Toxicity Treatment in a Municipal Wastewater Lagoon System
Restoring Wastewater Lagoon Biology After Toxic Chemical Loads
Wastewater lagoon systems can experience serious biological upsets when toxic chemicals enter the treatment process. These substances can damage or kill the beneficial microorganisms responsible for breaking down organic waste and maintaining effective biological wastewater treatment.
Municipal wastewater lagoons can be especially vulnerable because they may receive high-strength influent directly from residential and urban collection systems. Certain chemical contaminants can disrupt microbial populations, leading to odors, poor wastewater color, reduced treatment efficiency, and biomass die-off.
This case study examines how ProBiotic Scrubber® II (PBII) was used to help restore biological activity in a wastewater lagoon system following a significant loss of biomass.
Figure 1. Google Earth image of the 0.3 MGD wastewater lagoon system.
Lagoon System Experiences Biomass Die-Off
Operators of a wastewater lagoon system serving a Wyoming town of approximately 2,000 residents noticed that their three-cell lagoon system was becoming unhealthy. The wastewater developed a strong odor and abnormal coloration, both of which indicated that the biological treatment process was no longer functioning properly.
Facility management and a Wyoming Rural Water Wastewater Technician (WRWWT) determined that toxic chemicals entering through the collection system had likely damaged the lagoon’s microbial population.
Because the natural recovery of the lagoon biology could take a significant amount of time, facility management looked for a way to restore the biomass more quickly. BioLynceus® was brought in to help reestablish the beneficial microorganisms needed for effective wastewater treatment.
1 Lee S., Paspalof A., Snow D., Richmond K., Rosi-Marshall J., & Kelly J. (2016). Occurrence and Potential Biological Effects of Amphetamine on Stream Communities. Environmental Science Technology. 50 (17): 9727-9735.
BioLynceus® ProBiotic Scrubber® II provides wastewater biomass stability after toxicity.