A Comparative Study of Biopolymers from a Conventional and an Advanced Activated Sludge Treatment Plant

Abstract

Biopolymer characteristics from a traditional and an advanced activated sludge treatment plant performing biological N and P removal were compared. The biopolymers were extracted using an ion exchange resin (DOWEX in Na-form). Differences between chemical compositions of the total sludges were observed by measuring protein, polysaccharide and uronic acids whereas differences in the same compounds were not found in the extracted biopolymers. High Pressure Size Exclusion Chromatography was performed on the two biopolymer matrixes and differences were found in the biopolymer matrixes. Biopolymers from the advanced treatment plant contained two fractions of large and hydrophobic compounds which contributed to a major fraction of the chromatogram area. These peaks could only to a minor extent be found in the extracted biopolymers from the traditional treatment plant.