Nov 3, 2026
Measuring Influent Strength: Why BOD₅, COD, and TOC Tell Different Stories
One of the most basic questions in wastewater treatment is: How strong is the influent? The answer affects everything from oxygen demand and sludge production to F/M ratio, nutrient requirements, …
Oct 21, 2026
Alkalinity vs pH: The Stability Factor Behind Nitrification
In wastewater treatment, pH is the most common reported value, but alkalinity is extremely important for nitrifying systems. If you’re running biological nutrient removal, understanding why alkalinity is just as …
Oct 15, 2026
Cyanide in Biological Treatment Systems: Disruption, Detoxification, and Microbial Resilience
Cyanide-bearing wastewater is common in refining, petrochemical, mining, and metal-finishing operations—and even low concentrations can disrupt biological treatment. Cyanide can inhibit key microbial processes, destabilize activated sludge, and increase the …
Oct 9, 2026
Unlocking the Science of Non-filamentous Bulking: 5 Primary Triggers for Excess LB-EPS Secretion in Wastewater Treatment
Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS)—specifically Loosely Bound Extracellular Polymeric Substances (LB-EPS)—play a critical role in bioflocculation, sludge settling, and membrane bioreactor (MBR) performance. While baseline EPS acts as a natural biological …
Sep 30, 2026
From Data Overload to Operational Clarity: Building a Wastewater Dashboard
Data overload is a daily reality for wastewater treatment operators. When key operational parameters—such as Influent Flow, Mixed Liquor Suspended Solids (MLSS), Sludge Volume Index (SVI), and Effluent Turbidity—are scattered …
Sep 21, 2026
Foaming Filaments in Wastewater: Identification, Causes, and Control
Stable dark foam in aeration basins doesn’t appear randomly — it’s frequently tied to hydrophobic filamentous bacteria. Nocardia/Gordonia and Microthrix parvicella are responsible for most biological foaming events worldwide. Their …
Sep 16, 2026
From Microbial Data to Plant Performance: The Science Behind MCA Testing
Aster Bio’s Environmental Genomics MCA test is built on a simple idea: wastewater treatment is driven by biology, so the best way to optimize a plant is to understand that …
Sep 10, 2026
Why Paracoccus is Every Wastewater Operator’s Secret Weapon for Nitrogen, Odor, and VFA Control
Often, system stability comes down to functional microbial diversity. If you’re managing fluctuating influent loads, stringent nitrogen limits, or odor issues, there’s one workhorse microbe you want thriving in your …
Sep 2, 2026Using MCA Testing to Stay Ahead of Seasonal Biology Shifts
Municipal systems behave differently as temperatures rise and fall. Even small swings — 2 – 4oC — can shift the balance between AOB, NOB, filaments, and foaming organisms. MCA data …
Aug 27, 2026
Why wasting sludge is not optional and is a key control mechanism in wastewater treatment
Wasting is more than a solids-handling task—it one of the primary controls in activated sludge systems. Each wasting decision affects solids retention time (SRT), food-to-microorganism ratio (F/M), microbial selection, oxygen …
Aug 20, 2026
Microbial Ecology Is the Operating Manual for Wastewater Treatment
Microbial ecology is not an academic layer added to wastewater treatment and bioremediation — it is the operating basis of the process. Settling, nitrification, denitrification, biological phosphorus removal, foam control, …
Aug 12, 2026
Shear, Select, Densify: The Biology Behind Better-Settling Sludge
The Core Idea: Selection Pressure + EPS Remodeling The densification and AGS processes share a simple but powerful ecological principle: If you remove Loosely Bound (LB‑EPS) and retain only biomass …