Activated sludge is a widely used wastewater treatment process that removes solid organic material. The process involves aerating wastewater in tanks to facilitate the growth of microorganisms that break down the material. The resulting sludge can be used for fertilizing and other purposes. However, the process can be smelly and wastewater can have unusual odors.
Activated sludge is a term used both for a widely used wastewater treatment process and for the solid compounds that result from that process. The activated sludge technique is one of the most commonly used methods for human waste management in urban environments worldwide and can also be employed in industrial wastewater treatment. The goal is to remove as much solid organic material as possible from wastewater, to facilitate further steps in water treatment.
This process was developed in the early 20th century when researchers worked to deal with large-scale wastewater hygienically and efficiently. Before sewage treatment, effluent was simply released into waterways, carrying a heavy load of bacteria and other unwanted organisms with it, and this caused numerous human health problems along with problems in the natural environment. Wastewater treatment plants have been devised to address this problem.
In the activated sludge method, the wastewater is moved into tanks aerated with pure oxygen or normal atmospheric air. Wastewater aeration facilitates the growth of numerous microorganisms that will work to break down the material in the wastewater. These organisms also contribute to the consolidation of solids into a sludge, through a process known as flocculation, which will settle to the bottom of a tank so that it can be easily decanted for further treatment and eventual disposal. Meanwhile, the water in the top of the tank can be separated for treatment and reuse.
Once the activated sludge has separated from the wastewater, it can undergo additional treatments which will kill the microorganisms to make the sludge safe to handle. The solids can be used for things like fertilizing, as they are high in nutrients, and can also be used in other ways. A small amount of activated sludge is usually pumped back into the system to seed it with beneficial microorganisms to start the process over again.
This technique has a number of advantages, which is why it has become so popular. However, as visitors to wastewater treatment plants have noted, it has some distinct drawbacks. The processing method is often quite smelly, because microorganisms generate gases as part of their metabolism, and wastewater can take on curious and sometimes radical overtones as populations of various organisms wax and wane in the water.
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