Our Testing Services
In the past several years, the BIO-SYSTEMS Lab has developed technology including products, testing procedures and programs that have successfully helped our Refinery customers meet their discharge limits via biological removal.
Products
Bioaugmentation is the application of specifically selected bacteria into a wastetreatment system to increase the biological activity and overall health of the biomass thereby enhancing the performance of the system. These products, when used correctly can help a system to recover from an upset, increase biomass capabilities to degrade compounds that take too much time for the current system, increase floc structure for easier settleability and dewatering or increase the ability to nitrify.
Some of the products used are a liquid nitrification product, which contains bacteria that are able to convert nitrogen to Nitrate. Another product sometimes used is a specially formulated bacterial blend to help break down hard to degrade compounds, amines, rings, etc. thereby allowing the nitrifiers an easier environment to grow in and allowing them a faster rate of nitrification. Most problems occur because amines are not broken down fast enough in a system, make it to the clarifier, finally are broken down, but by then the nitrifiers are not able to break it down fast enough before it bleeds out the final effluent and causes permit violations. Either that or the amines are present in the final effluent and are not noticed, and when BOD or toxicity samples are performed, they then cause problems.
Testing Procedures
The general health, diversity and nitrification capabilities of the system biomass can be determined using numerous tests developed by the BIO-SYSTEMS’ lab.
- Wastewater Biomass Analysis - A microscopic examination of the wastewater sample is documented by photomicrographs. Biological floc structures, higher life forms, polysaccharide coating in floc structures, presence and identification of filaments, etc. are carefully examined and documented in this analysis. By routinely doing these analyses under all operating conditions, baseline information can be obtained and monitored, thereby enabling incremental system changes to be measured and implemented.
- Shake Flask Toxicity Study - Shake flask studies are the bioengineering version of jar testing. This testing can be used as a screening method to determine if existing biomass can be enhanced by bioaugmentation along with the treatability/toxicity of the wastewater to improve COD/BOD removal. Testing can also be done with additives such as nutrients or chemicals to determine their impact on the sample treatability. Toxicity can also be checked on.
- Nitrification Inhibition Testing - Composite samples from individual wastestreams contributing to the total nitrogen in the system can be analyzed for nitrification inhibition testing. The samples are spiked with a known amount of ammonia; pH stabilized with buffers and inoculated with a nitrifying population with known ammonia removal capabilities. A flask with DI water and ammonia serves as the Control. The ammonia readings are recorded and monitored hourly. Ammonia degradation in the sample is compared to the Control and reported as % inhibition. The capacity of the MLSS to achieve nitrification can also be measured.
By a combination of the above testing methods along with a review of the plant data, it is possible to determine if there is any correlation between plant operating conditions and nitrification or if it is a lack of sufficient nitrifying population in the system.
Biomanagement Programs
Based on above all, a bioaugmentation program may be recommended depending on the need of the individual customer. The program may consists of the addition of biological products supported by ongoing site services and laboratory analysis for monitoring and documenting the progress of the application.
Our Testing Services
In the past several years, the BIO-SYSTEMS Lab has developed technology including products, testing procedures and programs that have successfully helped our Refinery customers meet their discharge limits via biological removal.
Products
Bioaugmentation is the application of specifically selected bacteria into a wastetreatment system to increase the biological activity and overall health of the biomass thereby enhancing the performance of the system. These products, when used correctly can help a system to recover from an upset, increase biomass capabilities to degrade compounds that take too much time for the current system, increase floc structure for easier settleability and dewatering or increase the ability to nitrify.
Some of the products used are a liquid nitrification product, which contains bacteria that are able to convert nitrogen to Nitrate. Another product sometimes used is a specially formulated bacterial blend to help break down hard to degrade compounds, amines, rings, etc. thereby allowing the nitrifiers an easier environment to grow in and allowing them a faster rate of nitrification. Most problems occur because amines are not broken down fast enough in a system, make it to the clarifier, finally are broken down, but by then the nitrifiers are not able to break it down fast enough before it bleeds out the final effluent and causes permit violations. Either that or the amines are present in the final effluent and are not noticed, and when BOD or toxicity samples are performed, they then cause problems.
Testing Procedures
The general health, diversity and nitrification capabilities of the system biomass can be determined using numerous tests developed by the BIO-SYSTEMS’ lab.
- Wastewater Biomass Analysis - A microscopic examination of the wastewater sample is documented by photomicrographs. Biological floc structures, higher life forms, polysaccharide coating in floc structures, presence and identification of filaments, etc. are carefully examined and documented in this analysis. By routinely doing these analyses under all operating conditions, baseline information can be obtained and monitored, thereby enabling incremental system changes to be measured and implemented.
- Shake Flask Toxicity Study - Shake flask studies are the bioengineering version of jar testing. This testing can be used as a screening method to determine if existing biomass can be enhanced by bioaugmentation along with the treatability/toxicity of the wastewater to improve COD/BOD removal. Testing can also be done with additives such as nutrients or chemicals to determine their impact on the sample treatability. Toxicity can also be checked on.
- Nitrification Inhibition Testing - Composite samples from individual wastestreams contributing to the total nitrogen in the system can be analyzed for nitrification inhibition testing. The samples are spiked with a known amount of ammonia; pH stabilized with buffers and inoculated with a nitrifying population with known ammonia removal capabilities. A flask with DI water and ammonia serves as the Control. The ammonia readings are recorded and monitored hourly. Ammonia degradation in the sample is compared to the Control and reported as % inhibition. The capacity of the MLSS to achieve nitrification can also be measured.
By a combination of the above testing methods along with a review of the plant data, it is possible to determine if there is any correlation between plant operating conditions and nitrification or if it is a lack of sufficient nitrifying population in the system.
Biomanagement Programs
Based on above all, a bioaugmentation program may be recommended depending on the need of the individual customer. The program may consists of the addition of biological products supported by ongoing site services and laboratory analysis for monitoring and documenting the progress of the application.