Bio-augmentation is the addition of selected microorganisms to support an existing biological wastewater treatment process.

Depending on the formulation and application, it may assist with:

• biological start-up and commissioning;
• recovery after operational disturbances;
• breakdown of suitable organic compounds;
• biomass establishment and stability;
• biological floc development;
• nitrogen transformation under appropriate conditions;
• management of odour, sludge or variable organic loading.

Bio-augmentation supports the biological process but does not replace appropriate system design, operation, aeration, monitoring or regulatory compliance.

BioSeed products may be considered for a range of biological wastewater treatment systems, including:

• activated sludge systems;
• membrane bioreactors (MBRs);
• sequencing batch reactors (SBRs);
• package treatment plants;
• aerobic and anaerobic treatment stages;
• biological filters and attached-growth systems;
• lagoons and wastewater ponds;
• domestic aerobic wastewater treatment systems;
• selected industrial and agricultural wastewater systems.

Suitability depends on the wastewater characteristics, treatment process, operating conditions and treatment objective. An application assessment is recommended before commercial use.

The appropriate product depends on the treatment stage and project objective.

• BioSeed is designed to seed new biological systems and support the restoration of biological activity, particularly in suitable primary, anaerobic or facultative treatment stages.
• BioSeed Max contains selected Bacillus strains designed to support start-up, hydrolysis of complex organic matter and recovery following operational disturbances.
• BioSeed Pro is designed to support aerobic and facultative biological treatment of wastewater containing biodegradable organic compounds.
• BioSeed Floc is designed to support biological floc formation by encouraging the production of extracellular polymeric substances that help bind fine particles and biomass.

BBA should review the application before products are combined or introduced into a complex treatment system.

An initial assessment normally requires:

• wastewater source and industry;
• treatment objective;
• process flow diagram or description;
• daily and peak flow;
• tank volumes and hydraulic retention time;
• recent influent and effluent test results;
• pH, temperature and dissolved oxygen;
• COD, BOD, ammonia, nitrogen and suspended solids where relevant;
• aeration, mixing and recirculation arrangements;
• sludge age or solids-retention information where available;
• chemicals, disinfectants or coagulants currently used;
• recent operational problems or process disturbances.

Photos, drawings and historical trend data can improve the quality of the assessment.

Dosage is not based on tank volume alone. It may also depend on:

• wastewater flow and organic loading;
• treatment objective;
• system volume and retention time;
• existing biomass;
• wastewater composition;
• temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen;
• the presence of inhibitory chemicals;
• whether the application involves commissioning, recovery, remediation or maintenance.

BBA may recommend an initial inoculation phase followed by a lower maintenance programme, but the dosage and frequency should be determined for the specific system.

The most suitable dosing point depends on the product, treatment process and intended function.

Possible locations include:

• the influent or an upstream pump station;
• an equalisation tank;
• a primary or anaerobic chamber;
• an aeration tank or bioreactor;
• a recirculation line;
• a biofilter or attached-growth stage;
• a sludge-conditioning or floc-development zone.

The selected location should provide appropriate contact time, mixing and environmental conditions. Dosing directly into the final effluent generally provides limited biological contact time and is not normally the preferred approach.

Important operating factors include:

• pH;
• temperature;
• dissolved oxygen or oxidation-reduction conditions;
• alkalinity;
• organic and nutrient loading;
• hydraulic and solids-retention time;
• mixing and circulation;
• biomass concentration;
• salinity;
• toxic or inhibitory compounds;
• availability of suitable growth surfaces.

Different microorganisms have different operating requirements. For example, aerobic treatment and nitrification require adequate oxygen, while anaerobic or facultative formulations may be used in different process conditions. BBA can provide product-specific operating guidance following an application assessment.

Response time depends on the treatment objective and condition of the system.

Changes in odour, visual clarity or floc structure may sometimes be observed relatively early, while measurable changes in COD, ammonia, nitrogen, TSS, sludge behaviour or effluent quality may require a longer monitoring period.

Performance should be evaluated against baseline data and normal process variation. A single visual observation or test result is not sufficient to establish treatment effectiveness.

Monitoring should be selected according to the treatment objective and may include:

• flow and loading;
• pH and temperature;
• dissolved oxygen;
• COD or BOD;
• ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and total nitrogen;
• total phosphorus where relevant;
• TSS, VSS, MLSS or MLVSS;
• sludge volume or settleability;
• turbidity and effluent clarity;
• odour observations;
• chemical and energy use;
• sludge production and disposal frequency.

Operational events, rainfall, chemical additions, equipment faults and changes in influent should also be recorded because they can affect the results.

Compatibility depends on the chemical, concentration, dosing point and treatment process.

Chlorine, hypochlorite, peroxides, ozone, strong oxidants, antibiotics, biocides, some solvents and high concentrations of heavy metals may inhibit microbial activity.

Coagulants, flocculants, pH-adjustment chemicals and nutrient supplements may be compatible in some systems, but their timing and dosing location should be reviewed. Do not apply a live microbial product directly with concentrated chemicals unless compatibility has been confirmed.

No biological additive alone can guarantee regulatory compliance.

Final treatment performance depends on the complete wastewater treatment system, including:

• influent characteristics;
• process design;
• hydraulic and organic loading;
• equipment condition;
• aeration and mixing;
• operator management;
• chemical use;
• environmental conditions;
• monitoring and process control.

BioSeed products are designed to support suitable biological processes. Discharge or reuse decisions must be based on appropriate testing and applicable regulatory requirements.

Review the application before automatically increasing the dosage.

Check:

• whether the correct product and dosing point were selected;
• the actual flow, volume and loading;
• pH, temperature and dissolved oxygen;
• recent chemical or disinfectant use;
• aeration, mixing and recirculation;
• biomass concentration and retention;
• hydraulic short-circuiting;
• toxic or unusual influent events;
• equipment faults;
• whether sufficient monitoring time has elapsed.

Provide BBA with the dosing record, operational data and before-and-after results so the treatment strategy can be reviewed.

Yes. Depending on the location, project scale and available information, BBA may support:

• preliminary application assessment;
• product and dosing selection;
• development of a structured trial plan;
• baseline and monitoring recommendations;
• remote or on-site implementation guidance;
• operator training;
• review of treatment observations and data.

Product supply, site work, sampling, analytical testing, responsibilities and trial costs should be agreed before the project begins.