RESPIROMETRIC ANALYSIS OF ACTIVATED-SLUDGE BEHAVIOR - II - HETEROTROPHIC GROWTH UNDER AEROBIC AND ANOXIC CONDITIONS

Respirometric analysis of domestic sewage and textile, dairy, meat pro cessing, tannery and confectionery wastewaters were carried out for th e experimental assessment of the maximum specific growth rate of heter otrophic biomass and the correction factors for biological growth and hydrolysis under anoxic conditions. The accuracy and reliability of th e experimental procedure was tested using synthetic sewage and differe nt wastewater mixtures. The merit of adopting a lower yield coefficien t associated to nitrate utilization under anoxic conditions was theore tically discussed and verified with the experimental results obtained. The kinetic basis of respirometric analysis was evaluated for interpr etation of the experimental data on the basis of major mathematical me thods currently defining activated sludge modelling. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.