Coupling interfacial thermodynamics and microbial ecology drives carrier-induced microgranulation in activated sludge systems.

Diatomite most strongly promotes carrier-induced microgranulation in activated sludge HPB, increasing particle size by 63.3% and biomass by 24.7% within 30 d.

• Why it matters: The interfacial thermodynamic drivers of how carriers steer microbial ecology and microgranule development in HPB systems remain insufficiently defined.
• What they did: Three carriers (diatomite, montmorillonite, fly ash) were tested while combining XDLVO-based interfacial thermodynamics, EPS and electrochemical measurements, microbial community profiling, and nitrogen functional gene quantification.
• The result: Diatomite showed the lowest adhesion Gibbs free energy (-16.90 mJ m -2) and dominant Lewis acid-base contribution (over 79%), with the interaction barrier disappearing by day 30, alongside higher PN/PS and electrochemical activity and increased amoABC (188%), hao (179%), narB (163%), and nosZ (151%) versus controls.

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