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Biological Activated Sludge from Wastewater Treatment Plant before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Marius-Daniel Roman

    (Faculty of Building Services Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 28 Memorandumului Street, 400114 Cluj-Napoca, Romania)

  • Cornel Sava

    (Faculty of Engineering Materials and the Environment, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 28 Memorandumului Street, 400114 Cluj-Napoca, Romania)

  • Dana-Adriana Iluțiu-Varvara

    (Faculty of Building Services Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 28 Memorandumului Street, 400114 Cluj-Napoca, Romania)

  • Roxana Mare

    (Faculty of Building Services Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 28 Memorandumului Street, 400114 Cluj-Napoca, Romania)

  • Lavinia-Lorena Pruteanu

    (Department of Chemistry and Biology, North University Center at Baia Mare, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 76 Victoriei Street, 430122 Baia Mare, Romania)

  • Elena Maria Pică

    (Faculty of Engineering Materials and the Environment, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 28 Memorandumului Street, 400114 Cluj-Napoca, Romania)

  • Lorentz Jäntschi

    (Department of Physics and Chemistry, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 103-105 Bd. Muncii, 400641 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
    Institute for Doctoral Studies, Babes-Bolyai University, 1 M. Kogălniceanu Street, 400084 Cluj-Napoca, Romania)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and the related measures brought a change in daily life that affected the characteristics of the municipal wastewater and further, of the biological activated sludge. The activated sludge process is the most widely used biological wastewater treatment process in developed areas. In this paper, we aim to show the situation of specific investigations concerning the variation of the physicochemical parameters and biological composition of the activated sludge from one conventional wastewater treatment plant from a metropolitan area. The investigations were carried out for three years: 2019, 2020 and 2021. The results showed the most representative taxa of microorganisms: Microtrix , Aspidisca cicada , Vorticella convallaria , Ciliata free of the unknown and Epistylis and Rotifers . Even if other microorganisms were found in the sludge flocs, their small presence did not influence in any way the quality of the activated sludge and of the wastewater treatment process. That is why we conclude that protozoa (especially Flagellates and Ciliates ) and rotifers were the most important. Together with the values and variation of the physicochemical parameters, they indicated a good, healthy, and stable activated sludge, along with an efficient purifying treatment process, no matter the loading conditions.

Suggested Citation

  • Marius-Daniel Roman & Cornel Sava & Dana-Adriana Iluțiu-Varvara & Roxana Mare & Lavinia-Lorena Pruteanu & Elena Maria Pică & Lorentz Jäntschi, 2022. "Biological Activated Sludge from Wastewater Treatment Plant before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-19, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:18:p:11323-:d:910477
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yongkui Yang & Longfei Wang & Feng Xiang & Lin Zhao & Zhi Qiao, 2020. "Activated Sludge Microbial Community and Treatment Performance of Wastewater Treatment Plants in Industrial and Municipal Zones," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-15, January.
    2. Antonio Cristaldi & Maria Fiore & Pietro Zuccarello & Gea Oliveri Conti & Alfina Grasso & Ilenia Nicolosi & Chiara Copat & Margherita Ferrante, 2020. "Efficiency of Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) for Microplastic Removal: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-24, October.
    3. Lin Li & Yaqi You & Krishna Pagilla, 2020. "Density-Based Separation of Microbial Functional Groups in Activated Sludge," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-16, January.
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    Cited by:

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