[Enhancing resistance of a conventional activated sludge system against shock loading of 2,4-DCP through bioaugmentation with special culture].

In this study, conventional activated sludge (CAS) systems, which were generally used to treat municipal wastewater, were modeled to receive intermittent 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) shock loadings. The response and stability of the CAS system augmented with special culture and the non-bioaugmented control CAS system under shock loading conditions were compared. The capability of the bioaugmented CAS systems to degrade 2,4-DCP under long-term continuous operation was investigated. Results showed that for the CAS systems with 5% and 15% special culture addition, their degradation of the target pollutants and resistance against shock loadings was enhanced significantly. When 2,4-DCP shock loading occurred within the first 30 days after single inoculation, the bioaugmented CAS systems maintained high degradation ability to the target pollutants. After 70 days continuous operation without 2,4-DCP in feed, when the CAS systems challenged 2,4-DCP again, the effect of bioaugmentation was greatly reduced and the CAS system failed to remove the pollutants and maintain the system stability effectively. Therefore, re-supplementation was needed for further treatment of 2,4-DCP.