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At SITRA, we offer advanced activated sludge studies using respirometric techniques. This system, among other advantages, saves time and costs associated with the operational control of wastewater treatment processes in industrial plants, as well as detecting potential problems early on, thus ensuring operational continuity.
Respirometry is a technique that measures the rate and amount of oxygen consumed by bacteria in the activated sludge of a wastewater treatment plant, both for their own survival (endogenous respiration) and to degrade (oxidize) the polluting substrate in the wastewater (exogenous respiration). This technique also allows for the automatic calculation of the respiration rate and the COD degradation rate.
In addition to testing and modeling the current biological activity of activated sludge, respirometry allows us to anticipate the effects that various influents will have on the process, to know the degree of organic contamination and the degree of nitrification, as well as to quickly estimate the mass load or F/M and age of the sludge.
On the other hand, it also provides parameters for the prevention and control of the Bulking & Foaming phenomenon and allows us to know the treatability of wastewater, in relation to the capacity to eliminate the contaminant substrate - whether COD or ammonia - the determination of the biodegradable part of the non-biodegradable part of a given sample; the inhibition by compounds contained in the wastewater or treatment conditions, as well as the toxicity of compounds contained in the wastewater.
In turn, this technique complements microscopic bioindication analyses and helps determine the sludge's ability to properly perform nitrification and denitrification processes.
