Trends in the Use of Protozoan and Metazoan in the Indication and Assessment of WWTP Operation

Abstract:

Control strategy developed on physical and chemical variables or the effluent characteristics has lag effects and is not benefit to the stable operation of Wastewater Treatment Plant(WWTP) in long-term. Since operation variables of activated sludge process have distinct effects on the microfauna communities (here defined as protozoan and metazoan), their community structure can be used to indicate and assess the WWTP operation performance. Based on the classifying, identifying and counting of protozoan and metazoan, the relationship between microfauna community structure and operation performance of WWTP was discussed in detail, which might be used to indicate and assess the WWTP and be benefited to build control system oriented sludge population optimization. In addition, some new research directions were proposed in this review.

Key words:Microfauna communities, Protozoan, Metazoan, Biological indicator, Assessment