Practical methods for the examination and characterization of activated sludge

Abstract

In this section, details of some of the methods valuable in studying activated sludge are given. Included are protocols for the microscopic examination of samples, staining techniques and descriptions of procedures for isolating and culturing some of these filamentous bacteria. As well as describing the more standard or conventional techniques, the liberty has been taken here of outlining methods which, although not widely used, are of potential value in increasing our understanding of this very complex ecosystem, in the hope that readers will be encouraged to adopt them. This is not meant as a comprehensive guide to practical microbiology, and laboratories should be encouraged to purchase one or more of the excellent methodological books available which will provide details not found here. In particular, every laboratory should have a copy of the practical manual edited by Gerhardt et al. (1994). Most of the methods are simple and easy to perform, and can yield invaluable information. Therefore their routine use should be encouraged and with practice, plant operators, scientists and engineers can acquire sufficient expertise to begin to understand what might be happening in their plants (Seviour et al., 1990b).