It'ah,r Rc.war4'h Vol. 13. pp. tP~ to 104.

Pergamon Pres's Ltd 1979. Printed in Great Britain

THE EFFECT OF INORGANIC SALTS ON THE

ACTIVATED SLUDGE PROCESS PERFORMANCE
R. YUCEL TOKUZ* and W. WESLEY ECKENFELDER,JR.
Department of Environmental Engineering and Policy Management, Vanderbilt University,
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A.

(Received 3 June 1978)

Abstract--The effect of inorganic salts such as sodium chloride and sodium sulfate on the performance
of the activated sludge process was examined. When proper acclimation procedures were followed,
the adverse effects of salts on the process were minimized. One of the parameters monitored, effluent
suspended solids, had very low values (less than 10mgi -~) up to an inflow sodium chloride concen-
tration of about less than 35 g 1-'. The chemical oxygen demand of the effluent increased steadily
with increasing sodium chloride concentrations, but biochemical oxygen demand values remained very
low (less than 5 mg 1-t) which indicated that the increase in chemical oxygen demand was due to
the portion that cannot be degraded biologically. The effect of sodium sulfate on the system was
even less profound. In addition to the effluent being very clear and low in suspended solids, the
chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency remained high.

INTRODUCTION these results to mean that a selective process was in-

volved with some cells able t o survive and reproduce
High total dissolved solids (TDS) content are often
under unfavorable conditions while others could not.
encountered in industrial wastewaters. In some loca-
The ability to survive and grow in saline media was
tions high salinity waters are being used for domestic
a function of the developmental stage of the culture
purposes. Saline wastewaters are also generated and
and it was lowest in the early logarithmic period and
required to be treated on shipboard.
greatest during the early stationary phase. Doudoroff
While it is reported in the literature that high con-
also indicated that a maximum adaptation was
centrations of inorganic salts or rapid changes in salt
obtained when the salinity of the medium was raised
concentration cause adverse effects on the biological
gradually by using exposures of sufficient duration
system performance, there is considerable disagree-
to each intermediate salt concentration. One of his
ment on the nature and degree of these effects.
observations was on the morphological characteristics
of the cultures: "In non-aerated salt-water cultures
LITERATURE REVIEW the growth was stringy and mucoid, the organisms
formed a sediment reminiscent of agglutinated bac-
The effects of inorganic salts on bacteria have been
teria. This was never observed in freshwater cultures,
investigated by several microbiologists. Winslow &
where the medium became homogeneously turbid.
Haywood (1931) found that 0.005--0.25 M
Microscopic examination showed that in the sodium
(0.292-14.612 g i - ' ) sodium chloride stimulated the
chloride containing media the individual cells have
growth of Escherichia coil, with a maximum rate at
a strong tendency to hang together, the bacteria are
0.08 M (4.676 g !- i). 1 M (58.448 g 1-1 ) sodium chlor-
non-motile and form chains of appreciable length."
ide was toxic to the bacteria and none survived. In-
Krul (1977) examined the factors affecting the floc
gram (1939, 1940) reported that the maximum respir-
formation by Zoogloea ramigera and found that
ation of Bacillus cereus occurred at 0.005-0.01 M
sodium chloride at 0.002, 0.01 and 0.02M (0.117,
(0.292-0.584 g 1-1 ) sodium chloride or 0.002-0.005 M
0.584 and 1.169 g I- ~) concentrations stimulated the
(0.238-0.595 g 1- t ) sodium sulfate. The concentrations
aggregation of the resuspended cells. The highest
of sodium chloride which were stimulatory were
always less than 0.2 M (11.690 g 1- t). tested salt concentration was most effective. On the
other hand sodium sulfate at concentrations above
Doudoroff (1940) studied the viable counts of
0.01M (1.191 gl -~) had no favorable effect on the
various freshwater bacteria including Bacillus subtilis
floc formation, but some increased floc formation was
and Escherichia coli and found that with an increase
observed at lower concentrations. In the wastewater
in the salinity of the medium the viable count
treatment field Lawton & Eggert (1957) studied the
remained constant until a certain sodium chloride
effects of sodium chloride on trickling filter slimes.
concentration was reached, thereafter the count
They reported that sudden application of high salt
dropped with increasing salt content. He interpreted
content substrate caused adverse effects on the slimes.
* Present address: R, L. Goodson, Jr., Inc.; 3409 Oak In general the larger salt concentration caused a
Grove Ave.; Dallas, Texas 75204, U.S.A. greater effect on the slime and the time required for
99
100 R. Yu('l:l, TI)KIrz and WliSl,liY I~('KliNFII.I)I;R, JR.
the acclimation was longer. Even after the acclima-
tion, the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) reduc-
tion for the highest salt concentration (50 g I -~) sys-
tem was 10-15% below that of the salt free system.
Upon change to sodium chloride free substrate,
adverse effects were again observed but the recovery
and acclimation were much more rapid. Mills &
Wheatland (1962) found that constant feeding of
6.6 g 1-1 sodium chloride did not upset the biological
removal efficiency of percolating filters. But intermit-
tent feeding 9a.m.-5 p.m. daily, Monday-Friday
caused an increase in the effluent BOD lasting for
a period of about 2 wceks. Stewart, Ludwig, &
Kearns (1962) studied the effects of varying salinity
on the extended aeration process and found that upon
introduction of 30% ocean water in the inflow, the
suspended solids concentration and BOD of the
effluent increased slightly. They indicated that the
combination of high rate hydraulic loading, BOD
shock loading and rapid change in salinity (to 100~o
ocean water) affected the effluent quality significantly
and microscopic examination of mixed liquor sludge
indicated that significant reduction in protozoa had
taken place although large numbers of bacteria were
still present.
Ludzaek & Noran (1965) reported that no detect-
able changes occurred in activated sludge perform-
ance when chloride concentrations were below
5-8g1-1 (8.24-13.19gl - l as sodium chloride)even
when the system was subjected to intermittent (5 days
a week) feeding. Chloride changes were tolerated best
by activated sludges operating at low load ratios and
by sludges showing good flocculation before the
change in concentration. When the chloride concen-
tration was alternated weekly from 0.100 to 20g1-1
or vice versa, effluent quality deteriorated. Micro-
scopic examinations of the sludge indicated that when
high chlorides were applied large numbers of free-
swimming ciliates were present. Stalked ciliates,
while fairly numerous in number, were small and rela-
tively inactive. Increase in respiratory oxygen use was
another observation correlated with salinity increase.
Kincannon, Gaudy & Gaudy (1966) and Kincan-
non & Gaudy (1966; 1968) studied the effects of shock
and continuous salt loadings on the batch and con-
tinuous flow activated sludge systems and concluded
that high salinity shocks caused a drastic decrease
in the substrate removal rate but acclimation restored
this capability. In one study Kineannon, Gaudy &
Gaudy (1966)suggested that cellular constituents which
were released upon the introduction of the shock load
were not used in preference to the substrate on which
the ceils were grown. The lysate which formed when
a switch made from high salt to salt-free medium was
metabolized only after an acclimation period during
which only the original substrate was assimilated.
Yet in another study Kincannon & Gaudy (1966)
observed that the utilization of the lysate was
before the substrate. In the same report they indicated
that sludges grown in low salt waters could withstand
shock loadings of high sodium chloride better than
sludges acclimated to high salinity medium could
withstand to rapid decrease in salt concentration.
They also examined the settling characteristics of the
sludge. The sludges developed at 30 and 45 g 1 ~ salt
concentrations were dispersed systems and did not
flocculatc. But they reported that in one of thcir
earlier studies the solids flocculated welt. In all cases
biochemical responses of the sludges were the same.
One of these responses was the increased oxygen
uptake rate with increased salt content. In the study
which involved a continuous flow system Kineannon
and Gaudy (1968) found that sludge yield was highly
stimulated (approximately 75~o) at 8-10 g 1- 1 sodium
chloride range.
Burnett (1974) studied the effect of alternating
shocks of freshwater sewage and highly saline sewage
on the activated sludge process and found that such
shocks caused decreased BOD removal efficiency, in-
creased effluent turbidity and solid losses and changes
in the mixed liquor protozoan populations. He
reported : "The change from freshwater sewage to sea-
water sewage caused a rapid die-off of the rotifers
and stalked and motile ciliate protozoans which coin-
cided with a decrease in BOD removal efficiency and
disruption of clarifier performance." He indicated that
after an initial lag period the microbial population
was able to adapt to the high salinity environment
and the floc formation was not inhibited provided
gross alterations in the influent salinity were avoided.
Adams, Eckenfelder & Novotny (1975) studied the
treatability of a high salinity wastewater which con-
tained considerable quantities of chlorides plus high
concentrations of complex organics, including insecti-
cides and chelating agents. Due to poor settling of
the activated sludge they recommended a two-stage
aerated lagoon system for treatment which also incor-
porated an equalization basin.
Hockenbury, Burstein & Jamro (1977) reported the
results of the treatability studies conducted on various
industrial wastes. The dissolved salts in those wastes
typically consisted of sodium, chlorides and sulfates.
They observed that high TDS caused an increase in
the effluent suspended solids and a decrease in the
organic removal rate for activated sludge systems. For
example, increasing TDS from 1.5 to 5.0 g 1- ~ caused
effluent suspended solids to increase from 125 to
350 mg 1-I and total organic carbon (TOC) removal
efficiency dropped from 90 to 75~.
Review of the literature indicates an agreement on
the presence of adverse effects of the large concen-
trations of inorganic salts on the microbiological sys-
tems. But the minimum level of salinity which causes
wastewater treatment system performance disruption
was not reported. Neither was there an agreement
on the extent of the adverse effects. While it was
reported that organic removal efficiency was affected,
not everyone agreed. Some claimed persistently
higher effluent suspended solids and decreased ability
of the activated sludge to settle. Others reported that
 The effect of inorganic salt 101

Table I. Synthetic substrate composition Table 2. Periods of acclimation to sodium chloride

Wt I -t Sodium chloride concentration (g 1-')

Component (rag) Date Unit 1 Unit 2

Glucose 500 1-18-77 8.0 5.0

Peptone 500 2-10 15.0 10.0
Potassium phosphate, monobasic 527 3-21 20.0 15.0
Potassium phosphate, dibasic 1070 4-18 25.0 20.0
Ammonium sulfate 235 5-22 30.0 25.0
(Tap water to volume) 6-2 30.0 20.0
6-5 30.0 15,0
6-12 37.5 10.0
after an acclimation period the effluent suspended 6-19 40.0
6-29 38.0
solids concentration returned to the levels that existed 7-4 40.0
before addition of salts to the inflow. It was also 7-7 41.0
reported that high salinity corresponded to higher 7-14 42.0
oxygen respiration values. Researchers who did 7-19 43.0
7-21 44.0
microscopic examination of the activated sludge
7-25 45.0
reported disappearance of the protozoa with increas-
ing salinity.
tion to the intermediate salt conoentration was satisfactory
MATERIALS AND METHODS when the effluent clarity (suspended solids concentration)
Three continuous flow activated sludge units were used. returned to the level before the step increase in salt concen-
The total volume of each unit was I0 I. of which 8 I. were tration and the influent salinity then was increased further.
aeration chamber and 2 I. settling basin. One of the units The periods of acclimation to different concentrations of
was operated as the control and was fed the substrate sodium chloride are shown in Table 2. Upon reaching
alone (Table I). 25 g I - ' sodium chloride concentration in unit 2, the salt
The other two units received inorganic salts (sodium level was decreased gradually and a switch was made to
chloride and sodium sulfate) at varying concentrations. sodium sulfate. (See Table 3.) At the same time unit 1
The BOD and COD of the substrate were about 400 and continued to receive increasing sodium chloride content
1050 mg I- ', respectively. The activated sludges were taken substratc. The food to micro-organism ratio (F/M ratio)
from a local municipal wastcwatcr trcatment plant and was approximately 0.3 mg COD d a y - ' m g - ' MLVSS (,see
acclimated to the substrate for a period of over a month. note*) at the start of the experiments. The hydraulic deten-
After completion of the acclimation, sodium chloride was tion time was about 2 days. Since mixed liquor solids has
added to the substrate at concentrations increasing step- built up as substrate TDS level increased, and since hy-
wise over a time period. It was assumed that the acelima- draulic detention time was not modified, the food to micro-
organism ratio decreased to about 0.1 gradually.
No attempt was made to maintain the F/M ratio at
Note: COD: Chemical oxygen demand. MLVSS: Mixed 0.3 by wasting sludge (only wastage occurred when samples
liquor volatile suspended solids. were collected for analysis), because of the problems

50 . . . .
• UNIT I (Sodium Chloride) •
• UNIT2 (Sodium Sulfote}

Q
_J
o 3C

C i • t 1 •1
0 I0 2O SO 4O ,5O
INFLUENT TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLID
CONCENTRATION ( g / I )
Fig. 1. Effect of influcnt total dissolved solids on effluent suspended solids.
102 k. YI~ i i I(~kll/. alld Wl:sI,L~ 1!( K | N I t I,I;q R, .}P,.

Table 3. Periods of acclimation to sodium sulfate Routine analyses on the cllluent included so!ublc chemi-
cal oxygen dcmand, total suspended solids (TSS), and vola-
Date Sodium sulfate concentration (g I ~ ; ) tile suspended solids (VSS) determinations. Mixed liquor
suspended solids (MLSS) and mixed liquor volatile sus-
7-6-77 ~.0 pended solids were also determined daily. The procedure
7-7 It).t) for these tests wcrc the same as described in the Standard
7-11 12.0 Methods (1971). Oxygen uptake rate was determined using
7-14 14.0 a membrane electrode (YSI model 54A Oxygen meter, Yel-
7-21 15.0 low Springs Instrument Co., Yellow Springs, Ohio, U.S.A.).
7-25 17.0 The dissolved oxygen level in the reactors were maintained
7-28 2O.O at about 8 mg 1- ~ and never dropped below 6 mg 1- =. The
8-1 23.O temperalurc of the systems was kept at 20.5 _+ 2'("
8-4 26.0
8-8 30.0
RF~SULTS AND DISCUSSION

encountered with 'deflocculating' sludge and resulting solid
losses at the initial phases of the experiments. At such in-
stances the sludge was highly dispersed and would not
settle, resulting in large decreases in the concentration of
sludge under aeration.
The results indicated that relatively high concen-
trations of s o d i u m chloride (up to 35 g 1- t ) have only
a slight adverse effect on the p e r f o r m a n c e of the acti-
vated sludge process (Figs. 1 a n d 2).

ii l I
• Unit (Sodium Chloride)
• Unit 2 (Sodium Chloride, increasing)
4OO Ill Unit 2 (Sodium Chloride, Decreasing)
_J
• Unit 2 (Sodium Sulfate)

,,=,
i soo. •
%
o o°

C I I I
0 2o so 4o so
Nn.UENT TOTAL D=SSOLVEO SOUD
CO ENTRATtON
Fig. 2. Effect of influent total dissolved solids on effluent soluble COD.

Fig. 3. Freshwater sludge. Magnification 80 x.

 The effect of inorganic salt 1113

Fig. 4. Sludge grown on sodium sulfate substrate (this photograph was taken at 26gl-1 level).
Magnification 80 x.

The effluent suspended solids did not increase but
showed a decreasing tendency in that range. This was
probably due to the decreasing F/M ratio. Effluent
BOD values were consistently less than 5 m g l -t.
COD analyses indicated an increasing trend for in-
creasing sodium chloride, but this was not observed
for increasing sodium sulfate concentrations. The in-
crease in COD for increasing sodium chloride was
deemed due to non-degradable by-products. Further
increases in sodium chloride beyond 35 g 1-1 (equival-
ent to 38 g l - i inflow TDS) caused abrupt increases
in effluent suspended solids. The decrease in salinity
from 25 g 1- i sodium chloride to less than 8 g 1- ' im-
proved the effluent quality greatly and subsequent
switch to sodium sulfate did not cause any upset on
the system even up to 30 g 1- t sodium sulfate concen-
tration. The effluent remained clear and the COD
removal efficiency was the same as the control unit.
The increasing salinity helped to maintain higher
concentrations of solids in the reactor. While all three
units were started with a mixed liquor suspended
solids level of 2000 mg I- t the sludges grown on the
saline waste increased to more than 5000 mg 1-~. On
the other hand the freshwater sludge was difficult to
maintain at 2000 mg 1-1 and gradually decreased to
a steady-state concentration due to the loss of solids
in the effluent.
Upon examination under a microscope it was
observed that high salt concentrations caused fila-
mentous micro-organisms to appear (Figs. 3-5).

Fig. 5. Sludge grown on sodium chloridc substrate lthis photograph was taken at 48g1-' level).
Magnification 80 ×.
104 R. Yl~(.l~l,ToKt)z and WliSLI!Y L(?KliNFIZLI)I:R,JR.
The population of the protozoa decreased gradu-
ally, for the sodium chloride system first the free
swimming types disappeared and later above the
3 5 g l - t level (38g1-1 TDS) no protozoa were
observed. This disappearance of the protozoa coin-
cided with an abrupt increase in effluent turbidity and
suspended solids and also a marked increase in sol-
uble effluent COD. In spite of an acclimation period
of an extended duration to this specific level of
salinity, the effhtent quality never improved. In the
sodium sulfate system stalked ciliatcs disappeared
early but even at 26 g l-1 sodium sulfate level, motile
protozoa were observed (Fig. 4).
The abundance of filamentous micro-organisms on
the other hand did not affect the floc formation and
settling capacity of the sludge. The zone settling vel-
ocity test showed that the sludge with high sodium
chloride concentration consistently settled as good as
or better than the freshwater sludge.
No significant change in oxygen uptake rate at high
TDS levels was observed (30-50 g l - t TDS). But the
uptake rate at that range was slightly lower than the
rate at lower TDS concentrations. This was attributed
to a decrease in F/M ratio.
Comparison of the results with the previous reports
shows that the decrease in organic removal efficiency
was agreed upon, but up to 38 g l-~ TDS there was
no deterioration in effluent clarity and sludge settling
rate. At higher concentrations the effluent TSS in-
creased slightly but not to a level requiring tertiary
treatment. There was no marked change in oxygen
uptake rate and the slight change observed indicated
decrease in the rate, rather than increase. The proto-
zoa disappeared gradually which agreed with the
observations of the earlier researchers.
CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that acclimation pro-
cedures are of utmost importance when high salinity
wastewaters are to be treated with activatcd sludgc
process. While the process is affected slightly, proper
acclimation methods minimize negative effects and
the process will yield a good quality effluent.
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