to toxic waste poisoning. Toxic loads from residences
and businesses are sporadic and difficult to mitigate.
When toxicity levels are high in wastewater lagoons,
the biological treatment process is inhibited due to loss
in biomass. Wastewater Bacteria, a book by Michael
Gerardi, explains that toxicity impacts microbial cellular
structure and activity (Figure 1).1
Many of the organisms in these systems are unable to
grow, divide, and metabolize when toxicants are present.
Biomass mortality can contribute to poor wastewater
treatment and effluent quality.
Lagoon recovery from toxicity is a slow process if the
biology in the system is left to naturally regenerate.
To speed up rehabilitation time, bioaugmentation can
be implemented. Adding a concentrated dose of fully
functioning wastewater microorganisms helps increase
biomass quickly which can stimulate the biological
treatment. The following reference of work describes a
toxicity treatment with Probiotic Scrubber II (PBII) at a
0.4 MGD wastewater lagoon system.
A lagoon system servicing a town of 3,500 residents
experienced toxic waste exposure that severely
inhibited the biological treatment process. While on
site at the 30 acre two-pond facility, a Utah Rural Water
Association Wastewater Technician noticed that the
color of the wastewater in the lagoons was unhealthy.
The water was white and hazy with floating solids. This
indicated the biology in the lagoon system was dying. An
additional sign of biomass mortality was the unpleasant
odors wafting from the ponds.
1 Gerardi, M. (2006). Wastewater Bacteria. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.Pp.173-203.
Figure 1. 0.4 MGD lagoon system after a toxic hit. The wastewater color was milky with floating solids indicating biomass die off.
The lagoon management needed to quickly restore
treatment, because the city was highly dependent on
the utility. The Wastewater Technician recommended
BioLynceus® bioaugmentation to get the system
properly processing wastewater again. After a
conference call with the city, the decision was made to
begin treating the lagoons with PBII.
Ten days after treatment began, the Public Works
Director for the city reported that the first pond had
returned to a healthy color. The dosage of PBII was
decreased to the first pond and increased to the
second. About a month later, the quality of treatment
in both ponds improved; The wastewater was returned
to a normal color and odors were reduced.
By implementing PBII, the biological treatment in the
lagoons was quickly restored. The facility continued to
use BioLynceus® to maintain biomass stability in the
system.
BioLynceus® ProBiotic Scrubber® II quickly improves wastewater lagoon function after toxicity.