Estimation of treatability of different industrial wastewaters by activated sludge oxygen uptake measurements

The activated sludge short-term respiration measurement is proposed for assessing the properties of activated sludge and biological treatability of wastewaters. Different influents to the wastewater treatment plant were analyzed and compared on the basis of exogenous oxygen uptake rates of activated sludge. The kinetic parameters of biodegradation processes were determined by monitoring the degradation-associated oxygen consumption in tests with different amounts of wastewaters from textile industries and tanneries. The short-term oxygen demands in the tests formed 25-45% of the biochemical oxygen demand of the textile industry wastewater.