The purpose of this study was to investigate the interaction between colloidal substances and activated sludge and attempt to relate this information to the performance of activated sludge processes, particularly the contact stabilization process. Protein and carbohydrate organic colloids and a combination substrate were separately studied to determine if the type or classification of substrate colloids is a factor in the colloid-sludge interaction.

Albumin, potato starch, and jack bean meal were the substrates chosen. Two series of studies were performed. The first involved monitoring metabolic uptake of the colloidal substrates alone and then with glucose supplementation. The second series used mercury poisoned activated sludge to investigate the physical-chemical removal of different loadings of the colloidal substrates. During these experiments, conditions of pH, ionic strength, and cationic valence were varied to determine their role in the physical interactions between the colloids and the sludge.

Data obtained from the metabolic studies were monitored for unusual responses in substrate and oxygen utilization. Other factors determined included yield and oxygen utilization constants, substrate removal rates, and initial removal capacities of the sludge. Physical studies on the metabolically inactive sludge yielded data on the facility of organic colloid removal by activated sludge under a variety of different environmental conditions. Removal capacities were recorded as well as any particle size variations of the activated sludge after colloid addition. Further information was obtained on the settleability of the colloid-sludge mixtures.

An adsorption and release phenomenon was observed for the two carbohydrate containing substrates while a two step oxygen utilization was observed for albumin and starch. Glucose addition was hypothesized to repress extracellular enzyme production thereby decreasing the sorption capacities of the activated sludge. Studies with the metabolically inactive sludges indicated that variations in pH, ionic strength, and cation valence play important roles in the physical removal of organic colloids by activated sludge. Sorption capacities of sludge varied with MLSS concentration. Unit sorption capacities for all three substrates decreased as MLSS levels increased. Total sorption capacities increased for albumin and jack bean meal with an increase in MLSS; the starch removal capacity however still decreased. The type of sorption occurring (adsorption or enmeshment) was believed to be important for these variances. Better quality supernatants were noted after substrate colloid addition. It was hypothesized that dispersed bacteria in the supernatant were coagulated by the organic colloids. Finally, carbohydrate colloids responded in a manner consistent with contact stabilization theory. Specifically the carbohydrates exhibited better sorption characteristics as .wel1 as an adsorption and release phenomenon.