Biological wastewater treatment processes that enhances the capacity for polyhydroxyalkanoate accumulation in a mixed culture biomass

摘要

A method of biologically treating wastewater and, at the same time, incorporating processes that aim to increase the PHA accumulation potential of biomass used in the treatment of the wastewater. The method includes biologically treating the wastewater and enhancing PHA accumulation potential of the biomass by subjecting the biomass to a primary feast-famine process where the biomass is subjected to repeated cycles of feast and primary famine conditions. From time-to-time, the method entails deviating from the primary feast-famine process to a secondary famine process. The secondary famine process comprises subjecting the biomass to secondary famine conditions for a period of time that is substantially greater than the average time period of the primary famine conditions.