The impact of floc size on respiration inhibition by soluble toxicants—a comparative investigation

Activated sludge facilities are susceptible to upset by shock loads of toxic compounds. We hypothesized that floc size plays an important role in determining the sensitivity of mixed liquor to shock by cadmium and 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP). To test this hypothesis, heterotrophic respiration inhibition experiments were conducted using mixed liquor from a pilot-scale membrane bioreactor (MBR) and full-scale activated sludge (FSAS) facility with gravity settling secondary clarifiers that were operated under similar process conditions. MBR mixed liquor flocs were both 41% smaller and 2 and 1.25 times more sensitive to equivalent soluble cadmium and DNP concentrations, respectively, compared to FSAS mixed liquor flocs. Similarly, FSAS mixed liquor that had been sheared (resulting in a smaller average floc diameter) was 1.5 times more sensitive to soluble cadmium than non-sheared FSAS mixed liquor. These results suggest that activated sludge process conditions that create smaller floc particles, such as the use of membranes for liquid–solid separation, are more susceptible to upset events caused by shock loads of cadmium and DNP. The particle size distribution (PSD) and average floc diameter of a mixed liquor suspension should be measured and reported when stating the inhibition concentration of a specific toxicant.