Microbial Population Dynamics in Biological Wastewater Treatment : Selected Papers from the 4th IWA Activated Sludge Population Dynamics Conference (ASPD4), Held in Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia, 17-20 July 2005

Selected Papers from the 4th IWA Activated Sludge Population Dynamics Conference (ASPD4), held in Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia, 17-20 July 2005. Activated Sludge Population Dynamics has developed to be a key element in our understanding of wastewater treatment processes and their application. While previous conferences in the ASPD series have focused on the detection, identification and ecology of the organisms involved in the activated sludge process, the advancement of technology now allows the study of community structure and physiology of complex microbial mixtures in situ. While this was clearly one of the major advances reported at ASPD4, the practical problems and challenges of treatment plants have remained relatively unchanged since activated sludge treatment was invented by Arden and Lockett in 1914. However, with advancements in molecular technologies, a far better understanding has been gained of the role microorganisms play in current and emerging biological wastewater treatment processes. From the very high quality 3-day conference program 31 peer-reviewed papers have been selected for these proceedings. They feature the latest developments in research into the communities of microorganisms that constitute the activated sludge process.