Microbes for Hire: Snapshots of Bionetix® Natural Wastewater Solutions Around the Globe

Bionetix® International helps solve wastewater imbalances and odor problems around the world by supplying specially targeted microorganisms and nutrients to degrade waste with greater efficiency. Bionetix® International’s full line of natural wastewater treatments ranges from solutions for starting new operations, to meeting wastewater discharge limits, to making biogas plants more productive.

Wastewater Startup Solutions

Starting a new wastewater operation requires “seeding” it with a healthy microbial population that can handle a heavy influx of contaminants.  These beneficial microorganisms play a critical role in biodegradation by breaking down waste and essentially using it as food. If the waste outbalances the microbial population, treatment plant operators will have trouble keeping up with the overload. A shock dose of microorganisms and nutrients such as those in BCP50™ gives an important boost to the system, so it can handle the first sudden influx of waste.

For the last several years, Bionetix® International has been supplying BCP50™ to a local college in Quebec to seed the “pilot plant” students use to study wastewater treatment. The college successfully uses BCP50™ to create a new batch of sludge (or MLSS) every year to run the miniature aerobic tank for educational purposes. BCP50™ was recommended because of its use in municipal wastewater plants. It is an excellent choice for “seeding” new operations.

Meeting Wastewater Discharge Limits

Wastewater contaminant levels are often measured by BOD (biological oxygen demand) and COD (chemical oxygen demand). Industrial or municipal wastewater operations must meet certain BOD and COD limits before discharging effluent. Bioaugmentation is an excellent strategy for reducing contaminants in order to meet discharge limits and avoid extra fees. For greater effectiveness, Bionetix® doses specialized microbial and nutrient blends according to waste type. For example:

• BCP22™ targets high grease content
• BCP55™ targets high starch content
• BCP655™ targets high levels of ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite (together with organic waste)
• BCP57™ targets high cellulose content
• BCP80™ targets manure waste

In Spain, the wastewater lagoon effluent at a pig farm was marked by high levels of ammonium. A laboratory test conducted on effluent samples found that bioaugmentation with A55L™ successfully reduced ammonium levels, while BCP50™ reduced COD levels. In Mexico, a trial was done at an automotive factory using BCP50™ to maintain an 81% reduction in COD levels in the test tank. BCP50™ outperformed the global automaker’s standards and was approved for use in factories around the world.

Increasing Biogas, Reducing Odor

Bioaugmentation also has many side benefits related to waste treatment. In 2018, Bionetix® was able to help two biogas plants in Japan deal with inefficiency and bad odor problems. The plants dosed BCP12™ and STIMULUS™ at both locations, in addition to BCP80™ at the manure biogas plant and BCP57™ at the plant with high herbage content. The odor problem was resolved, methane production increased from 40% to the industrial norm of 60%, and power production rose from 100 kW/generator to reach full 300 kW/generator capacity.

These are just a few examples of what Bionetix® has accomplished with biological treatments that release powerful natural mechanisms. By tailoring the right microorganisms to the job, Bionetix® is able to maximize the efficiency of wastewater treatment systems and keep operations in healthy balance for a variety of applications around the globe.

Learn more about Bionetix® biological solutions for municipal wastewater treatment here: https://www.bionetix-international.com/products/municipalwaste.html