Use of zoogloeal culture for enhancing tannery wastewater treatment: High organic loading and unbalanced nutrient condition

Abstract

The addition effects of both Zoogloea ramigera and its extracellular zoogloeal polymer for enhancing the operation efficiency in biological wastewater treatment system were investigated. The zoogloeal culture which was composed of Zoogloea ramigera and its extracellular zoogloeal polymer was daily added to a lab-scale activated sludge reactor for treating a tannery wastewater. Compared with controlled reactor without any addition of zoogloeal culture, COD and turbidity removal efficiency of activated sludge under the high organic loading and unbalanced nutrient condition were enhanced by the addition of the zoogloeal culture. Meanwhile, higher yield and lower decay of microorganisms were also obtained in zoogloeal culture added reactor. The activated sludge with the addition of zoogloea culture was well adapted with high organic loading and unbalanced nutrient condition.