Effect of High Salinity on

Activated Sludge Process

Karan Mahesh Sadhwani
2nd year M. Tech in Environmental Engineering
Guide- Dr. P. P. Bhave
V.J.T.I., Matunga 19

Activated Sludge Process

Influent

Aeration
Tank

Sludge Return Line

Settling
Tank

Effluent

Wastage Line

Conditions where high

salinity is introduced in
sewage:
1. Seafood industries in arid zones use treated seawater in
unit processes such as defrosting, butchering and washing.
2. Oil & Gas industry produce a significant amount of
wastewater volume from production and processing of oil
and gas products which is saline in nature.
3. Tanneries produce saline wastewater when salt laden skins
and hides are soaked in freshwater to remove salt.
4. Sewage contains high salinity if seawater is used for
flushing.

How ASP is affected by

Salinity?
1. Microbes show optimal growth in culture
media of low osmolarity.
a) Hypertonic osmotic condition causes water loss
from cytoplasm and causing cell to shrink
(plasmolysis).
b) Hyptonic osmotic condition results in an influx
of water into the cytoplasm which causes the
cell to swell (plasmoptysis) and perhaps burst in
a process referred to as osmotic lysis.

Literature Review
Case Study no. 1 : Stewart, M.J., Ludwig, H.F. and Kearns, W.H.
(1962), Effects of Varying Salinity on the Extended
Aeration Process, Journal, Water Pollution Control
Federation, Vol. 34, No. 11
Name of Author

Year of
Study

Type of Process

Stewart et al

1962

Extended Aeration Process

Results:
a) Change from fresh water sewage to 30% ocean water sewage
(approx. 10000 mg/l of NaCl) had little effect on effluent quality.
b) Change from fresh water sewage to 100% ocean water sewage
(approx. 33000 mg/l of NaCl) combined with heavy hydraulic and
organic loading led to temporary reduction in treatment efficiency.
c) Mixed liquor concentration decreased when ocean water sewage
was replaced by fresh water sewage.

Literature Review

contd..

Case Study no. 2 : Ludzack, F.J. and Noran D.K., (1965),

Tolerance of High Salinity by Conventional
Wastewater Treatment Processes. Journal, Water
Pollution Control Federation, Vol. 37, No. 10
Name of Author

Year of
Study

Type of Process

Ludzack and Noran

1965

Activated Sludge Process

Results:
a) Sewage with high salinity produced less flocculent sludge, leading to
a greater SS level in the effluent and decrease in the effluent and
decrease in BOD removal efficiency.
b) It took 3-5 weeks for performance to stabilize after application of
20000 mg/l of chloride waste at an average organic loading of 0.50.6 g COD/g MLVSS/day
c) MLVSS below 1800 mg/l was more susceptible to chloride changes.
d) Nitrification was inhibited during high chloride operation, averaging
only 10% of that expected for the same operation at low chloride

Literature Review

contd..

Case Study no. 3 : D.F. Kincannon and A.F. Gaudy, (1966), Some
effects of high salt concentrations on activated
sludge. Journal, Water Pollution Control
Federation, Vol. 38, No. 7
Name of Author

Year of
Study

Type of Process

Kincannon and
Gaudy

1966

Activated Sludge Process

Results:
a) Deterioration in treatment efficiency at 30000 mg/l and complete
failure at 45000 mg/l dosage.
b) Sludge from fresh water was more sensitive to the presence of salt
than a sludge developed in sewage of high salt concentration.
c) Microorganisms grown within the sludge was observed to exhibit cell
lysis.

Literature Review

contd..

Case Study no. 4 : Wang Jian-Long, Zhan Xin-Min, Feng Ye-Cheng

and Yi Qian, (2005), Effect of Salinity Variations on
the performance of Activated Sludge System.
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 18, 5-8
Name of Author

Year of
Study

Type of Process

Wang et al

2005

Activated Sludge Process

Results:
a) The total organic carbon removal efficiency and the oxygen uptake
rate value of activated sludge were not deteriorated when the NaCl
shock concentration was less than 500 mg/l.
b) Oxygen uptake rate of activated sludge was reduced by 35% and
total organic carbon removal efficiency was dropped by 30% when
NaCl shock concentrations were up to 10000 mg/l and 20000 mg/l
when compared with control experiment without shock loading.

Experiment Setup:
1. Using following relation, the value of U (g
BOD5/g MLVSS/d) is found.
1 =

0.6 U 0.1

c
c
U (g BOD5/g
MLVSS /d)

25

20

15

12.5

10

7.5

0.23
3

0.25

0.27
7

0.3

0.33
3

0.38
8

0.5

Experiment Setup: contd..

2. From the above value of c value of X is
calculated using the following relation:

X=
S)A
c)

c Y (S0 X= 12.5 x 0.6 (250 X=

12.5)
19000
(1+ (0.1 x

(1+ kd
12.5))

(hours)

10

11

X (mg/l)

3800

3166.6
6

2714.3

2375

2111.1
1

1900

1727.2
7

3. Considering 4 - 8 hrs detention period MLVSS (X)

level of 2375 mg/l is chosen.

Experiment Setup: contd..

4. Volume of Aeration tank is calculated by the
following formula:

F
M

Q LaA

0.35 = 12 x 250
2375 x V

V Xt

V = 3.60 litres
= 0.0036 cu. m.
= 3600 cu. cm.
= 15 cm x 15 cm x 16 cm + 2 cm
freeboard

Experiment Setup: contd..

5. Volume of Settling tank is calculated by the following formula:
Flow per day = 12 litres
SOR for ASP = 15-35 m 3/d/m2 but since it is a lab scale model it is
taken as 8 m3/d/m2
Settling tank area required =

Flow/ day

Overflow Rate
=

12 x 10-3 x 106

8 x 106 x 10-4
=

15 sq. cm.

Hence provide area of 4cm x 4cm and depth same as that of aeration tank
of 16 cm.

Experiment Setup: contd..

6. Design of air requirement:
Air requirement for conventional ASP per kg BOD 5 = 40-100 m3
Air requirement for the model as per process requirement
=

12 x 250

0.3 m3/d = 0.22 litres/min

106 x 100
Air requirement as per mixing criteria for the Aeration tank = 1015
lpm/ m3 of tank volume.
Hence air requirement = 15 x 3600 x 10 -6 = 0.054 litres/ minute
Thus air requirement = 0.22 litres/minute
(Higher of two requirement)

Experiment Setup: contd..

6. NaCl loading is proposed to be carried out in the
following concentrations on synthetic sludge
and domestic
Sr. No. sludgeNaCl
Cl
Concentration Concentration
1

250 mg/l

150 mg/l

500 mg/l

300 mg/l

750 mg/l

450 mg/l

1000 mg/l

600 mg/l

1500 mg/l

900 mg/l

2500 mg/l

1500 mg/l

5000 mg/l

3000 mg/l

7500 mg/l

4500 mg/l

10000 mg/l

6000 mg/l

Results:
Synthetic
Wastewater
COD
Average

Salt
Loadi
ng
mg/l

removal
efficienc
y%

Effluent
SS conc
mg/l

250

87.5

4.22

500
750
1000
1500
2500
5000
7500
10000

SVI
ml/g
m

Domestic
Wastewater
COD
Average

SVI
ml/g
m

removal
efficienc
y%

Effluent
SS conc
mg/l

95115

91.3

2.67

110

88.4

4.52

107

80.7

7.32

80-95

85.7

9.53

101

80.7

7.54

71-74

80.1

13.92

86-93

74.2

9.62

74-85

76.2

14.86

71-82

71.9

9.66

65-68

70.2

19.41

51-56

60.2

14.775

45-55

61.1

20.9

51-59

59.7

13.4

51-60

50.4

25.45

43-51

36.3

20.61

49-71

37

30.36

44-55

20.8

26.91

39-52

Conclusions:
1. The introduction of high salinity in the sewage affects the
performance of ASP in terms of COD removal efficiency. Such
effect increases with the increase in salt concentration.
2. Such deterioration in performance is a transient one and the
system will recover in about 3-4 days depending on the
concentration of salt applied. The higher the salt
concentration the longer the time will be required for
recovery.
3. Introduction of high salinity in the system did not affect the
MLSS pH value
4. When the results of synthetic wastewater are compared they
follow a similar trend indicationg that the observed results
can be applied on a larger scale of working ASP plant.

Scope for further research:

1. The Activated Sludge Process is dependant on
MLSS and MLVSS concentration in the sludge.
It was observed that SVI index corresponded to the
variation in Salt loading concentration.
However nitrogen and phosphorous may be
attributed to the change in SVI and hence the
effect of both these elements needs to be studied.
2. It was seen that calcification of sludge also
occurred due to higher salt concentrations.
Hence the sludge is to be studied to observe the
effects of salt on flocculation.

References:
Project Report on Effect of High Salinity on
Activated Sludge Process by Mr. Foram Khambati,
2011-13, VJTI

THANK YOU