Submission to Bioresource Technology

Supporting information

The influence of additives (Ca2+, Al3+, and Fe3+) on the interaction

energy and loosely bound extracellular polymeric substances (EPS)

of activated sludge and their flocculation mechanisms

Haisong Li1, Yue Wen1*, Asheng Cao1, Jingshui Huang1, Qi Zhou1, Ponisseril

Somasundaran2

1. State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of

Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, P.R.

China

2. Langmuir Center for Colloids and Interfaces, Department of Earth and

Environmental Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027

*Corresponding author. Address: Room 301, Mingjing Building, College of

Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR

China; Tel./fax: +86-21-65982697; E-mail address: weny@tongji.edu.cn (Y. Wen).

Summary

S1
Page: 4; Figure: 3.

The following is included as supporting information for this paper:

Page S3: Figure S1. Representative images of AS flocs (SEM)-500X.

Page S3: Figure S2. Effects of total interaction energy on the AS flocculation.

Page S4: Figure S3. Effects of LB-EPS on the AS flocculation.

(a) (b)

S2
 (c) (d)
Fig. S1 - Representative images of AS flocs (SEM)-500X: (a) AS flocculated
without cation addition, (b) AS flocculated with Ca2+, (c) AS flocculated with Al3+,
(d) AS flocculated with Fe3+

9 2000

8
1500
7 Supernatant turbidity
Supernatant turbidity (NTU)

Energy barrier Energy barrier (KT)

6 1000

5
500
4

3 0

2
-500
Blank Calcium Aluminium Iron

Fig. S2 - Effects of total interaction energy on the AS flocculation

S3
 9

20
8

7 Supernatant turbidity
Supernatant turbidity (NTU)

18

LB-EPS (mg TOC/ g SS)

LB-EPS
6

16
5

4
14

12
2

Blank Calcium Aluminium Iron

Fig. S3 – Effects of LB-EPS on the AS flocculation

S4