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Received August 12, 2002
Accepted May 16, 2003
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The Evaluation of Excess Biomass Growth in Sewers
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 3204 Engineering Hall, 1415 Engineering Dr. Madison, WI 53706, USA 1Department of life & Environmental Science, Taegu University, Daegue 713-714, Korea
einsteinpark@hanmail.net
Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering, September 2003, 20(5), 878-885(8), 10.1007/BF02697292
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Abstract
A few sections of the sewers in Watertown were experiencing clogging due to an excess biomass growth. It was suspected that the wastewaters discharged from Fisher-Barton’s two facilities were causing excess biomass growth. Madison raw sewage had a slightly lower biomass growth than the mixture of industrial wastewater and domestic sewage samples. From microscopic examination of biomass, the main cause of excess biomass growth is thought to be toilet tissue. Biomass is attached to toilet tissue, decomposing it gradually and generating extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). Then, suspended particulates including graphite and precipitates are attached to the biomass and filamentous organisms, especially Sphaerotilus natans, leading to the increase in the biomass volume. We found that the filamentous bacteria were present in biofilm by FISH. A significant amount of graphite was embedded to biomass grown in sewer. Since the major cause of excess biomass appeared to be toilet tissue, it would not be economical to employ a filtration system for complete graphite separation. Instead, it is recommended that the manufacturing process where graphite is used be assessed and a best management practice is in place.
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References
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Burchard RP, Sorongon ML, Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 64, 4079 (1998)
Cao YS, Alaerts GJ, Water Sci. Technol., 37, 181 (1995)
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Jahn A, Nielsen PK, Water Sci. Technol., 37, 17 (1998)
Manz W, Wagner M, Amann R, Schleifer KH, Water Res., 28, 1715 (1994)
Manz W, Wendt-Potthoff K, Neu TR, Szewzyk U, Lawrence JR, Micro. Ecol., 37, 225 (1999)
MacDonald JA, "Microscopic Evaluation of a Collection System Sample Received from Watertown," Wisconsin, Final Report, MacDonald Environmental Services, Project No. 00-31 (2000)
McFeters GA, Stewart PS, Huang CT, Wentland EJ, Xu KD, Yu FP, "Physiological Heterogeneity and Biofilm Control," In; Biofilms in the Aquatic Environment (eds.; Keevil, C.W., Godfree, A., Holt, D., Dow, C.) Cambridge, The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), 51 (1999)
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Stackebrandt E, Murray RGE, Truper HG, Int. J. System. Bact., 38, 321 (1988)
Wagner M, Amann R, Kamper P, Assmus B, Hartmann A, Hutzler P, Springer N, Schleifer KH, Appl. Microbiol., 17, 405 (1994)
Woese RP, Microbiol. Rev., 51, 221 (1987)
Yoo CK, Kim DS, Cho JH, Choi SW, Lee IB, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 18(4), 408 (2001)
