title: Functions and behaviors of activated sludge extracellular polymeric substances (EPS): a promising environmental interest.
abstract: Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are the predominant constituents of activated sludge and represent up to 80% of the mass of activated sludge. They play a crucial role in the flocculation, settling and dewatering of activated sludge. Furthermore, EPS also show great efficiency in binding heavy metals. So EPS are key factors influencing reduction in sludge volume and mass, as well as activity and utilization of sludge. EPS are of considerable environmental interest and hundreds of articles on EPS have been published abroad, while information on EPS in China is limited. In this paper, results of over 60 publications related to constituents and characteristics of EPS and their influences on flocculation, settling and dewatering of sludge are compiled and analyzed. Metal-binding ability of EPS is also discussed, together with a brief consideration of possible research interests in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China. hittianyu@163.com
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: De-Zhi
authors.initials: DZ
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry*; D005427:Flocculation; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000378:metabolism; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry*; D055672:Static Electricity; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D011108:Polymers; D012722:Sewage