title: Microbial lipids and stable foam formation in the activated sludge process.
abstract: The presence of fats and oils in sewage has been related to the formation of stable foams in activated sludge treatment systems. Foam forming microbes can utilise and, in some cases, store lipid substrates. Since surface lipids would confer the hydrophobicity necessary for flotation on the sludge biomass, the extractable lipids in foaming and non-foaming biomass samples were examined. Both pure mono-cultures and sludge samples were used. The results showed that, whilst there were some differences in the lipid profiles of the mono-cultures, the different sludge types did not show any significant pattern or variation which could be used as a lipid-based explanation for foam formation.
authors.affiliation: School of Civil Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Great Britain.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Goddard
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Forster
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000032:analysis*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D003353:Corynebacterium diphtheriae / Q000032:analysis; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000032:analysis; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis*; D009615:Nocardia / Q000032:analysis; D012240:Rhodococcus / Q000032:analysis; D012722:Sewage
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D012722:Sewage