Modification of granular activated carbon surface by chitosan coating for geosmin removal: sorption performances.

This study presents the results of the sorption performances for geosmin removal by sorption onto granular activated carbons (GAC) manufactured from different raw materials of coconut shell and bituminous coal. The surface of GAC was modified by chitosan coating. The 90% deacetylated chitosan flakes were used for coating on GAC with the GAC: chitosan ratio of 5:1. The surface of GAC was characterised by scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and measurement of the pH solution of GAC samples. The sorption of geosmin onto the chitosan for both uncoated and coated GACs could be described by the Freundlich adsorption model. Data revealed that the sequence of Freundlich constant (K(F)) was chitosan coated bitominous coal (CB) > uncoated bituminous coal (UB) > chitos approximately equal to an coated coconut shell (CC) approximately equal to uncoated coconut shell (UC). The bituminous coal based GAC with chitosan coating had a maximum capacity of 23.57 microg/g which was approximately two-fold of uncoated bituminous coal based GAC. Two simplified kinetic models, pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order, were tested to investigate the sorption mechanisms. It was found that the intraparticle diffusion was a rate controlling step for the sorption and followed the pseudo-second order equation.     

Removal of bromate and assimilable organic carbon from drinking water using granular activated carbon.

This study investigated the feasibility of using granular activated carbon (GAC) to remove bromate ion (BrO3-) and assimilable organic carbon (AOC) from drinking water through a rapid small-scale column test (RSSCT) method and a pilot-scale study. Results from RSSCT indicated that the GAC capacity for BrO3- removal was dependent on the GAC type, empty bed contact time (EBCT), and source water quality. The GAC with a high number of basic groups and higher pHpzc values showed an increased BrO3- removal capacity. BrO3- removal was improved by increasing EBCT. The high EBCT provides a greater opportunity for BrO3- to be adsorbed and reduced to Br- on the GAC surface. On the other hand, the presence of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and anions, such as chloride, bromide, and sulfate, resulted in poor BrO3- reduction. In the GAC pilot plant, a GAC column preloaded for 12 months achieved a BrO3- and AOC removal range from 79-96% and 41-75%, respectively. The BrO3- amount removed was found to be proportional to the influent BrO3- concentration. However, the BrO3- removal rate apparently decreased with increasing operation time. In contrast, the AOC apparently increased during the long-term operation period. This may be a result of the contribution due to new GAC being gradually transformed into biological activated carbon (BAC), and the bacterial biomass adsorbed on GAC surface hindering BrO3- reduction by GAC either by blocking pores or adsorbing at the activated sites for BrO3- reduction.     

Nano mesocellular foam silica(MCFs):An effective adsorbent for removing Ni~(2+) from aqueous solution

Nano mesocellular foam silica(MCFs) was synthesized through the hydrothermal method in this study.Powder X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the MCFs sample.The sample presented spherical particles and regular morphology.The results of transmission electron microscopy showed that synthesized MCFs has a three-dimensional honeycomb pore structure,which aids in the adsorption of nickel ion(Ni~(2+)).The results of low-temperature nitrogen gas adsorption-desorption showed that the pore diameter of the synthesized MCFs was 19.6 nm.The impacts of pH,temperature,amount of adsorbent,initial concentration of Ni~(2+),and contact time on the adsorption effect of Ni~(2+)by MCFs were studied.Under the optimized adsorption conditions,the adsorption rate reached 96.10% and the adsorption capacity was 7.69 mg/g.It has been determined through the study of kinetics and adsorption isotherms that the adsorption of Ni~(2+) by MCFs follows the pattern of the pseudo-second-order kinetic model,simultaneously belonging to the Freundlich adsorption type.The thermodynamic results of adsorption showed that,when the temperature is between 25℃and 45℃,the adsorption is a spontaneous exothermic reaction.     

Layered double hydroxide (LDH)-coated attapulgite for phosphate removal from aqueous solution

In this study, a composite adsorbent, layered double hydroxide (LDH)-coated attapulgite (LDH-AP), was synthesized and characterized. Its potential application for LDH stabilizer and phosphate (P) removal from aqueous solution was evaluated using the batch mode and continuous mode in a packed bed column. The batch experiments revealed that the data of P adsorption onto LDH-AP could be well described by the Freundlich equation, and the maximum adsorption capacity was estimated to be 6.9 mg/g. The column experiments were conducted in the tap water and the results indicated that the competing anions could slightly decrease phosphate removal. The saturated column was regenerated by 0.2 mol/L of NaOH and the regenerated column was examined for its reuse in phosphate removal. The results of this study suggested that attapulgite could be used as an applicable stabilizer of LDH and LDH-AP could be potentially used as a promising filtration medium for phosphate removal.     

Effect of Fe3O4 nanoparticles on magnetic xerogel composites for enhanced removal of fluoride and arsenic from aqueous solution

Fe₃O₄ magnetic xerogel composites were prepared by polycondensation of resorcinol (R)–formaldehyde reaction via a sol–gel process in an aqueous solution through varying the molar ratio of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (MNPs), catalyst (C), and water (W) content. MNPs were obtained by co-precipitation (MC), oxidation of iron salts (MO), or solvothermal synthesis (MS). Both MNPs and magnetic xerogels were examined regarding the performance of arsenic and fluoride removal in a batch system. The MC-based MNPs had higher adsorption capacities for both fluoride (202.9 mg/g) and arsenic (3.2 mg/g) than other MNPs in optimum conditions. The X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirmed that Fe was composed into the polymeric matrix of magnetic xerogels that contained 0.59%–4.42% of Fe with a molar ratio of MNPs (M) to R between 0.01 and 0.10. With low R/C and optimum M/R ratios, an increase in the surface area of magnetic xerogels affected the fluoride and arsenic adsorption capacities. The magnetic xerogel composites with the MC-based MNPs prepared at a fixed R/C ratio (100) and at different R/W (0.05–0.06) and M/R (0.07–0.10) ratios had a high arsenic removal efficiency of 100% at an As(V) concentration of 0.1 mg/L and pH of 3.0. The maximum adsorption capacities of magnetic xerogels were approximately five times higher than those of the xerogels without MNP composites. Therefore, Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles enhanced the adsorption of arsenate and fluoride. The variations of alkaline catalyst and water content significantly affected the resulting properties of textural and surface chemistry of magnetic xerogel composites.     

Development of chitosan-based granular adsorbents for enhanced and selective adsorption performance in heavy metal removal.

Novel chitosan-based granular adsorbents were developed for enhanced and selective separation of heavy metal ions. The research included the synthesis of chitosan hydrogel beads, the cross-linking of the hydrogel beads with ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EGDE) in a conventional and a novel amine-shielded method, the functionalization of the chitosan beads through surface grafting of polyacrylamide via a surfaceinitiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) method, and the examination of the adsorption performance of the various types of chitosan beads in the removal of heavy metal ions. It was found that chitosan beads were effective in heavy metal adsorption, the conventional cross-linking method improved the acidic stability of the beads but reduced their adsorption capacity, the novel amine-shielded cross-linking method retained the good adsorption capacity while it improved the acidic stability of the beads, and the grafting of polyacrylamide on chitosan beads not only enhanced the adsorption capacity but also provided the beads with excellent selectivity for mercury over lead ions. XPS analyses indicated that the adsorption of metal ions on chitosan beads was mainly attributed to the amine groups of chitosan, the novel amine-shielded cross-linking method preserved most of the amine groups from being consumed by the cross-linking process and hence improved the adsorption capacity of the cross-linked chitosan beads, and the many amide groups from the polyacrylamide grafted on the chitosan beads increased the adsorption capacity and also made possible selective adsorption of mercury ions because the amide groups can form covalent bonds with mercury ions.     

The removal of residual organic matter from biologically treated swine wastewater using membrane bioreactor process with powdered activated carbon.

The objective of this study was to characterize the mechanisms of the COD removal in the membrane bioreactor (MBR) process with powdered activated carbon (PAC) addition and to determine its optimal operation, for the removal of residual organic matters (ROM) from biologically treated swine wastewater. The MBR process with PAC showed higher removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD(Mn)) than that without PAC. When the average COD(Mn) concentration of the influent was 217 mg/L, the average COD(Mn) concentration of the permeate from the MBR with PAC was about 41.5 mg/L, indicating an approximate removal efficiency of 81%. On the other hand, the average COD(Mn) concentration of the permeate from the MBR without PAC was 172 mg/L. The PAC dosage estimated to obtain the above removal efficiency was about 0.74 g per litre of influent. Among the total residual organics removed by PAC-added MBR, 46.5% was removed by PAC adsorption, 20.8% by biodegradation, 4.4% by membrane separation, and 9.3% by enhanced microorganism activity. From these results, the MBR process with PAC was considered as a very useful treatment process for the reduction of COD(Mn) in biologically treated swine wastewater.     

Removal of Cu(II) ions from aqueous solutions using N-carboxymethyl chitosan

N-carboxymethyl chitosan (NCMC) was synthesized by reacting chitosan with chloroacetic acid in water under triethylamine (Et(3)N) as catalyst. The chemical structures of NCMC were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and hydrogen-1 nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H-NMR) spectroscopy and confirmed that carboxymethylation occurred on the amino groups. Samples of NCMC were used for removal of Cu(II) from aqueous solution. The effects of degree of substitution of NCMC, initial pH value and adsorption kinetics on the adsorption were studied. Adsorption experiments showed that NCMC has a high adsorption speed and high adsorption capacity for remove Cu(II) from aqueous solution. The adsorption kinetics data were best fitted with the pseudo-second-order model. The experimental equilibrium data of Cu(II) on the NCMC were both fitted to the Langmuir model and Freundlich model, which revealed that the maximum capacity for monolayer saturation was 147.93 mg/g.     

Development of adsorbent for the simultaneous removal of organic and inorganic contaminants from aqueous solution

In this study, a modified adsorbent, alginate complex beads, was prepared and applied to the removal of mixed contaminants from wastewater. The alginate complex beads were generated by the immobilization of powdered activated carbon and synthetic zeolites onto alginate gel beads, which were then dried at 110 °C for 20 h until the diameter had been reduced to 1 mm. This dry technique increased the hardness of the adsorbent to assure its durability and application. The adsorption onto the alginate complex beads of organic and inorganic compounds, as target contaminants, was investigated by performing both equilibrium and kinetic batch experiments. From the adsorption isotherms, according to the Langmuir equation, the alginate complex bead was capable of effectively removing benzene, toluene, zinc and cadmium. From kinetic batch experiments, the removal efficiencies of benzene, toluene, zinc and cadmium were found to be 66.5, 92.4, 74.1 and 76.7%, respectively, for initial solution concentrations of 100 mg L(-1). The results indicated that the adsorbent developed in this study has the potential to be a promising material for the removal of mixed pollutants from industrial wastewater or contaminated groundwater.     

Efficient removal of Cr(VI) by polydopamine-modified lignin from aqueous solution: Batch and XAFS studies

Lignocellulose has the potential to become a bio-based adsorbent due to its biodegradability and renewability. In this study, a novel polydopamine-functionalized-lignin (lignin@PDA), prepared via self-polymerization of dopamine (PDA) on lignin, was used as a bio-based adsorbent for rapid scavenging of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)). The morphology, functional groups, crystalline structure, and chemical composition of lignin@PDA were characterized with a scanning electron microscope–energy dispersive spectrometer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The Cr(VI) adsorption process of lignin@PDA was studied using batch experiments as a function of pH, ionic strength, adsorbent dose, and contact time at room temperature. The adsorption rate of lignin@PDA was five times greater than that of the unmodified lignin, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 102.6 mg/g in an acidic medium. The adsorption of Cr(VI) on lignin@PDA fit the pseudo-second-order equation and the Freundlich model, indicating that the adsorption process was mainly dominated by chemisorption and surface complexation. The thermodynamic parameters showed that adsorption of Cr(VI) on lignin@PDA was an endothermic and spontaneous process. The X-ray absorption fine structure results showed that sorption and reduction of Cr(VI) into Cr(III) occurred simultaneously on lignin. Moreover, PDA coating not only improved the reactivity of lignin but also promoted the complete reduction of Cr(VI) by lignin. According to these results, polydopamine-functionalized-lignin is a promising bio-based adsorbent for immobilization of Cr(VI) from wastewater.

     

Removal of Ni(II) from aqueous solution using Moringa oleifera seeds as a bioadsorbent

Metal contaminants are generally removed from effluents by chemical and physical processes which are often associated with disadvantages such as the use of toxic reagents, generation of toxic waste and high costs. Hence, new techniques have been developed, among them the study of natural adsorbents, for instance, the use of Moringa oleifera seeds. The potential of M. oleifera seeds for nickel removal in aqueous systems was investigated. The seeds utilized were obtained from plants grown in Uberlandia/Brazil. After being dried and pulverized, the seeds were treated with 0.1 mol/L NaOH. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analyses were used for the characterization of the material. Using the optimized methodology (50 mL of 4.0 mg/L Ni(II), pH range of 4.0-6.0, agitation time of 5 min and adsorption mass of 2.0 g) more than 90% of Ni(II) could be removed from water samples. The sorption data were fitted satisfactorily by the Langmuir adsorption model. Evaluation applying the Langmuir equation gave the monolayer sorption capacity as 29.6 mg/g. The results indicate that this material could be employed in the extraction of nickel, considering its ease of use, low cost and environmental viability, which make it highly attractive for application in developing countries.     

Characterization of cobalt ferrite-supported activated carbon for removal of chromium and lead ions from tannery wastewater via adsorption equilibrium

In this experiment, cobalt ferrite-supported activated carbon (CF-AC) was developed and characterized via the wet impregnation method for the removal of Cr and Pb(II) ions from tannery wastewater. Batch adsorption was carried out to evaluate the effect of experimental operating conditions (pH of solution, contact time, adsorbent dose, and temperature), and the removal efficiencies of Cr and Pb(II) ions by the developed adsorbents were calculated and recorded for all experimental conditions. These variables were estimated and reported as removal efficiencies of 98.2% for Cr and 96.4% for Pb(II) ions at the optimal conditions of 5, 0.8 g, 80 min, and 333 K for pH, adsorbent dose, contact time, and temperature, respectively. The equilibrium for the sorption of Cr and Pb(II) ions was studied using four widely used isotherm models (the Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin-Radushkevich, and Temkin isotherm models). It was found that the Freundlich isotherm model fit better with the coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.948 4 and a small sum of square error of 0.000 6. The maximum adsorption capacities (Q_m) of Pb(II) and Cr adsorbed onto CF-AC were determined to be 6.27 and 23.6 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption process conformed well to pseudo-second order kinetics as revealed by the high R² values obtained for both metals. The thermodynamic parameters showed that adsorption of Cr and Pb(II) ions onto CF-AC was spontaneous, feasible, and endothermic under the studied conditions. The mean adsorption energy (E) values revealed that the adsorption mechanism of Cr and Pb(II) by CF-AC is physical in nature. The results of the study showed that adsorbent developed from CF-AC can be efficiently used as an environmentally friendly alternative adsorbent, for removal of Cr and Pb(II) ions in tannery wastewater.     

Biosorption of Ni(Ⅱ) ions from aqueous solution using modified Aloe barbadensis Miller leaf powder

This study aimed to investigate the biosorption potential of Na_2 CO_3-modified Aloe barbadensis Miller(Aloe vera) leaf(MABL) powder for removal of Ni(II) ions from a synthetic aqueous solution. Effects of various process parameters(pH, equilibrium time, and temperature) were investigated in order to optimize the biosorptive removal. The maximum biosorption capacity of MABL was observed to be 28.986 mg/g at a temperature of 303 K, a biosorbent dose of 0.6 g, a contact time of 90 min, and a pH value of 7. Different kinetic models(the pseudo-first-order,pseudo-second-order, Elovich, and intraparticle diffusion models) were evaluated. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model was found to be the best fitted model in this study, with a coefficient of determination of R~2 = 0.974. Five different isotherm models(the Langmuir, Freundlich,Temkin, Dubinin-Radushkevich, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller(BET) models) were investigated to identify the best-suited isotherm model for the present system. Based on the minimum chi-square value(x~2 = 0 027) and the maximum coefficient of determination(R~2 = 0.996), the Langmuir isotherm model was found to represent the system well, indicating the possibility of monolayer biosorption. The sticking probability(S*) was found to be 0.41, suggesting a physisorption mechanism for biosorption of Ni(II) on MABL. The biosorbent was characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR), scanning electron microscopy(SEM), zeta potential, and BET surface area, in order to understand its morphological and functional characteristics.     

Removal of copper(II) from aqueous solution using chemically modified fruit peels as efficient low-cost biosorbents

Fruit peels, which are common agricultural byproducts, have been extensively used as abandoned or low-cost biosorbents to remove heavy metals. In this study, dragon fruit peel (DFP), rambutan peel (RP), and passion fruit peel (PFP) were used to remove Cu(II) ions from an aqueous solution. Concentrations of the adsorbed metal ions were determined using the atomic absorption spectroscopic method. Adsorption experiments were performed with different adsorbent dosages, pH values, contact times, and initial copper concentrations. The optimum set of conditions for biosorption of Cu(II) ions was found to be an adsorbent dosage of 0.25 g, a contact time of 180 min, an initial concentration of 100 mg/L, a pH value of 4 for RP and PFP, and a pH value of 5 for DFP. The adsorption conformed with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The adsorption data were consistent with the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, but the best fit was with the Langmuir model. The Langmuir monolayer adsorption capacity values of DFP, RP, and PFP were calculated to be 92.593, 192.308, and 121.951 mg/g, respectively. RP showed a higher adsorption capacity of Cu(II) ions than PFP and DFP for all parameters. The results indicate that these biosorbents might be used to effectively adsorb Cu(II) ions from wastewater treatment plants.     

Removal of lead(II) and copper(II) from aqueous solution using foitite from Linshou mine in Hebei, China

Foitite from Linshou mine in China's Hebei province was investigated as an adsorbent to remove Pb(II) and Cu(II) from aqueous solution. The results showed that foitite can readily remove heavy metal ions from aqueous solution. The data shows that the metal uptake for Pb(II) increases rapidly, accounting for 74.47% when contact time was 2 min. In contrast to Pb(ll), there was a worse capability for adsorption of Cu(II). In the first 4 min, the metal uptake accounted for 34.7%. According to the analytical results obtained from X-ray diffraction, laser Raman spectrum, X-ray energy dispersive spectrometer, and Zeta potential, the removal mechanism of Pb(II) and Cu(II) by using foitite can be explained as following: firstly, the existence of an electrostatic field around foitite particles can attract heavy metal ions and consequently combine heavy metal ions with OH; secondly, heavy metal ions in the solution are exchanged with the Fe3+ and Al3+ in the foitite.     

Potential application of manganese coated sand in the removal of Mn(II) from aqueous solutions.

The aim of this study was to explore the applicability of manganese coated sand (MCS) in the presence and absence of sodium hypochlorite for the removal of Mn(II) (2 mg/L) from aqueous solutions. Sand itself is widely used as a filter media for the treatment of wastewaters and it was reported that during the treatment, Mn(II), which is present in the wastewater, is to be deposited on the surface of sand in the form of manganese dioxide. The present investigation dealt with various MCS samples, prepared in the laboratory by various doses of Mn(II) (i.e. from 0.05 to 0.2 mol/L) and the samples were obtained from the pilot plant and naturally coated in the water treatment plant for the removal of Mn(II) in the batch and column studies. Moreover, it was realised that the role of hypochlorite is multifunctional as it not only enhances the uptake of Mn(II) on the surface of MCS through oxidation of Mn(II) into Mn(IV) and hence the formation of manganese dioxide, but it was also supposed to disinfect the bacteria or harmful pathogens from the waste/surface waters. The results obtained clearly inferred that various MCS samples used for the removal of Mn(II) from aqueous solutions showed comparable removal efficiency. However, the presence of sodium hypochlorite greatly enhanced the removal of Mn(II) as more than 80% Mn(II) was removed in the presence of sodium hypochlorite at around pH 6.5. Similarly, while comparing the column data it was again noted that the breakthrough points occurred after the 4,100 and 6,500 bed volumes, respectively, in the absence and in the presence of sodium hypochlorite (2 mg/L).     

Automatic control of external carbon source addition for nitrogen removal in sewage with low C/N ratios.

For cost-effective nitrogen removal from sewage with low C/N ratios, an automatic control system for the addition of external carbon based on oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) data in an anoxic reactor has been developed. In this study, it was carried out with a pilot-scale modified Bardenpho process. This consisted of anoxic1, aerobic1, anoxic2 and aerobic2 stages with an external recycle ratio of 150% (Q/Qinf), and a media packing ratio of 2.4%-2.9% (v/v) in the aerobic reactor. As a result of applying the automatic control system for the minimization of the external carbon source dosage, the dosage was decreased by about 20%. This estimate was based on ORP compared with a stable dosage of 75 mg/L based on the C/NOx-N ratio of the anoxic influent. It was necessary that the ORP set-value be regulated from -120 mV to -80 mV because influent NH4+-N concentration varied from 12 to 15 mg/L due to rainfall. Correspondingly, the demanded dosages were decreased. Drift of the the real-time value in control system was more stable after changing the ORP set-value from -120 mV to -80 mV.     

Sequencing batch reactor (SBR) as optimal method for production of granular activated sludge (GAS)--fluid dynamic investigations.

Fluid dynamic investigations of multiphase flow (fluid, air, granules) in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) are presented. SBR can be considered as an attractive technology for cultivation of granular activated sludge (GAS). Granulation is a complicated process and its mechanism is not fully understood yet. Many factors influence the formation and structure of aerobic granular sludge in a bioreactor. Extracellular polymer substances (EPS) and superficial gas velocity (SGV) play a crucial role for granules formation. Additionally, it is supposed that EPS production is stimulated by mechanical forces. It is also assumed that hydrodynamic effects have a major influence on the formation, shape and size of GAS in SBR under aerobic condition. However, the influence of stress on granulation is poorly investigated. Thus, in the present paper, fluid dynamic investigations of multiphase flow in a SBR, particularly effect of normal and shear strain, are reported. In order to analyse multiphase flow in the SBR, optical in-situ techniques with particle image velocimetry (PIV) and particle tracking velocimetry (PTV) are implemented. Obtained results show a characteristic flow pattern in a SBR. It is pointed out that additional effects like particle-wall collisions, inter particle collisions, erosion can also affect significantly granules formation.     

Use of sesame stalk biomass for the removal of Ni(II) and Zn(II) from aqueous solutions

In this study an agricultural residue, sesame stalk, was evaluated for the removal of Ni(II) and Zn(II) metal ions from aqueous solutions. Biosorption studies were carried out at different pH, biosorbent dosage, initial metal ion concentrations, contact time, and solution temperature to determine the optimum conditions. The experimental data were modeled by Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) and Temkin isotherm models. Langmuir model resulted in the best fit of the biosorption data. The pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models were used to describe the kinetic data and to evaluate rate constants. The best correlation was provided by the second-order kinetic model. The thermodynamic parameters such as ΔG°, ΔH° and ΔS° were calculated for predicting the nature of adsorption. The experimental results showed that sesame stalk can be used as an effective and low-cost biosorbent precursor for the removal of heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions.     

Long-term evaluation of a sequential batch reactor (SBR) treating dairy wastewater for carbon removal.

Many dairy industries have been using SBR wastewater treatment plants because they allow optimal working condition to be reached. However, to take advantage of SBR capabilities, strong process automation is needed. The aim of this work is to study the factors that influence SBR performance to improve modelling and control. To better understand the whole process we studied the kinetic modelling, the carbon removal mechanism and the relation between reactor performance, aerobic heterotrophic activity and bacterial population dynamics (by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphisms of 16S rDNA, T-RFLP). The heterotrophic activity values presented high variability during some periods; however, this was not reflected on the reactor performance. As sludge health indicator, the average activity in a period was better than individual values. Although all the carbon removal mechanisms are still unclear for this process, they seemed to be influenced by non-respirometric ways (storage, biosorption, accumulation, etc.). The variability of heterotrophic activity could be correlated with the bacterial population diversity over time. Despite the high variability of the activity, a simple kinetic model (pseudo ASM1) based on apparent constant parameters was developed and calibrated. Such modellisation provided a good tool for control purposes.