Evaluation of the Inhibitory Effect of Cu2+, Al3+ and Zn2+ on the Activated Sludge

In this study, the inhibitory effect of toxic metals was investigated on the activated sludge of the municipal sewage treatment plant. The allowable concentration of toxic metals was also estimated for the stable operation of the biological treatment process. The single and mixture toxicity of $Cu^{2+}$, $Al^{3+}$ and $Zn^{2+}$ were evaluated for the activated sludge microorganisms. As a result, nitrifying microorganisms were more susceptible than heterotrophic microorganisms. $IC_{10}$ (Inhibition Concentration of 10%) of $Cu^{2+}$, $Al^{3+}$ and $Zn^{2+}$ for the nitrifying microorganisms was 3 mg/L, 7 mg/L and 25 mg/L, respectively. The mixture toxicity showed three times more sensitive than the single toxicity. The concentrations of $Cu^{2+}$, $Al^{3+}$ and $Zn^{2+}$ to minimize the inhibitory effect on organic matter removal and nitrification in batch experiments were found to be 1.3 mg/L, 2.5 mg/L and 6.3 mg/L.

Cu2+, Al3+, Zn2+이 활성슬러지에 미치는 저해영향 평가