The biosorption of dye, Rhodamine B(Rh-B), onto waste activated sludge was investigated. The biosorption capacity and contact time were shown as a simulation of dye adsorption equilibrium and kinetics models. We observed that biosorption of Rh-B occurred rapidly less than 4hr. These experimental data could be better fitted by a pseudo-second-order rate equation than a pseudo-first-order rate equation. The equilibrium dependence between biosorption capacity and initial concentration of Rh-B was estimated and it was found that the equilibrium data of biosorption were fitted by four kinds of model such as Langmuir, Freundlich, Redlich- Peterson, and Koble-Corrigan model. The average percentage errors, ε(%), observed between experimental and predicted values by above each model were 21.19%, 9.97%, 10.10% and 11.76%, respectively, indicating that Freundlich and Redlich-Peterson model could be fitted more accrately than other models.

Waste sludge may be used to recovery wastewater contaminated with heavy metals. The waste sludge is an inexpensive readily available source of biomass for biosorption with metal-bearing wastewater. The biosorption of heavy metals such as Pb(II), Cu(II), Cr(II), and Cd(II) onto waste sludge was investigated in batch experiments and waste sludge loaded heavy metals was separated by dissolved air flotation. The biosorption equibria of heavy metals could be described by Langmuir and Freundich isotherms. The adsorption capacity for waste sludge was in the sequence of Pb(II)>Cr(II)>Cu(II)>Cd(II). The system attained equilibrium about 20 min. The Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption model effectively described the biosorption equilibrium of Cu(II) and Cr(II) ions on waste sludge. Maximum adsorption capacity of Cu(II) and Cr(II) were 196.08 and 158.73 mg/g, respectively. Solid-liquid separation efficiencies were kept above 95% on waste sludge loaded heavy metals, and were decreased with pH increasing.

The properties of biosorption of dye(Rhodmine B) was investigated to figure out the effects of temperature as a function of dye concentration and sludge concentration by the Langmuir and Lagergen adsorption model. It was found that the uptake capacity of biosorption was increased at low temperature. The Langmuir adsorption model was found suitable for describing the biosorption of the dye. The experimental results indicated that the dye uptake process followed the pseudo-first-order kinetics.

Physico-chemical properties of the activated sludges(Suyoung and Changlim treatment plant), such as SVI(sludge volume index), absorbance, specific surface area, and specific resistance using Buchener funnel test were investigated with changing anaerobic storage time. This experimental condition was found that it was possible to estimate a linear relationship between their parameters such as specific surface area, specific resistance, and sludge volume index(SVI). The specific surface area and the specific resistance to filtration of the activated sludges of Suyoung and Changlim treatment plant were found as 123.6～136.6㎡/gDS and 41.5～44.9㎡/gDS(dry solid), and 1.09×1014 ～ 5.48×1014m/kg and 1.05×1014 ～ 2.48×1014m/kg, respectively. The results gave a good linear relationship between the specific surface area and the specific resistance, r=2.25×1012s-8.10×1013(R2=0.8885) at Suyoung treatment plant and r=1.26×1013s-4.75×1014(R2=0.8756) at Changlim treatment plant.

Optical microscope, SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) and fluorescent microscope were used for qualitative and morphological studies of the attached biomass on PE (polyethylene) substratum under anaerobic condition. It was shown by the observation of optical microscope that the initial attachment of biomass began in crevices of the surface of PE. The shape and structure of the attached biofilm could be observed by SEM photographs, but species of bacteria were and methanogens were not classified. A large number of methanogenic bacteria were identified on the surface of PE substratum by fluorescence under 480nm of radiation. It was estimated that methanogenic bacteria was also related to initial attachment of biomass under anaerobic condition.

The lab-scale anaerobic continuous reactor which was filled with the sludge of anaerobic digestion from Suyoung wastewater treatment plant was operated by feeding of various concentrations and flow rates. This experiment indicated that more than 6,870 mgCOD/L of substrate concentration was required to promote good metabolism and growth of anaerobic biomass. And increasing loading rate slowly was also required in order to treat substrate of higher concentration and higher loading rate. The substrate concentration of about 10,000 mgCOD/L was adequate to generate biogas efficiently. The pH was sharply decreased at the onset of higher loading rate, but the pH was restabilized soon at 8. During the experiment, the amount of the attached biomass was kept constant.