.
What Do We Do? We are a complete Total Nitrogen Reduction Partner for our wastewater customers.  Our core technology is a lignocellulosic (plant based) biofilm and flocculation media for retrofitting facilities to a biofilm reactor. So, our core product is called ASK - Activated Sludge Kenaf. A square foot of ASK has 4 football fields of surface area. We also offer Carbon, Bacteria Supplimentation and Process Control advise to help our customers drive down TN and hold TN down.
What does ASK Do? It improves treatment effectiveness, efficiencies and plant thru put - specifically by improving Autotrophic microbial populations and proximity that allow low DO and low SRT Nitrification and Denitrification and Nitritation of NH3 to NO2 and subsequent Deammonification, (along with better settling). All that means is we can help you drive your TN numbers down to the 3.0 range consistently.
How does it do that? Referencing the diagram below, Kenaf gives a surface for your AOB (Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria) to attach to and populate. Your AOB population becomes more effective and efficient.  With this rate limiter removed or boosted, depending on how you want to look at it, you now have better transfer/conversion of NH3 to NO2. By being more efficient at delivering NH3 to the NO2 "intersection" Kenaf gives you the opportunity to operate in the low DO worlds of Denitrification and Deammonification more easily and robustly.

Below are two diagrams we use to describe what is going on.  The analogy to think about is how we humans launch satellites into "near" earth and "far" earth orbit.  It is sort of similar with NH3, we use DO to drive NH3 off the launch pad through AOBs and NOBs into "far" Denite Orbit as NO3, Nitrate.  By providing surface area for Autotrophic AOB and Annamox Bacteria to populate we accomplish two things. 1. We expand the Annamox Deammonification zone by having more Annamox(green) and we provide a larger/higher launch position via more AOBs. As a result you do not have to, or want to, drive the DO as Hard, as Hot or as Long.  You launch your NH3 by gently rolling on DO, just enough to get it out of the NH3 zone (tan) and up into the Annamox zone (green). Done perfectly, this can theoretically save 67% of your electricity and eliminate carbon feeds. In the real world, when we shoot for this balance we are able to nitrify NH3 leaving very low residual DO in the "Denite Orbit", making denitrification in your anoxic zones much more efficient.  From a carbon perspective: 1. Since you can run a lower SRT that requires less food, (food to mass ratios) there may be more left over for Denitrification. 2. Since you are running a "cooler" DO, you do not "burn off" as much carbon during Nitrification leaving it for Denitrification in your anoxic zones. Of course, everything is a balance, we expand your options. For our customers who need to be at ENR levels we offer Carbon addition solutions to polish off the rest of your Nitrates.





Below is a great shot showing biofilms on Kenaf.


Below is an extended series of images using various forms of microscopy to explain what Activated Sludge Kenaf, (ASK) does. Pictures speak a 1000 words. Just scroll down for the complete tour.

Immediately below is a micrograph showing the natural porosity of ASK, Kenaf. Note the 50.0um scale = 50 microns. We claim ASK Kenaf has 7.4 square meters of surface area (BET method NCSU Oct 2011) to grow microbes per gram. A gram is the size of the tip of your finger.  A liter holds 122 grams of ASK. A cubic meter of Kenaf has 902,800 square meters of surface area. A cubic foot of ASK is 4 football fields of surface area.

Below, another micrograph showing the natural pores of our Activated Sludge Kenaf Media. Lots of surface area for microbes to colonize, the backbone of your successful retrofit. It provides surface area for attached growth of biofilm and encourages robust floc situations. ASK is PH Neutral, chemically benign in wastewater, no reactions what-so-ever. It only promotes attached growth, biofilm growth.

Below is a captured FISH image of Annamox Bacteria populating a piece of Kenaf. Note the blue, that is dapi staining, showing other microbes are there too, but are not Annamox in this case, the populations grow on Kenaf and live next to each other.

Below is a FISH image capturing the AOB Nitrosospira On Kenaf.  We know key microbes like to call Kenaf home. Note the blue indicating other microbes are around too other than the Nitrosospira.


Below, (hunk to the right) a mature, populated ASK and (left) fresh, unpopulated ASK, kenaf.  It  is a florescent  microscopy image of a sample of ASK enhanced mixed liquor from a full scale 2.0 mgd oxidation ditch. When you dye microbes with dye FM 1-43 and then blast them with fluorescent light, the living microbes "light up", they glow as bright spots.  The cool thing about this image is it captures three things at once.  It shows the normal microbe colonies, the "stars", it shows a mature piece of ASK, to the right, the one glowing, with a healthy biofilm, and a fresh piece of ASK, (bottom left) that is yet to grow its colony of Autotrophs. From a size perspective, this is at 10x /100  magnification, it is one tiny part of a tiny drop, the size of a drop that is the amount you put on a microscope slide... Imagine, every drop of mixed liquor in your reactor has at least one of these robust Autotrophic ASK biofilm situations. Key point, the real work horses are Kenaf shards, they form the backbone for biofilms and become the cornerstone of robust floc. Their size is 25 x 45 microns on average.
-Below are 200 magnification (20x) shots from the microscope showing more detail of the above.

Below shots were taken by one of our operators via his simple lab microscopy set up. It is showing fresh/new uncolonized ASK (kenaf) to the left and colonized kenaf with a thin biofilm formed by microbe colonies to the right.

Below, a shot from a leading Activated Sludge Expert who has taken an interest in ASK products. He is showing how ASK promotes and helps form the backbone of Floc. ASK is 100% biodegradable, it has 35% less lignin than other plants, meaning it is mostly cellulose. Cellulose only breaks down in an anaerobic situation, so, ASK, Kenaf does not apply a BOD load to your mixed liquor but is does have a slow release of COD at the very center of your floc that is helpful for denitrification. ASK is chemically benign in your system, it adds nothing but surface area.

Below, a robust floc with ASK at the center. Wide view of healthy floc around kenaf/ASK

Below, close up shots by one of our operators showing biofilm growth on ASK.

Below, more close ups of biofilm on ASK in mixed liquor. Shot taken by an operator.

Below is the proof. With each operator, we can "look inside" his/her floc/biofilm and see via a DNA identification method called FISH (Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization) which microbes they actually have and what changes in the population ASK is really making. FISH peels back the top of the "Black Box" and lets everyone see clearly what is really there. We do a before, during and after series of FISH tests on your Mixed Liquor. Together we get to watch the changes. An interesting point,  we intentionally survey the "non-Kenaf" floc. We want to know the impact on the surrounding Mixed Liquor. We know the microbes are growing on the Kenaf - but what is important is the impact on your MLSS as a whole.

Below. Another Example of A FISH image showing targeted DNA proof of microbe populations. (Annamox Micro Colonies here)



Operator Quotes
"A more stable reliable mixed liquor balance that results in a more balanced system."
"Great nitrification/denitrification results…"
"Greater through put… clarifiers are settling faster."
“ with ASK I just have more flexibility, more cushion, it allows me to operate further from the edge…”
"... I have skipped 2 sludge hauls."
"... I don't know what ya'll are doing but my belt press has never worked so well."
"... as you said, my Filamentous went away when the biofilms formed on the Kenaf."

Link to Inside Your Fence Demonstration Details
Link to Materials Data Safety Sheet - MDSS