Inactivation of indigenous bacteriophages was followed during extended aeration activated sludge treatment of domestic sewage. Also, a bacteriophage was isolated from the sewage and used to follow the inactivation of phages contained inside a dialysis membrane chamber immersed in an activated sludge aeration reactor. Finally, inactivation of Poliovirus T-1 and Coxsackievirus B-1 contained inside immersed membrane chambers were followed.

Statistical comparisons showed no detectable difference between phage inactivation rate constants measured in the aeration reactors and in immersed membrane chambers. No significant differences were detected between inactivation rate constants for Poliovirus T-1 and Coxsackievirus B-1. Finally, no significant differences were detected between inactivation rate constants for phage and enteroviruses inside immersed membrane chambers.

The results suggest that immersed dialysis membrane chambers may provide an accurate, reliable method for measuring virus inactivation during activated sludge treatment, and that bacteriophages may provide a convenient indicator system for virus inactivation during this process.

Project No. A-052-NMEX