w a t e r r e s e a r c h x x x ( 2 0 1 3 ) 1 e8 7

VSS degraded. However, this fcv conversion factor was not

constant for all experiments but represents directly the COD
of the degraded organic material.
The following conclusions can be drawn from the model-
ling results:

3.2.1. Degradation of XSTOR

The degradation rate of stored compounds qSTOR was
observed to fall between 0.8 and 6.6 d1 with a mean of
2.4 d1. This value matches well the magnitude of the hy-
drolysis rate parameter of activated sludge models. The
fraction fSTOR was in average 2.1% for the examined activated
sludge. One sludge sample exhibited a higher portion of 6.9%.
No correlation of qSTOR to bOHO was found. It is suggested that
the magnitude of XSTOR is not a result of the F/M-ratio of the Fig. 4 e Correlation of bOHO and spOUROHO(O).
particular sludge, but rather that of the treatment process in
the WRRF.
be derived by inserting Eq. (2) into Eq. (10) and converting
3.2.2. Initial heterotrophic OUROHO(0) hours to days as well as grams to milligrams.
Modelling the OUROHO of the first days of the batch test as
suggested makes it possible to identify the true initial OUROHO ð0Þ 24 1

$ ¼ bOHO d (18)
endogenous heterotrophic respiration rate (OUROHO(0)) of the XORG ð0Þ fDEG $1000
particular activated sludge, by excluding OURSTOR.
Then in this batch of experiments the degradable fraction of
XORG is:
3.2.3. Heterotrophic decay rate bOHO
According to Eq. (10), the heterotrophic decay rate bOHO cor- 24$100
fDEG ¼ ¼ 45; 3% (19)
responds to the ratio of the heterotrophic endogenous respi- 0; 053$1000
ration rate and the degradable fraction of the activated sludge. From the data of this investigation it can be concluded that
From the presented data this ratio is not constant between XOHO is rather constant and the decay rate varies with loading
samples and therefore bOHO is not constant. This observation conditions. This is in contrast to the recent theory that the
is different from the theory of Marais and Ekama (1976), van decay rate bOHO is constant and the active biomass in terms of
Haandel et al. (1998) and Ramdani et al. (2010). There are two XOHO varies with loading conditions of the activated sludge.
ways to explain this observation: Adding the portion of degraded stored material of in
average 2.1% a total degradable fraction of about 47% of XORG
(A) Regarding XOHO from the substrate point of view
can be calculated from the presented data. This degradable
fraction lies within the range as reported for aerobic degra-
With an decreasing ratio of OUR to active biomass (XOHO),
dation of activated sludge in Metcalf and Eddy (2004). It is
which occurs in low F/M-ratio systems, degradability charac-
assumed, that degradation rates exceeding 47% are due to
teristics of heterotrophic cell mass in activated sludge re-
further adaptation of XOHO to starvation and the activity of
duces, so that the rate of degradation (endogenous decay rate)
predators. This additional degradation takes place in the
decreases.
phase 3 of the aerobic digestion batch experiment.

(B) Regarding XOHO from the organisms point of view

Activated sludge is a highly complex ecosystem and ac- 4. Conclusion

commodates living organisms that have many strategies to
deal with changing environmental conditions. Therefore it is The objective of this study was to find out whether the anal-
rather likely that organisms from low F/M-systems are more ysis of endogenous respiration profiles lead to a constant
prepared to deal with starvation and thus die slower with a decay rate on the basis of the degradation of a homogenous
reduced endogenous decay rate. degradable activated sludge fraction. From the observed data
and the modelled results the following can be concluded:
3.2.4. Correlation of bOHO to spOUROHO(0)
From the empirical point of view the measured endogenous 1. A structural analysis of endogenous OUR profiles revealed
decay rate parameters are shown in Fig. 4 in relation to the that the endogenous decay during the first two days is
specific endogenous respiration rate of XOHO at the beginning overlain by a faster reaction that degrades most likely
of the experiment with respect to the concentration XORG. stored substrate.
Note, that the results from experiment 08A was considered an 2. In most of the experiments after 5 days of digestion the
outlier. exponential decrease of OUR slows down, does not show an
From the slope (0.053) of the line that fits the data best an exponential behaviour and can even increase temporarily.
estimate of the degradable fraction ((1  fU)*XOHO) of XORG can This behaviour is thought to be the consequence of

Please cite this article in press as: Friedrich, M., Takács, I., A new interpretation of endogenous respiration profiles for the
evaluation of the endogenous decay rate of heterotrophic biomass in activated sludge, Water Research (2013), http://dx.doi.org/
10.1016/j.watres.2013.06.043
8 w a t e r r e s e a r c h x x x ( 2 0 1 3 ) 1 e8

proliferation of higher organisms and adaptation of active Trockenrückstandes. Landesverband Bayern Friedenstraße 40,
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Please cite this article in press as: Friedrich, M., Takács, I., A new interpretation of endogenous respiration profiles for the
evaluation of the endogenous decay rate of heterotrophic biomass in activated sludge, Water Research (2013), http://dx.doi.org/
10.1016/j.watres.2013.06.043