Optimization of Internal Bypass Ratio for Complete Ammonium and Phosphate Removal in a Dephanox-Type Two-Sludge Denitrification System

The capacity of complete simultaneous ammonium and phosphate removal was studied in a laboratory scale Dephanox system in relation to its internal bypass ratio (BPR). In this configuration, most of the ammonium detected in the effluent is ammonium bypassed by the system’s internal settler. Therefore, this research studies the possibility of complete simultaneous ammonium and phosphate removal by means of the balance of bypassed ammonium with ammonium requirement for growth of denitrifying phosphorus accumulating organisms in the anoxic tank. During these experiments, ammonium removal was governed by internal BPR and limited by sludge settleability. The predominant anaerobic-anoxic sludge developed a high settleability, allowing the application of drastic low BPRs. The system studied under many BPRs proved to achieve almost complete simultaneous ammonium and phosphate removal for BPRs ranging from 0.08 to 0.13 of the influent. A BPR lower than the inferior limit produced extreme accumulation of sludge into the internal settler, interfering in the distribution of sludge and consequently in removal efficiency. A positive effect of the internal settler was the extension of anaerobic contact time and anaerobic solids retention time. The increased phosphorus release suggests that a higher volatile fatty acids production might have occurred when raw wastewater was used as influent.     

Pharmaceutical wastewater treatment using an anaerobic/aerobic sequencing batch biofilter

The performance of a sequencing batch biofilter integrating anaerobic/aerobic conditions in one tank to treat a pharmaceutical wastewater effluent was studied. A pilot reactor, packed with a porous volcanic stone (puzzolane) was used in the study. The reactor operated as a sequencing batch biofilter, SBB, with reaction times varying for the anaerobic stage from 8 to 24 h and for the aerobic one from 4 to 12 h. The volume of exchange was from 16 to 88%. The pharmaceutical wastewater contained organic chemicals including phenols and o-nitroaniline, a concentration of organic matter that varied from 28,400 to 72,200 mg/L (as total COD), 280 to 605 mg N-NH4/L. and 430 to 650 mg SST/L. In order to acclimatize the microorganisms to the industrial wastewater, the organic load was increased stepwise from 1 to 7.7 kg COD/m3/d. The adequate time was obtained when the removal efficiency of COD reached 80%, or more. Maximal removal loads, associated to high removal efficiencies (95-97% as COD), varied from 4.6 to 5.7 kg COD/m3/d. Under these conditions color removal was 80% as Pt-Co units. Microtox analysis was performed to the wastewater and to the anaerobic and aerobic stages. It was observed that the aerobic stage was the responsible for wastewater detoxification. Results showed that the anaerobic/aerobic SBB was able to treat efficiently initial concentrations of the raw effluent up to 28,400 mg COD/L.     

Simultaneous Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal from High-Strength Industrial Wastewater Using Aerobic Granular Sludge

Aerobic granular sludge technology was applied to the simultaneous nitrogen and phosphorus removal from livestock wastewater that contains high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus (TN: 650?mg/L; TP: 125?mg/L). A lab-scale sequencing batch reactor was operated in an alternating anaerobic/oxic/anoxic denitrification mode. Granular sludge was first formed using synthetic wastewater. When livestock wastewater was diluted with tap water, the shape and settleability of aerobic granular sludge were maintained even though livestock wastewater contained suspended solids. Simultaneous nitrification, denitrification, and phosphate uptake were observed under an aerobic condition. However, when nondiluted livestock wastewater was used, the diameter of granular sludge and the denitrification efficiency under an oxic condition decreased. When the concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus in wastewater increased, hydraulic retention time (HRT) increased resulting in a decrease in selection pressure for granular sludge. Therefore, the sustainment of granular sludge was difficult in livestock wastewater treatment. However, by applying a new excess sludge discharge method based on Stokes’ law, the shape of granular sludge was maintained in spite of the long HRT (7.5?days). To select large granular sludge particles, excess sludge was discharged from the upper part of settled sludge because small particles localized there after settling. Finally, excellent nitrogen and phosphorus removal was accomplished in practical livestock wastewater treatment. The effluent concentrations of NH4–N, NOx–N, and PO4–P were <0.1, 1.4, and 1.2?mg/L, respectively.     

UASB Treatment of Tapioca Starch Wastewater

Feasibility of the upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) process was investigated for the treatment of tapioca starch industry wastewater. After removal of suspended solids by simple gravity settling, starch wastewater was used as a feed. Start-up of a 21.5-L reactor with diluted feed of approximately 3,000 mg∕L chemical oxygen demand (COD) was accomplished in about 6 weeks using seed sludge from an anaerobic pond treating tapioca starch wastewater. By the end of the start-up period, gas productivity of 4–5 m3/m3r?day was obtained. Undiluted supernatant wastewater with a COD concentration of 12,000–24,000 mg∕L was fed during steady-state reactor operation at an organic loading rate of 10–16 kg COD/m3r?day. The upflow velocity was maintained at 0.5 m∕h with a recirculation ratio of 4:1. COD conversion efficiencies >95% and gas productivity of 5–8 m3/m3r?day were obtained. These results indicated that removal of starch solids from wastewater by simple gravity settling was sufficient to obtain satisfactory performance of the UASB process.     

Treatment of High-Strength Pharmaceutical Wastewater and Removal of Antibiotics in Anaerobic and Aerobic Biological Treatment Processes

Anaerobic and aerobic treatment of high-strength pharmaceutical wastewater was evaluated in this study. A batch test was performed to study the biodegradability of the wastewater, and the result indicated that a combination anaerobic-aerobic treatment system was effective in removing organic matter from the high-strength pharmaceutical wastewater. Based on the batch test, a pilot-scale system composed of an anaerobic baffled reactor followed by a biofilm airlift suspension reactor was designed. At a stable operational period, effluent chemical oxygen demand (COD) from the anaerobic baffled reactor ranged from 1,432 to 2,397?mg/L at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 1.25 day, and 979 to 1,749?mg/L at an HRT of 2.5 day, respectively, when influent COD ranged from 9,736 to 19,862?mg/L. As a result, effluent COD of the biofilm airlift suspension reactor varied between 256 and 355?mg/L at HRTs of from 5.0 to 12.5 h. The antibiotics ampicillin and aureomycin, with influent concentrations of 3.2 and 1.0?mg/L, respectively, could be partially degraded in the anaerobic baffled reactor: ampicillin and aureomycin removal efficiencies were 16.4 and 25.9% with an HRT of 1.25 day, and 42.1 and 31.3% with HRT of 2.5 day, respectively. Although effective in COD removal, the biofilm airlift suspension reactor did not display significant antibiotic removal, and the removal efficiencies of the two antibiotics were less than 10%.     

Simultaneous Wastewater Nutrient Removal by a Novel Hybrid Bioprocess

A combined activated sludge–biofilm bioprocess called TNCU-I was developed by adding a rotating biological contactor to the aerobic zone of a traditional A2O process in order to solve the sludge retention time conflict between nitrifiers and phosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs), and the carbon source competition between denitrifiers and PAO. The TNCU-I process shows excellent carbon, nitrogen, and phosphate removal performance when treating synthetic wastewater. The process also achieved a more stable nitrification performance than the A2O process. The specific nitrification rate, the specific anoxic and aerobic phosphate uptake rates, the specific denitrification rate, and the specific anaerobic phosphate release rate were determined by a series of batch experiments. Such data were further analyzed to optimize the volume ratio of the TNCU-I anaerobic, anoxic, and aerobic tanks. The optimized process was also operated to confirm the performance. In addition, both Nitrosospira and Nitrospira were identified in the activated sludge and the rotating biological contactor biofilm by 16S rDNA based biotechnology.     

Experimental Validation of the Static Granular Bed Reactor for Industrial Waste Anaerobic Treatment

The static granular bed reactor (SGBR) is a unique high-rate anaerobic reactor designed to operate in a simple downflow manner, offering high chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies (greater than 90%) resulting from high biomass retention in the system. A study was performed to evaluate the SGBR versus a control system, the upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor, and to evaluate performance idiosyncrasies of the SGBR and the control. The two reactors were operated at three different hydraulic retention times (HRTs): 8, 16, and 24 h. The reactors treated synthetic wastewater, intended to simulate food industry waste, composed of sucrose and nonfat dry milk. Overall, COD removal was higher for the SGBR than for the UASB reactor. In particular, at a HRT of 8 h, the SGBR achieved a COD removal of 90.7% and the UASB reactor reduced the COD concentration by 77.5%. The UASB reactor’s specific COD loading factor proved rate limiting with values ranging from 0.19 to 0.94?gCOD/(gVS?d) versus 0.11 to 0.34?gCOD/(gVS?d) for the SGBR. A tracer study idealized hydraulics within the two systems, and the results showed minimal dead volume and 4–6% short circuiting for both reactors.     

Kinetics of Phosphorus Release and Uptake in a Membrane-Assisted Biological Phosphorus Removal Process

A long-term comparative study on the kinetics of enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) was carried out in pilot scale membrane-assisted and conventional biological phosphorus removal processes, by monitoring system performance, phosphorus mass balances, and maximum specific rates in off-line batch tests. The two systems exhibited similar performance in the removal of soluble phosphorus (P) from the influent wastewater, in the specific P release observed in the anaerobic zone, and in the maximum specific P release and volatile fatty acid (VFA) uptake rates. However, when the VFA in the influent was limiting, the conventional EBPR (CEBPR) process performed significantly better than the membrane (MEBPR) counterpart, and this behavior was also reflected in the kinetics of P release. Denitrifying dephosphatation was observed to be significant in both processes during periods of satisfactory P removal. When the aerobic recycle ratio was reduced to a minimum level, the anoxic P uptake activity in the CEBPR sludge was lower than that of the MEBPR sludge. Finally, the biomass decay rates of the two sludge types were estimated to be comparable, with significant reduction of the decay under unaerated conditions.     

Influence of COD:N:P Ratio on Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal in Fixed-Bed Filter

This study examined the effects of COD:N:P ratio on nitrogen and phosphorus removal in a single upflow fixed-bed filter provided with anaerobic, anoxic, and aerobic conditions through effluent and sludge recirculation and diffused air aeration. A high-strength wastewater mainly made of peptone, ammonium chloride, monopotassium phosphate, and sodium bicarbonate with varying COD, N, and P concentrations (COD: 2,500–6,000, N: 25–100, and P: 20–50 mg/L) was used as a substrate feed. Sodium acetate provided about 1,500 mg/L of the wastewater COD while the remainder was provided by glucose and peptone. A series of orthogonal tests using three factors, namely, COD, N, and P concentrations, at three different concentration levels were carried out. The experimental results obtained revealed that phosphorus removal efficiency was affected more by its own concentration than that of COD and N concentrations; while nitrogen removal efficiency was unaffected by different phosphorus concentrations. At a COD:N:P ratio of 300:5:1, both nitrogen and phosphorus were effectively removed using the filter, with removal efficiencies at 87 and 76%, respectively, under volumetric loadings of 0.1?kg?N/m3?d and 0.02?kg?P/m3?d.     

Biodegradation of PCE in a Hybrid Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor

A continuous flow flat sheet hybrid membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) was used to treat a synthetic wastewater containing perchloroethylene (PCE); 1.25–2.5?g chemical oxygen demand (COD)/L of glucose was also added to the synthetic wastewater as a source of COD representative of a real wastewater. The reactor was able to biodegrade 70?mg?L?1 of PCE in 9?h without the accumulation of any intermediate compounds, resulting in a removal rate of 247?mmol of PCE?h?1?m?3 in a reactor with a specific membrane area of 4.048?m2?m?3. MABRs have never been used before for PCE degradation, and this rate is one of the highest volumetric PCE degradation rates reported in the literature. COD removal was also good and varied from 85 to 92%. Since very few volatile fatty acids accumulated in the system, most of the residual COD was attributed to soluble microbial products as reported by previous researchers. A mass balance on chloride during this study showed that only 72–81% of it could be accounted for. It is probable that some of the chlorinated ethenes were adsorbed onto the biofilm or that aerobic intermediates of low-chlorinated compounds such as trichloroethanol, dichloroacetyl, and chloroacetaldehyde were produced in the system. Nevertheless the chloride mass balance in this work compares well with the literature. Due to their high PCE and COD removal rates, hybrid MABRs have the potential to be used for a number of refractory organics which require combined anaerobic/aerobic biological treatment for degradation.     

Electrolytic Oxidation of Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons from Creosote Solution Using TI/IRO2 and TI/SNO2 Circular Mesh Electrodes

The electrooxidation of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in solution was investigated. Most of the PAHs compounds are toxic and hardly biodegradable, so that a chemical or physicochemical treatment is required. In this paper, we reported treatment of synthetic creosote oily effluent (COE) containing several PAHs by using Ti/IrO2 and Ti/SnO2 circular or cylindrical mesh anode electrodes. COE was prepared with distilled water and a commercial creosote solution in the presence of an amphoteric surfactant (CAS). In addition to anode material, different operating parameters were investigated such as current density, reaction time, recycling flow rate, and oxygen injection flow rate. The first series of experiments carried out in the recirculating batch reactor showed that circular Ti/SnO2 electrode was found to be more effective in removing PAHs than circular or cylindrical Ti/IrO2 electrodes. Current density and retention time played important roles for PAHs degradation efficiency, whereas circulation flow rate and oxygen injection slightly influenced the removal efficiency. Finally, the best and simplest operating conditions (82–84% of PAHs removal) determined for PAHs degradation in COE were obtained at a current density of 15?mA/cm2 through 90 min of treatment with a recycling rate of 3.6 L/min but without O2 injection in the close loop. Likewise, in the recirculating batch tests, PAHs decomposition exhibited behaviors of the fist-order reaction with a rate coefficient (k) of 0.015?min?1. The energy consumption was 7.5?kWh/m3. The second series of experiment using successively batch and continuous treatment of COE shows that the percentage of PAHs degradation could be maintained above 80% up to 18 h of treatment, thereafter, removal efficiency decreased owing to the formation of organic substances on the electrodes surface.     

Simulating Activated Sludge System by Simple-to-Advanced Models

Models ranging through simple, intermediate, and International Water Association complex activated sludge models (ASMs) were evaluated to compare their ability to describe biomass growth and substrate removal in an activated sludge system. A membrane-activated sludge bench-scale system was used to treat a complex synthetic wastewater over a wide range of operating conditions, ranging from 1 to 15 days solids retention time and 4 to 12 h hydraulic retention time. Total suspended solids, volatile suspended solids (VSSs), and total and soluble chemical oxygen demands (CODs) were monitored in the influent, the reactor, and the effluent. A variety of substrate removal formulations were used with the simple and intermediate models. Although all models provide excellent prediction of biomass growth, the intermediate model was best. Prediction of substrate removal was good with models that incorporated a nonbiodegradable component in the influent. ASM3 was the best model for predicting effluent soluble COD, but overall, the intermediate model was judged best for prediction of mixed liquor VSS and effluent soluble COD.     

Biodegradation of Phenol with Wastewater as a Cosubstrate in Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket

Anaerobic degradation of phenol mixed with a readily degradable synthetic wastewater (DSWW) as a cosubstrate was studied in a 12?L upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor at 30±2°C over a period of 632?days. DSWW was prepared by diluting sugar cane based molasses. The biomass was acclimatized to high phenol concentration by gradually decreasing the DSWW chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 4,000?mg/L. Feed made up of phenol COD and DSWW COD in the ratio of 7:3 (phenol concentration = 1,176?mg/L) was successfully treated at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 12?h and organic loading rate (OLR) of 8?g?COD/L?day. Phenol removal ranged from 99.9 to 84% at phenol COD varying from 10 to 70% in the feed. During the entire operation, COD removal varied from about 74 to 91.3%. The influent COD was distributed into CH4–COD ( ～ 72%), effluent COD ( ～ 17%), and sludge and unaccounted COD ( ～ 11%). The process failure occurred at 4:1 phenol COD: DSWW COD. Specific methanogenic activity of granular sludge exhibited uniform activity up to phenol COD of 70%. The performance of the reactor could not be maintained beyond 70% phenol COD even by reducing the sludge loading rate, increasing HRT, or decreasing OLR.     

Simultaneous Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal Using a Double Sludge Switching Sequencing Batch Reactor

A new process using a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) and two smaller sludge hoppers is proposed for the simultaneous removal of phosphorus and nitrogen from wastewater. In the double sludge switching sequencing batch reactor, denitrifying phosphate accumulating bacteria (DPB) sludge and nitrification sludge are transferred to the SBR at different phases instead of flowing wastewater through different reactors. The process was operated with a cycle time of 10.5?h, consisting of DPB sludge filling phase (0.5?h), anaerobic phase I (2.0?h), settling and changing DPB sludge phase (0.5?h), anaerobic phase II (0.5?h), aerobic phase (4.0?h), settling and changing nitrifying sludge phase (0.5?h), and anoxic phase (3.0?h). Results of stable operation showed that the process was very efficient over a range of temperatures varied from 10?to?28°C. The average effluent concentrations and removal efficiencies were as follows: CODCr 28.0?mg/L, 92.1%; BOD5 7.0?mg/L, 95.1%; NH3–N 0.8?mg/L, 98.0%; TN 9.8?mg/L, 76.7%; and TP 0.5?mg/L, 92.3%.     

Anaerobic Treatment of Synthetic Textile Wastewater Containing a Reactive Azo Dye

In this study, anaerobic treatment of synthetic textile wastewater containing a reactive azo dye, namely, Remazol Brilliant Violet 5R, was investigated. A fluidized bed reactor (FBR) was used in the study. Before the operation period, start-up of the FBR was completed in 128 days with an immobilized microorganism level of 0.069 g volatile suspended solids per g support material (pumice). Anaerobic treatment of synthetic textile wastewater revealed that 300 mg/L dye was removed in the FBR system. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) and color reduction in the system were approximately 60 and 94%, respectively. Under anaerobic conditions, formation of two sulfonated aromatic amines (SAAs) was detected due to anaerobic reduction of the dye. The SAAs were not degraded under anaerobic conditions. In addition to the anaerobic treatment, the effectiveness of aerobic treatment was investigated in order to further reduce the COD after the anaerobic treatment.     

Soluble Microbial Products in ABR Treating Low-Strength Wastewater

The chemical composition, molecular weight (MW) distribution, and biodegradability (both aerobic and anaerobic) of soluble microbial products (SMPs) in an anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR) treating low-strength wastewater were investigated. The effect of various process parameters on the production of SMPs was also examined. Results indicated that high MW (>300 kDa) compounds were produced in the middle compartments of the reactor and formed 22% of the effluent chemical oxygen demand (COD). This fraction was found to be 86% degradable under aerobic conditions but only 4% under anaerobic conditions. Low MW (<1 kDa) material represented the highest portion (36%) of the effluent COD and was mainly found in the first compartment of the ABR and in the effluent. This fraction was more easily degraded under anaerobic conditions (33%) than aerobic conditions (17%). Analysis of a hydrolyzed sample of the high MW fraction revealed the presence of several sugars and volatile fatty acids. Therefore, it was concluded that the high MW material contains heteropolysaccharides. Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of the low MW fraction revealed the possible presence of alcohol, carboxylate, and aromatic chemical groups. SMP production increased with increasing hydraulic retention time (HRT), probably due to enhanced biomass decay at high HRTs, and also increased with decreasing temperature, probably due to increased stress on the biomass and a reduced metabolism of the SMP at low temperatures. Finally, SMP production in an ABR containing higher levels of initial biomass concentration was greater than for an ABR operating at the same conditions but with lower levels of initial biomass.     

Granular Bed Baffled Reactor (Grabbr): Solution to a Two-Phase Anaerobic Digestion System

A single unit anaerobic granular bed baffled reactor (GRABBR) is proposed as an alternative to a separately operated two-phase anaerobic digestion system. This overcomes the problems related to wastewater treatment at high loading rates which usually results in accumulation of intermediate acid products, and consequently inhibits methanogenesis. This study was carried out to evaluate the stability of a five compartment GRABBR system when treating synthetic glucose wastewater at various operational conditions. The reactor was started with volumetric organic loading rate (OLR) of 1 kg chemical oxygen demand (COD)/m3?day, equivalent to 120 h hydraulic retention time (HRT), and loading rates were gradually increased at suitable intervals to up to 20 kg COD/m3?day (6 h HRT). At steady state, the overall soluble COD (SCOD) removal was over 95% under all applied loading conditions. At lower loadings, the reactor operated as a completely mixed system, and most of the treatment was achieved in the first compartment. At higher loadings, the entire system transformed into different phases, acidogenesis being dominant near the influent point, whilst methanogenesis was the main activity in the compartments near the effluent point. Granule breaking and flotation was observed in the acidogenic zone, whilst the methanogenic zone retained its original granular form. High assimilation rate of influent nitrogen was observed in the first compartment with the formation of nongranular biomass, identified as Klebsiella pneumoniae. The success of GRABBR as a single unit two-phase anaerobic digestion system could save the cost of an extra unit traditionally employed to achieve similar goals in treatment of high strength wastewaters.     

Storm-Water Filter Media Pollutant Retention under Aerobic versus Anaerobic Conditions

Storm-water runoff entering filters is usually aerobic and therefore the removal processes in the filter normally occur under oxidizing and aerobic conditions. However, storm-water filters differ from water and wastewater treatment filters because there are quiescent times when no influent enters the filter and the pore water stagnates. During this stagnation period, anaerobic conditions on a macro- or microscale could develop. This note presents the results of experiments conducted to determine if four potential filter media (sand, activated carbon, peat moss, and compost) could retain previously trapped pollutants when anaerobic conditions develop during interevent periods. The results indicated that permanent retention of heavy metals may occur even in an anaerobic environment (for the media and metals investigated). However, retention of some nutrients may not occur under these conditions, particularly for the organic media. This is an area of concern when the design of filters and bioretention devices includes an internal water storage zone where, between events, anaerobic conditions for nitrate removal are encouraged.     

Degradation of cyanide in agroindustrial or industrial wastewater in an acidification reactor or in a single-step methane reactor by bacteria enriched from soil and peels of cassava

During cassava starch production, large amounts of cyanoglycosides were released and hydrolysed by plant-borne enzymes, leading to cyanide concentrations in the wastewater as high as 200 mg/l. For anaerobic degradation of the cyanide during pre-acidification or single-step methane fermentation, anaerobic cultures were enriched from soil residues of cassava roots and sewage sludge. In a pre-acidification reactor this culture was able to remove up to 4 g potassium cyanide/l of wastewater at a hydraulic retention time (tHR) of 4 days, equivalent to a maximal cyanide space loading of 400 mg CN- 1(-1) day-1. The residual cyanide concentration was 0.2-0.5 mg/l. Concentrated cell suspensions of the mixed culture formed ammonia and formate in almost equimolar amounts from cyanide. Little formamide was generated by chemical decay. A concentration of up to 100 mmol ammonia/l had no inhibitory effect on cyanide degradation. The optimal pH for cyanide degradation was 6-7.5, the optimal temperature 25-37 degrees C. At a pH of 5 or lower, cyanide accumulated in the reactor and pre-acidification failed. The minimal tHR for continuous cyanide removal was 1.5 days. The enriched mixed culture was also able to degrade cyanide in purely mineralic wastewater from metal deburring, either in a pre-acidification reactor with a two-step process or in a one-step methanogenic reactor. It was necessary to supplement the wastewater with a carbon source (e.g. starch) to keep the population active enough to cope with any possible inhibiting effect of cyanide.     

Diagnosing Upsets in Anaerobic Wastewater Treatment Using Bayesian Belief Networks

Bayesian belief networks are probabilistic knowledge-based expert systems that predict the probability of an event occurring or diagnose the most probable causes of specific problems. Although Bayesian belief networks calculate the probabilities of events both before and after the introduction of evidence and are particularly useful for complicated systems with nonlinear relationships between causes and effects, they have not been widely applied to wastewater treatment systems. A Bayesian belief network for diagnosing upsets in an anaerobic wastewater treatment system was developed using the anaerobic sequencing batch reactor as a model system. A new approach for determining the conditional probabilities of the states of the variables was developed using a microbial kinetics model in conjunction with Monte Carlo simulation. The completed network suggests the most probable cause of upsets to the anaerobic sequencing batch reactor and updates its suggestions as more evidence is provided. The approach used is general and may be applied to other anaerobic treatment systems.