A comparison of oxygen utilization determination techniques for the activated sludge process

Evaluation of the data from the series of batch experiments has led to the following conclusions:

1. Currently used methods of quantifying oxygen uptake rate, especially for batch reactors, yield values of oxygen utilization considerably lower than those predicted by mass balance considerations for these three wastes. In the face of Blok's published data indicating much better results with a short run reactor, it must be assumed that the length of run selected was at least partially responsible.

2. While quantitatively unsatisfactory, the methods for determining oxygen uptake used in these experiments seem to be of some use as monitors of biological systems. Changes in slope of the oxygen utilization curve were found to be more apparent at lower loadings.