Extracellular Polymeric Substances of Aerobic Granular Sludge: Influences of Seawater

The vast majority of bacteria in natural and engineered environments exist in the form of biofilms, where the bacteria are embedded in a self-produced matrix of diverse biopolymers known as extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). The EPS typically consists of lipids, polysaccharides, proteins, and extracellular DNA among other components. In particular in wastewater treatment technologies, EPS plays an important role. Over the last couple of decades, a wastewater treatment technology called aerobic granular sludge (AGS) has gained increasing attention due to its more efficient performance compared to conventional activated sludge systems. In AGS, microorganisms produce a dense EPS matrix that enables granule formation and stability. Moreover, the growing emphasis on a circular economy has led to the recovery of AGS-derived EPS as a valuable biopolymer, commercially known as Kaumera.....