Open Access Conference Proceedings

The growth in the application of nanomaterials (of any structure in any use) leads to increasing concentrations in the environment. These nanomaterials may also enter into wastewater treatment plants and interact with activated sludge, so at least partial knowledge of the behaviour of nanoparticles in the activated sludge is essential. This paper deals with the feedback of sewage microorganisms to nanostructures (nanoparticles or nanofibers). The main task was to observe the impact of nanostructures on the microorganisms based on microscopy access and image analysis procedures. The examination included changes in bacterial morphological properties (size and roughness), and the viability of the microorganisms. The experiments demonstrated an increase in the adhesion of the microorganisms to the nanofibers during the first few hours, a significant influence of the microorganism’s viability in the presence of nanoparticles (reduced by up to 99 %); and a changeover of the bacterial morphological properties (dispersed into floc-forming clusters or vice versa) of the nanofibers and nanoparticles.

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