Department of Environmental Quality
Drinking Water and Wastewater Training Events Calendar

Details: Emerging Contaminants in Wastewater & Anaerobic Digester Microbiology with Toni Glymph Martin - Online IRWA is excited to announce that we have invited Wastewater Microbiologist Toni Glymph Martin to provide this training: "Emerging Contaminants in Wastewater and Anaerobic Digester Microbiology." Successful wastewater treatment requires understanding both what is entering the treatment plant and the biology responsible for treating and stabilizing the waste. Wastewater treatment facilities are increasingly challenged by contaminants that conventional treatment systems were never specifically designed to remove. At the same time, successful treatment and solids stabilization continue to depend upon maintaining healthy and balanced microbial populations. This six-hour course examines two important areas of modern wastewater treatment: emerging contaminants and anaerobic digester microbiology. The first portion of the course introduces emerging contaminants and explains why these substances have become an increasing concern for wastewater utilities and the environment. Participants will examine major categories of emerging contaminants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pharmaceuticals and personal care products, and endocrine-disrupting compounds. Sources, pathways into wastewater treatment facilities, environmental persistence, potential impacts, biosolids concerns, and available treatment technologies will be discussed. Particular attention will be given to the limitations of conventional wastewater treatment and the challenges associated with removing or managing these compounds. The second portion of the course focuses on the microbiology and operation of anaerobic digesters. Participants will examine the digester as a living biological ecosystem and follow the microbial conversion of complex organic material through the four stages of anaerobic digestion: hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis, and methanogenesis. Special emphasis will be placed on the microorganisms responsible for each stage and the sensitivity of methane-forming archaea to changes in their environment. Participants will learn how temperature, pH, alkalinity, mixing, organic loading, hydraulic retention time, volatile fatty acids, volatile solids reduction, gas production, and hydrogen sulfide can be used to evaluate digester health. The course concludes with practical monitoring and troubleshooting concepts designed to help operators recognize biological stress before complete digester failure occurs. Case studies will be used to reinforce the relationship between operating data, microbial activity, process stability, and corrective operational decisions. Target Audience: Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators, Pretreatment Personnel, Laboratory Technicians, Plant Managers, and Environmental Engineers seeking expertise in biological process control. Instructor: Toni Glymph Martin, Wastewater Microbiology Solutions Continuing Education Units (CEUs) Available: 0.6 Wastewater, Treatment, Laboratory Analyst Cost: FREE