Microbiology of coke-plant activated sludge

Thesis/Dissertation · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:5543463

Owens, J R

The biological treatment of coke-plant wastewater represents the most economical means of detoxification and contaminant removal, but little is known about the microbial ecology of this system. Research was therefore undertaken to determine the kinds of microorganisms that survive and function in this environment and to examine the growth patterns that influence treatment efficiency. The microbial flora of coke-plant activated sludge is predominated by populations of aerobic gram negative rods. The principle genera identified were Pseudomonas, Alcaligenes, Flavobacterium and Acinetobacter. The genera Bacillus, Nocardia and Micrococcus were also present at low levels. A single type of rotifer was present along with various protozoans. The ability of microorganisms in coke wastewater to grow on various organic compounds as their sole source of carbon and energy is more restrictive when compared with that of isolates obtained from activated sludge processes treating municipal wastes. The phenol degrading bacteria can be maintained in a continuous culture system with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of as long as 14 days. Under conditions of increasing HRT the average cell size decreased and the number of cells per milliter increased. As the HRT increased cell yields decreased. At long HRT's (7 to 14 days) cell yields remained constant.

• Research Organization: Alabama Univ., Birmingham (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5543463
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
COKE OVENS
WASTE WATER
WASTE PROCESSING
BACILLUS
COAL
COKE
COKING
MICROCOCCUS
MICROORGANISMS
NOCARDIA
PSEUDOMONAS
SLUDGES
BACTERIA
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CARBONIZATION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LIQUID WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WATER
010800* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Waste Management