Protozoan biomass relation to nutrient and chemical oxygen demand removal in activated sludge mixed liquor.

The relationship between biomass concentration to nutrient and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal in mixed liquor supplemented with sodium acetate was investigated, using three protozoan isolates and three different initial biomass concentrations (10(1), 10(2) and 10(3) cells/mL). The study was carried out in a shaking flask environment at a shaking speed of 100 rpm for 96 h at 25 degrees C. Aliquot samples were taken periodically for the determination of phosphate, nitrate, COD and dissolved oxygen, using standard methods. The results revealed remarkable phosphate removal of 82-95% at biomass concentration of 10(3)cells/mL. A high nitrate removal of over 87% was observed at all initial biomass concentration in mixed liquor. There was an observed COD increase of over 50% in mixed liquor in at the end of 96-h incubation and this was irrespective of initial biomass concentration used for inoculation. The study shows the trend in nutrient and COD removal at different biomass concentrations of the test isolates in mixed liquor.