A comparative study on the effects of feedstock composition on enhanced biological phosphate removal in modified activated sludge systems

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Abstract
The effect of acetate, propionate and peptone and waste yeast effluent on the enhanced phosphate removal capacity of bench‐scale activated systems is described. The mixed cultures which develop in such systems proved capable of sustaining enhanced phosphate accumulation even under an unfavourable influent COD/TKN ratio of 8:1. All systems achieved high levels of phosphate removal but the propionate and peptone systems outperformed the rest by a large margin. Spectacular removals upwards of 0.10 mg P (rag influent COD)‐1 were achieved. Magnesium and potassium proved vitally important to enhanced phosphate removal. The uptake and release patterns of these ions and sulphate are highlighted.