Understanding qPCR vs. MCA Tests in Wastewater Applications: Choose the Right Molecular Method for Your Needs
In wastewater treatment and environmental monitoring, molecular testing technologies have revolutionized the way we analyze microbial populations and identify specific contaminants. Among these technologies, quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) and...
Using enzymes for improving hydrolysis rate in anaerobic digesters
Anaerobic digesters rely on a complex consortium of microorganisms for converting biosolids into methane gas and carbon dioxide. The community includes both bacteria and archaea. The first steps in the process rely on the action of bacteria, while the final steps...
Common Functional Groups in Wastewater Treatment
When discussing wastewater system organisms, we clump organisms into functional groups based on their ecological impact(s) in wastewater treatment. After working with Microbial Community Analysis (MCA) testing for over 8 years, Aster Bio now reports % of reads in...
Impact of high temperatures on wastewater treatment
Rapid temperature changes tend to cause more problems than gradual drift in WW. Even with slow increase in temperatures, you reach inflection points where system drifts above the growth range of most common mesophilic organisms. Most common genera in WW thrive up...
The good and bad sides of organic acids in wastewater treatment
Biochemistry of organic acids formation Anaerobic conditions – terminal electron acceptor is an organic compound rather than O2, NOx or SOx. Results in XCOOH (organic acids) & alcohols – this is called anaerobic or fermentative respiration Formed in collection...
Measuring Microbial Activity in Wastewater
Wastewater MLSS or MLVSS is often call the “microbes” or amount of working biomass in a treatment system. However, MLVSS is just the weight of volatile solids in the system rather than any direct measure of living/working biomass. MLVSS consists of living and dead...
Nitrite lock or incomplete ammonia oxidation
Nitrite lock occurs when the ammonia (NH₄) doesn’t complete the full nitrification process, which typically involves the following steps: Ammonia Oxidation (NH₄ → NO₂): Ammonia is oxidized to nitrite by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB). Nitrite Oxidation (NO₂ →...
Next-generation Wastewater Monitoring Technology Explained
Aster Bio takes Wastewater Monitoring Technology to the Next Level Erik Rumbaugh, Aster Bio Partner and leader in molecular biology and biochemistry, explains next-generation wastewater monitoring technology. Where our wastewater monitoring technology is used...
Wastewater Testing with Aster Bio
Types of Wastewater Testing As Co-founder, President, and leader in molecular biology and biochemistry — Paul Campbell explains Aster Bio’s two different types of wastewater testing that help operators understand the biology of their wastewater treatment systems....
What does saying the biomass is “healthy” actually mean?
You often hear that a biological treatment system is: Healthy In balance Stable Equilibrium Steady stateUnless your system receives a uniform influent at a constant flow in addition to other environmental variables not changing, a biological system is always...
