Influence of spent drilling mud on sedimentation time of activated sludge flocs

Abstract Co-treatment of drilling muds with municipal wastewater in the reactors operating on the activated sludge principle constitutes a potentially safe method of their disposal. The method is based on the process of biological degradation of pollutants by assemblages of activated sludge organisms (prokaryotic and eukaryotic), which include different species described as functional and trophic groups. When the ecosystem in the bioreactor is in equilibrium, high wastewater treatment efficiency and process stability can be achieved. Analysis of qualitative and quantitative changes occurring in assemblages of activated sludge organisms may facilitate understanding the causes and mechanisms involved in the observed processes. In such a context, using a model of an SBR wastewater treatment plant, a study was performed to assess the feasibility of co-treating spent drilling mud with municipal wastewater using the activated sludge method. The floc constitutes the basic structural and physiological unit forming activated sludge. In this study, the sedimentation velocity of activated sludge flocs was analysed, and the obtained results were subjected to statistical analysis.