacity.

Please contact Environmental Business Specialists at 985-674-0660 for more information.

A commonly used tracer is lithium chloride (LiCl) brine. This liquid contains approximately 40% LiCl or 6.5% Li. Lithium chloride is preferred over other tracers because it is not a normal component of pulp and paper mill wastewater, it is inert and does not react with anything in the wastewater system, and it is easily detected by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Recovery rates are also generally greater than those reported for fluorescent dyes or biological spores.

In order to calculate the retention time of a system, samples are collected and lithium concentrations are measured over time. Early in a study, samples are collected more frequently in order to recover the lithium at its peak concentration. As the study progresses, samples are collected less frequency. Sampling duration varies, but generally samples are collected for a period two to three times the theoretical retention time. This is to ensure that the entire amount of tracer has passed through the system and reached the effluent.

In addition to sampling at the effluent, it is highly recommended that profile samples are collected throughout the basin 4 hours and 24 hours after the tracer has been introduced into the system.  While long term sampling reveals how long the tracer was in the system, profile sampling would show the route it took.   Knowing the flow patterns in the system can help identify short-circuiting or channeling. Both of which could be a result of solids build up or a breach in a baffle.

To get the most benefit from a tracer study, one should be conducted every one or two years and in conjunction with sludge depth study.

For more information please contact Environmental Business Specialists at 985-674-0660.

Laboratory analysis revealed the bacteria were not producing exocellular polymers, the glue that allows them to produce floc, in large amounts and the net charge on these polymers was net neutral, which means the bacteria were not attracted to each other and therefore not clumping. The system showed high amounts of dispersed bacteria and low viability of the biomass. This type of deflocculation can occur for a number of reasons: chemical inhibition, chemical coating, and chemical toxicity. The key word here is chemical. All the miscellaneous chemicals that can be accidentally spilled or rinsed down the sink can have a significant impact on the bacterial population over time. Below are few groups of compounds that can have an impact on bacterial health.

Quaternary Amines: Quaternary amines are commonly used biocides and cleaning agents and therefore are commonly found in wastewater streams. The threshold for inhibition occurs at 25mg/L. These compounds degrade very slowly in aerobic systems and will accumulate in return feed systems.

Anionic Surfactants: Anionic Surfactants are culprits of foaming incidences and, in high concentrations, can coat the surface of bacterial cells causing deflocculation. These chemicals are common detergents used as cleaning agents and are difficult to degrade.

Terpenes: Terpenes are toxic to bacteria at a threshold of approximately 25mg/L. This is a commonly used chemical in most industries and proves to be difficult to break down. In our experience, terpenes tend to accumulate in the reactor biomass adding to their difficulty in treatment. Wasting is the best method to remove terpenes that have accumulated in the system.

Hydrogen Sulfide: Hydrogen sulfide has a LC50 of 1ppm at a pH of 7. Toxicity at any level will cause bacterial death and result in floc breaking apart as the bacteria die. This compound can be avoided as long as the system remains aerobic and no septicity is present upstream.

Fatty Acids: Fatty acids are often found in activated sludge plants, but rarely in levels that can cause deflocculation. More often fatty acid buildup will lead to foaming and filamentous bacterial growth. Having large amounts of fatty acids in addition to other troublesome chemical compounds can aggravate the situation and delay recovery. In addition, fatty acids are generally formed by anaerobic bacteria and therefore fatty acid build-up is an indicator compound for septicity in the system.

EBS has worked closely with Paul Klopping and Cliff Lange of Auburn University to perform the unique testing required to characterize these chemical groups and their unique impact on wastewater systems. Remediation of systems impacted in this manner is highly dependent on the type of chemical impacting the system and the layout of the system in question. As always, the best solution is to avoid putting these chemicals into the system. However, when a chemical spill occurs, EBS will be there to assist you.

Environmental Business Specialists  has begun offering online training courses as a part of their growing repertoire of training services. The idea behind the online training is to allow customers to access training courses from their own computers, on their own time-frame. EBS strives to create courses that are equally as engaging and instructive as instructor-led classes. EBS has chosen one of the most lauded e-learning software suites on the market, Articulate Studio.

The Articulate Studio comes with an arsenal of e-learning tools that allow the developer to create engaging interactions and a variety of assessments that can be embedded into an e-learning course.   The Articulate Presenter software opens directly in the Powerpoint ribbon, allowing the developer to easily access and merge all the functions of Articulate Presenter and Microsoft Powerpoint.

Initially, EBS selected a computer-based training software called Toolbook by SumTotal Systems. After a year’s struggle to use the program effectively, EBS abandoned it for Articulate. Toolbook is marketed as a powerful tool for creating computer-based training materials. It does offer some impressive features, such as software simulations, which allow a student to learn a program by “practicing” how to use it. However, overall, Toolbook is outdated and difficult to use. Simple tasks take many steps to execute. The finished product works best for publication by CD-Rom and has not proved to be easily compatible with online LMS platforms. Unfortunately, the software has many bugs and consistently causes corrupt files and computer crashes. In addition to this, the SumTotal customer service has been atrocious, even after subscribing to a pricey technical support plan. Our complaints were tossed back and forth between different Toolbook representatives and often our unsolved technical difficulties were thrown back at us as our responsibility.

We finally decided to move onto a product that leads the market in e-learning software and have been pleased ever since. Articulate Studio is a powerful software suite that is intuitive to use and creates a product that is easily hosted online. Their technical support is available by e-mail with no support agreement necessary. They have always promptly addressed the few questions we’ve had.

“When I earned my Master’s Degree in Instructional Technology in 2004, I worked with ToolBook. Being familiar with the software, we migrated to ToolBook despite warnings from my prior professor about serious bugs with the software. The decision to go with ToolBook cost EBS tens of thousands of dollars in wasted manpower (billable hours) and almost caused us to miss a critical client deadline. Out of desperation we found Articulate and it saved our hides,” says Mike Foster, EBS Owner and Principal Consultant.

Environmental Business Specialists is pleased to announce its alliance with Articulate Studio.