Bioindication with protists in the activated sludge process: solution of

Bioindication with protists in the activated sludge process: solution of

10th anniversary of the Activated Sludge Conference,
Seville, Spain, 22.–24.10.2014
Bioindication with protists in the
activated sludge process:
solution of the taxonomic impediment
Wilhelm FOISSNER
Universität Salzburg, FB Organismische Biologie, Hellbrunnerstr. 34, A-5020
Salzburg, Austria. Telephone: +43–(0)662–80445615; e-mail:
wilhelm.foissner@sbg.ac.at
Contents
1. Brief historical overview
2. Release from the taxonomic impediment
3. Sewage plant performance by bioindication
4. Summary
Fig. 6.3. Photograph of effluents issuing from laboratory-scale pilot plants
operating in the presence (+) and absence (–) of ciliated protozoa (from CURDS 1992)
Table 1. Microfaunal species and communities as indicators of sludge plant performance.
Organisms
Species (usually when subdominant at least)
Aspidisca cicada (Fig. 2)
Coleps hirtus
Performance
Remarks
Literaturea)
Good
Good
1
1
Enchelyomorpha vermicularis (Fig. 3)
Euplotes patella (Fig. 2)
Poor
Mediocre
Holophrya discolor
Mediocre
Litonotus lamella
Litonotus obtosus
Metopus spp. (Fig. 4)
Plagiocampa rouxi
Poor
Poor
Poor
Mediocre
Spirostomum teres (Fig. 3)
Mediocre
Trimyema compressum (Fig. 3)
Vorticella campanula
Vorticella convallaria (Fig. 2)
Vorticella convallaria and
Arcella hemisphaerica
Vorticella microstoma/infusionum
(Fig. 3)and Opercularia sp. (Fig. 3)
Poor
Good
Mediocre
Good
Stable plant conditions
Effective nitrification with good removal of
ammoniacal-N in effluent
Microaerobic; overloading; hydraulic problems
When abundant and in connection with many rotifers
indicative for an increasing sludge volume index;
otherwise underload
Microaerobic; intermittent and very low oxygenation;
high N-reduction
Deficient sludge setting
Poor sludge setting
Anaerobic conditions; overloading; hydraulic problems
Microaerobic; intermittent and very low oxygenation;
high N-reduction
Microaerobic; intermittent and very low oxygenation;
high N-reduction
Microaerobic; overloading; hydraulic problems
High effluent quality; underload
Lack of nitrification
High sludge retention time; underload
7, 8, 9, 17
Vorticella striata
Poor
Low clearing efficiency, especially when connected
with high flagellate abundance; anaerobic; high sludge
load and sludge volume index
Poor effluent quality
Poor
2, 3
2, 6
4
16
1, 2, 5, 9
4
4
2, 3
2, 10
1
2, 16, 17
1
Table 1. Microfaunal species and communities as indicators of sludge plant performance.
Organisms
Communities (when dominant or subdominant)
Small flagellates
Performance
Remarks
Literaturea)
Poor
8, 18
Small naked amoebae
and flagellates
Small flagellates, naked amoebae, swarmers of
peritrich ciliates;
many dispersed bacteria
Testate amoeba
Poor
Oxygen depletion; overloading; sludge maturation
period; onset of nitrification
Very high load; not easily degradable material; sludge
maturation
Unstable sludge; sludge maturation;
toxic influences
Testate amoebae; crawling ciliates; attached
peritrich ciliates with width peristome; nematods;
rotifers (Fig. 2)
Glaucoma, Dexiostoma campylum (Fig. 3),
Vorticella microstoma and peritrich swarmers,
flagellates and naked amoebae
Vorticella infusionum (Fig. 3);
Opercularia coarctata;
Acineria uncinata (Fig. 2);
small flagellates
Heterotrich ciliates and
many flagellates
Epistylis, large naked amoebae,
rotifers
Green algae on plant wall
Small swimming ciliates
Good
Large swimming ciliates (Fig. 3)
Crawling ciliates
(abundance > 2000/ml)
Sessile and crawling ciliates
Mediocre
Good
Poor
Good
Poor
8
2, 9
Underloading, high sludge retention time; usually found 8
in N-removal plants
Healthy, low-loaded, sufficiently aerated and well12
flocculated sludge with high effluent quality
Insufficient oxygenation;
many dispersed bacteria;
poor effluent
High-loaded with insufficient oxygen; shock-load; high
ammonia; many dispersed bacteria
2, 9
Poor
Poor operation of RBC system
5
Good
When in last stage of RBC system
13
Good
Mediocre
Underload since a long time
Too short sewage retention time; insufficient
oxygenation
Overloading; insufficient oxygenation
Sludge volume index < 200
9
8
Poor
Good
12
8
8
8
Table 1. Microfaunal species and communities as indicators of sludge plant performance.
Organisms
Communities (when dominant or subdominant)
Crawling and attached ciliates
Sessile ciliates
Performance
Remarks
Literaturea)
Good
Decreasing
High ratio indicates good effluent
Transient phenomena, such as recent sludge extraction,
discontinuous load
15
8
Sessile ciliates
Ciliates
Ciliates
Good
Good
––
Metopetum (Fig. 4)
Poor
Swimming and attached ciliates
Mediocre
Swimming ciliates
Mediocre
Vorticella microstoma and
V. campanula
Cyrtophorids, hypotrichs, scuticociliates,
pleurostomatids (Fig. 2)
Opercularia, Uronema, nematods
Carnivorous ciliates, e. g.,
Litonotus lamella, Amphileptus
Aspidisca cicada,
Chilodonella spp.,
Vorticella striata (Fig. 2)
Epistylis plicatilis and
Vorticella striata
Good
a)
Good
When abundance is 106/l or more
Abundance < 104 (poor), 104–106 (mediocre), > 106
(good)
Anaerobic conditions; overload;
hydraulic problems; putrefaction
When highly diverse indicative for stable sludge but
insufficient effluent quality
Often dominate in plants with short retention time;
effluent mediocre; disappear after pH-shock
Well-setting sludge
1
8
11, 17
2, 9
2, 9
1, 18
10
5
Poor
Poor
Good operation of RBC system
(Rotation Biological Contactor)
Indicate overloading when in last stage of RBC system
Poor-setting sludge
––
High sludge retention time
10
Decreasing
Indicate beginning sludge bulking when their
abundances distinctly increase; high sludge volume
index (SVI)
14
13
10
1 = MARTIN-CERECEDA et al. (1996), 2 = FOISSNER et al. (1995), 3= PEREZ-UZ et al. (1998), 4 = GANNER et al. (2002), 5 = MARTIN-CERECEDA et
al. (2001), 6 = CINGOLANI et al. (1991), 7 = GORI et al. (1991), 8 = MADONI (1994), 9 = SCHLEYPEN & GSCHLÖSSL (1992), 10 = LEE et al. (2004),
11 = DE MARCO et al. (1991), 12 = DRZEWICKI & KULIKOWSKA (2011); 13 = BERRI & CASASCHI (1991), 14 = HU et al. (2013); 15 = BEDOGNI et al.
(1991), 16 = ZHOU et al. (2006), 17 = TOMAN (2002); 18 = CYBIS & HORAN (1997).