Monitoring Thosea sinensis Walker in Tea Plantations Based on UAV Multi- Spectral Image

Thosea sinensis Walker(TSW)rapidly spreads and severely damages the tea plants.Therefore,finding a reliable operational method for identifying the TSW-damaged areas via remote sensing has been a focus of a research community.Such methods also enable us to calculate the precise application of pesticides and prevent the subsequent spread of the pests.In this work,based on the unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)platform,five band images of multispectral red-edge camera were obtained and used for monitoring the TSW in tea plantations.By combining the minimum redundancy maximum relevance(mRMR)with the selected spectral features,a comprehensive spectral selection strategy was proposed.Then,based on the selected spectral features,three classic machine learning algorithms,including random forest(RF),support vector machine(SVM),and k-nearest neighbors(KNN)were used to construct the pest monitoring model and were evaluated and compared.The results showed that the strategy proposed in this work obtained ideal monitoring accuracy by only using the combination of a few optimized features(2 or 4).In order to differentiate the healthy and TSW-damaged areas(2-class model),the monitoring accuracies of all the three models were computed,which were above 96%.The RF model used the least number of features,including only SAVI and Bandred.In order to further discriminate the pest incidence levels(3-class model),the monitoring accuracies of all the three models were computed,which were above 80%,among which the RF algorithm based on SAVI,Band_(red),VARI__(green),and Band_(red_edge) features achieve the highest accuracy(OAA of 87%,and Kappa of 0.79).Considering the computational cost and model accuracy,this work recommends the RF model based on a few optimal feature combinations to monitor and distinguish the severity of TSW in tea plantations.According to the UAV remote sensing mapping results,the TSW infestation exhibited an aggregated distribution pattern.The spatial information of occurrence and severity can offer effective guidance for precise control of the pest.In addition,the relevant methods provide a reference for monitoring other leaf-eating pests,effectively improving the management level of plant protection in tea plantations,and guaranting the yield and quality of tea plantations.

Quantitative evaluation of fracture porosity from dual laterlog based on deep learning method

Fracture porosity is one of the key parameters for characterizing fractured reservoirs.However,fracture porosity calculation is difficult with conventional logging data due to severe anisotropy of the reservoirs.To deal with the problem,the equivalent macroscopic anisotropic formation model based on dual laterolog(DLL)data is adopted to cyclically assign such parameters as bedrock resistivity(RB),fluid resistivity in fractures(RFL),fracture dip angle(FDA)and fracture thickness as well as fracture spacing,and to produce massive data for formation modeling.A large number of training data obtained through three dimensional finite element forward modeling and the functional relationship between DLL responses and fracture parameters that are trained and summarized by deep neural network,are combined to establish a new fast forward model for calculating DLL responses in fractured formations.A new fracture porosity inversion model for fractured reservoirs based on gradient optimization inversion algorithm combined with multi-initial inversion strategy is then proposed.While running the model,formation is divided into eight intervals according to bedrock resistivity and fracture dip angle from 0°to 90°is divided every 0.5°to improve the operation speed and efficiency.The results of numerical verification show that when bedrock resistivity is greater than 1000Ωm,the mean absolute error(MAE)of fracture porosity inversion is 0.001658%for horizontal fractures,0.00413%for intermediate fractures and 0.0027%for quasi-vertical fractures.When bedrock resistivity is between 100Ωm and 1000Ωm,MAE of fracture porosity inversion is 0.003%for horizontal fractures,0.0034%for intermediate fractures and 0.00348%for quasi-vertical fractures.Fracture parameters determined by the fracture porosity inversion model with actual data are in good agreement with the results of micro resistivity imaging logging.

Granulation of filamentous microorganisms in a sequencing batch reactor with saline wastewater

Proliferation of filamentous microorganisms frequently leads to operational failure for activate sludge systems. In this study, it was found that filamentous microorganisms could grow in compact granular structure with 5% sodium chloride in the substrate. In the early period of experiment, coccoid and rode-like bacteria predominated in the yellowish-brown granules, and later the white and the black granules were developed by filamentous microorganisms. The filamentous granules exhibited low porosity and fast settling velocity, and were more compact even than bacteria granules. It was hypothesized that the elevated pH in the later period might be a possible reason for the compact growth of filamentous granules. However, the bacteria granules showed the high bioactivity in terms of specific oxygen utilizing rate, and comprised of a wider diversity of compounds based on the thermogravimetric evaluation. The findings in this study demonstrated that filamentous microbes could form compact granular structure, which may encourage the utilization of filamentous microorganisms rather than the inhibition of their growth, as the latter is frequently used for sludge bulking control.

Effects of fulvic acid and humic acid on aluminum speciation in drinking water

This article focused on the influences of fulvic acid and humic acid on aluminum speciation in drinking water. Factors including the concentration of residual chlorine and pH value had been concerned. Aluminum species investigated in the experiments included inorganic mononuclear, organic mononuclear, mononuclear, polymer, soluble, and suspended forms. It was found that the effects of fulvic acid and humic acid on aluminum speciation depended mainly on their molecular weight. Fulvic acid with molecular weight less than 5000 Dalton had little influence on aluminum speciation; while fulvic acid with molecular weight larger than 5000 Dalton and humic acid would increase the concentration of soluble aluminum significantly even at concentration below 0.5 mg/L （calculated as TOC）. Aluminum species, in the present of fulvic acid with molecular weight larger than 5000 Dalton and humic acid, were more stable than that in the present of fluvic acid with molecular mass less than 5000 Dalton, and varied little with reaction time. Within pH range 6.5-7.5, soluble aluminum increased notably in water with organic matter. As the concentration of residual chlorine increased, the effects of fulvic acid and humic acid became weak. The reactions between humic acid, fulvic acid with large molecular weight, and aluminum were considered to be a multi-dentate coordination process. With the consideration of aluminum bioavailability, reducing the concentration of fulvic acid and humic acid and keeping the pH value among 6.5-7.5 were recommended during drinking water treatment.

Factors effecting aluminum speciation in drinking waterby laboratory research

Effects of aluminum on water distribution system and human health mainly attribute to its speciation in drinking water. Laboratory experiments were performed to investigate factors that may influence aluminum speciation in water supply system. The concentration of soluble aluminum and its transformation among other aluminum species were mainly controlled by kinetics processes of related reactions. Total aluminum concentration had a notable effect on the concentrations of mononuclear and soluble aluminum in the first 4 day; then its effect became weak. At pH above 7.50, both fluoride and orthophosphate had little effect on aluminum speciation; while, when the solution pH was below 7.50, the concentrations of mononuclear and soluble aluminum were proportional to the concentration of fluoride and inversely proportional to the concentration of orthophosphate. Both mononuclear and polynuclear silicic acids could complex with mononuclear aluminum by forming soluble aluminosilicates. In addition, the adding sequence of orthophosphate and aluminum into drinking water would also affect the distribution of aluminum species in the first 4 day. In order to minimize aluminum bioavailability in drinking water, it was suggested that orthophosphate should be added prior to coagulant process, and that the concentrations of fluoride and silicic acids should be controlled below 2.0 and 25 mg/L, respectively, prior to the treatment. The solution pH in coagulation and filtration processes should be controlled in the range of 6.50-7.50.

Advances in chemical technologies for water and wastewater treatment:preface

Chemical technologies have been applied for water and wastewater treatment since more than 150 year ago, and are still playing the leading role in this field. With the fast development of sciences and technologies especially in the last two decades, chemical technologies which are applicable for solving water quality and water environmental problems underwent a great development not only in traditional areas such as coagulation, solid/liquid separation, oxidation, adsorption etc., but also in the emerging multidisciplinary fields. Nowadays, an increasing number of chemists and chemical engineers has broadened research interests. Biochemical/biological technologies, ecological technologies and process modeling and simulation have become important branches of chemical technologies. Such a tendency has been well reflected in the activities of the Group of Chemists for Water and Wastewater Treatment （GCWWT）, a subdivision of Chinese Chemical Society （CCS）. GCWWT started to organize its biennial conference on chemical technologies for water and wastewater treatment in 1992.

Nitrogen-retaining property of compost in an aerobic thermophilic composting reactor for the sanitary disposal of human feces

Aerobic composting is a method for the sanitary disposal of human feces as is used in bio-toilet systems.As the products of composting can be utilized as a fertilizer,it would be beneficial if the composting conditions could be more precisely controlled for the retention of fecal nitrogen as long as possible in the compost.In this study,batch experiments were conducted using a closed aerobic thermophilic composting reactor with sawdust as the bulk matrix to simulate the condition of a bio-toilet for the sanitary disposal of human feces.Attention was paid to the characteristics of nitrogen transformation.Under the controlled conditions of temperature at 60°C,moisture content at 60%,and a continuous air supply,more than 70%fecal organic removal was obtained,while merely 17%fecal nitrogen loss was observed over a two-week composting period.The nitrogen loss was found to occur mainly in the first 24 h with the rapid depletion of inorganic nitrogen but with an almost unchanged organic nitrogen content.The fecal NH4-N which was the main component of the inorganic nitrogen(>90%)decreased rapidly in the first day,decreased at a slower rate over the following days,and finally disappeared entirely.The depletion of NH4-N was accompanied by the accumulation of NH3 gas in the ammonia absorber connected to the reactor.A mass balance between the exhausted NH3 gas and the fecal NH4-N content in the first 24 hours indicated that the conversion of ammonium into gaseous ammonia was the main reason for nitrogen loss.Thermophilic composting could be considered as a way to keep a high organic nitrogen content in the compost for better utilization as a fertilizer.

Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity evaluation of urban surface waters using freshwater luminescent bacteria Vibrio-qinghaiensis sp.-Q67 and Vicia faba root tip

The freshwater luminescent bacteria Vibrio-qinghaiensis sp.-Q67 test and the Vicia faba root tip test associated with solid-phase extraction were applied for cytotoxicity and genotoxicity assessment of organic substances in three rivers, two lakes and effluent flows from two wastewater treatment plants （WWTPs） in Xi＇an, China. Although the most seriously polluted fiver with high chemical oxygen demand （COD） and total organic carbon （TOC） showed high cytotoxicity （expressed as TIIs0, the toxicity impact index） and genotoxicity （expressed as RMCN, the relative frequency of micronucleus）, no correlative relation was found between the ecotoxicity and organic content of the water samples. However, there was a linear correlative relation between TIIs0 and RMCN for most water samples except that from the Zaohe River, which receives discharge from WWTP and untreated industrial wastewaters. The ecotoxicity of the organic toxicants in the Chanhe River and Zaohe River indicated that cytotoxic and genotoxic effects were related to the pollutant source. The TII50 and RMCN were also found to correlate roughly to the dissolved oxygen concentration of the water. Sufficient dissolved oxygen in surface water is thus proved to be an indicator of a healthy water environmental condition.

Effects of advanced oxidation pretreatment on residual aluminum control in high humic acid water purification

Due to the formation of disinfection by-products and high concentrations of Al residue in drinking water purification, humic substances are a major component of organic matter in natural waters and have therefore received a great deal of attention in recent years. We investigated the effects of advanced oxidation pretreatment methods usually applied for removing dissolved organic matters on residual Al control. Results showed that the presence of humic acid increased residual Al concentration notably. With 15 mg/L of humic acid in raw water, the concentrations of soluble aluminum and total aluminum in the treated water were close to the quantity of Al addition. After increasing coagulant dosage from 12 to 120 mg/L, the total-Al in the treated water was controlled to below 0.2 mg/L. Purification systems with ozonation, chlorination, or potassium permanganate oxidation pretreatment units had little effects on residual Al control; while UV radiation decreased Al concentration notably. Combined with ozonation, the effects of UV radiation were enhanced. Optimal dosages were 0.5 mg O 3 /mg C and 3 hr for raw water with 15 mg/L of humic acid. Under UV light radiation, the combined forces or bonds that existed among humic acid molecules were destroyed; adsorption sites increased positively with radiation time, which promoted adsorption of humic acid onto polymeric aluminum and Al（OH） 3 （s）. This work provides a new solution for humic acid coagulation and residual Al control for raw water with humic acid purification.

On the effect of Fe(Ⅲ) on proliferation of Microcystis aeruginosa at high nitrate and low chlorophyll condition

The impact of Fe concentrations on the growth of Microcystis aeruginosa in aquatic systems under high nitrate and low chlorophyll conditions was studied. The responses of cell density,total and cell chlorophyll-a intracellular Fe content and organic elemental composition of M.aeruginosa to different concentration gradients of Fe（Ⅲ） in the solutions were analysed. The results showed that the proliferation speeds of M. aeruginosa were：（1） decelerated when the Fe（Ⅲ） concentration was lower than 50 μg/L in the solutions,（2） promoted and positively related to the increase of Fe（Ⅲ） concentration from 100 to 500 μg/L in the solutions over the experimental period, and（3） promoted in the early stage but decelerated in later stages by excess adsorption of Fe by cells when the Fe（Ⅲ） concentration was higher than 500 μg/L in the solutions. The maximum cell density, total and cell chlorophyll-a were all observed at 500 μg Fe（Ⅲ）/L concentration. The organic elemental composition of M. aeruginosa was also affected by the concentration of Fe（Ⅲ） in the solutions, and the molecular formula of M. aeruginosa should be expressed as C7–7.5H14O0.8–1.3N3.5–5according to the functions for different Fe（Ⅲ）concentrations. Cell carbon and oxygen content appeared to increase slightly, while cell nitrogen content appeared to decrease as Fe（Ⅲ） concentrations increased from 100 to 500 μg/L in the solutions. This was attributed to the competition of photosynthesis and nitrogen adsorption under varying cell Fe content.

Bamboo charcoal enhances cellulase and urease activities during chicken manure composting:Roles of the bacterial community and metabolic functions

Microbial enzymes are crucial for material biotransformation during the composting process.In this study,we investigated the effects of adding bamboo charcoal(BC)(i.e.,at 5%,10%,and 20%corresponding to BC5,BC10,and BC20,respectively)on the enzyme activity levels during chicken manure composting.The results showed that BC10 could increase the cellulose and urease activities by 56%and 96%,respectively.The bacterial community structure in BC10 differed from those in the other treatments,and Luteivirga,Lactobacillus,Paenalcaligenes,Ulvibacter,Bacillus,Facklamia,Pelagibacterium,Sporosarcina,Cellvibrio,and Corynebacterium had the most important roles in composting.Compared with other treatments,BC10 significantly enhanced the average rates of degradation of carbohydrates(Dxylose(40%)andα-D-lactose(44%))and amino acids(L-arginine(16%),L-asparagine(14%),and L-threonine(52%)).We also explored the associations among the bacterial community and their metabolic functions with the changes in the activities of enzymes.Network analysis demonstrated that BC10 altered the co-occurrence patterns of the bacterial communities,where Ulvibacter and class Bacilli were the keystone bacterial taxa with high capacities for degrading carbon source,and they were related to increases in the activities of cellulase and urease,respectively.The results obtained in this study may help to further enhance the efficiency of composting.

Inhibitory mechanism of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory peptides from black tea

The aim of this work is to discover the inhibitory mechanism of tea peptides and to analyse the affinities between the peptides and the angiotensin-converting enzyme(ACE)as well as the stability of the complexes using in vitro and in silico methods.Four peptide sequences identified from tea,namely peptides I,II,III,and IV,were used to examine ACE inhibition and kinetics.The half maximal inhibitory concentration(IC_(50))values of the four peptides were(210.03±18.29),(178.91±5.18),(196.31±2.87),and(121.11±3.38)μmol/L,respectively.The results of Lineweaver-Burk plots showed that peptides I,II,and IV inhibited ACE activity in an uncompetitive manner,which requires the presence of substrate.Peptide III inhibited ACE in a noncompetitive manner,for which the presence of substrate is not necessary.The docking simulations showed that the four peptides did not bind to the active sites of ACE,indicating that the four peptides are allosteric inhibitors.The binding free energies calculated from molecular dynamic(MD)simulation were-72.47,-42.20,-52.10,and-67.14 kcal/mol(1 kcal=4.186 kJ),r espectively.The lower IC_(50)value of peptide IV may be attributed to its stability when docking with ACE and changes in the flexibility and unfolding of ACE.These four bioactive peptides with ACE inhibitory ability can be incorporated into novel functional ingredients of black tea.

Effects of humic acid on residual AI control in drinking water treatment plants with orthophosphate addition

This study aimed to investigate the effects of humic acid （HA） on residual Al control in drinking water facilities that used orthophosphate addition. The results showed that adding orthophosphate was an effective method for residual Al control for the raw water without HA. When orthophosphate was added at 1.0 min before the addition ofpoly aluminum chloride （PAC1）, the concentrations of soluble aluminum （Sol-AI） and total aluminum （Tot-Al） residue were 0.08 and 0.086 mg. L J, respectively; both were reduced by 46% compared with the control experiment. The presence of HA would notably increase the residual Al concentration. For the raw water with 5 mg-L^-1 of HA, the concentrations of Sol-Al and Tot-Al increased from 0.136 and 0.174mg.L^-1 to 0.172 and 0.272 mg.L 1, respectively. For water with a HA concen- tration above 5 mg. L ^-1, orthophosphate was ineffective in the control of residual Al, though there were still parts of orthophosphate were removed in coagulation. The amounts of Al removal were positively correlated with the solids freshly formed in coagulation. Similar to the raw water without HA, the best AI control was obtained with orthophosphate salt added at 1.0 min before PAC1. HA concentrations in the raw water, solution pH, and the orthophosphate dosage suitable for residual Al control by orthopbosphate precipitation were also investigated.

Transferral of HMs pollution from road-deposited sediments to stormwater runoff during transport processes

Stormwater runoff derived from the wash-off of road-deposited sediments (RDS), contains elevated heavy metal (HM) concentrations and, thus, imposes an increasing threat to urban aquatic ecosystems. In-depth understanding of the variations of HMs pollution from RDS to stormwater during transport processes facilitates the development of effective RDS and stormwater control strategies. Toward this end, the distribution of HMs (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, and Ni) in RDS and stormwater were investigated simultaneously. The results show a preferential accumulation of Pb and Zn in the finer (< 38.5μm) RDS, and Cu, Cr and Ni in the coarser (38.5-150μm) RDS. For stormwater, n.d.~48.6% of HMs fractionated into the dissolved phase, and stormwater particles constitute the primary carriers of HMs. Furthennore, the accumulation of HMs in stormwater particles increased linearly with finer particle size distributions (PSD). Geoaccumulation index (Igeo) highlighted the predominant pollution of both RDS and stormwater particles by Cu, Pb and Zn. Nonetheless, Cu, Pb, and Ni mostly contributed the potential ecological risk of RDS, whereas Cu, Pb, and Zn mainly contributed that of stormwater particles. Moreover, contamination by Cu, Pb and Zn was significantly higher in stormwater particles than that in RDS. These differences are attributable to the solubility and size-dependent accumulation of HMs in RDS, as well as the PSD variations during transport processes. The study outcomes highlight the importance of very fine (nano- and submicron- scale) RDS in stormwater pollution and the necessity of control.

Biodegradation of trace pharmaceutical substances in wastewater by a membrane bioreactor

The biodegradation of selected pharmaceutical micropollutants,including two pharmaceuticals with argued biodegradation,was studied by a lab-scale membrane bioreactor.The reaction kinetics and affecting factors were also investigated in this paper.Clofibric acid(CA)with contradictive biodegradation reported was degraded almost completely at different hydraulic retention times(HRTs)after adaptation to microorganisms.The biodegradation of CA was disturbed at low pH operation,while the activity of microorganisms recovered again after pH adjustment to neutral condition.Ibuprofen(IBP)degraded under neutral and acidic conditions.Removals of IBP and CA were zero-order and first-order reactions under high and low initial concentrations,respectively.Carbamazepine and diclofenac were not degraded regardless of HRTs and pH.

Hybrid constructed wetlands for highly polluted river water treatment and comparison of surface-and subsurface-flow cells

A series of large pilot constructed wetland （CW） systems were constructed near the confluence of an urban stream to a larger fiver in Xi＇an, a northwestern megacity in China, for treating polluted stream water before it entered the receiving water body. Each CW system is a combination of surface- and subsurface-flow cells with local gravel, sand or slag as substrates and Phragmites australis and Typha orientalis as plants. During a one-year operation with an average surface loading of 0.053 m3/（m2.day）, the overall COD, BOD, NH3-N, total nitrogen （TN） and total phosphorus （TP） removals were 72.7% ~ 4.5%, 93.4% ＋ 2.1%, 54.0% ＋ 6.3%, 53.9% ~ 6.0% and 69.4% ：t： 4.6%, respectively, which brought about an effective improvement of the fiver water quality. Surface-flow cells showed better NH3-N removal than their TN removal while subsurface-flow cells showed better TN removal than their NH3-N removal. Using local slag as the substrate, the organic and phosphorus removal could be much improved. Seasonal variation was also found in the removal of all the pollutants and autumn seemed to be the best season for pollutant removal due to the moderate water temperature and well grown plants in the CWs.

Phosphate adsorption performance of a novel filter substrate made from drinking water treatment residuals

Phosphate is one of the most predominant pollutants in natural waters. Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the phosphate adsorption performance of a（NFS） made from drinking water treatment residuals. The adsorption of phosphate on the NFS fitted well with the Freundlich isotherm and pseudo second-order kinetic models. At p H 7.0, the maximum adsorption capacity of 1.03 mg/g was achieved at 15°C corresponding to the wastewater temperature in cold months, and increased notably to 1.31 mg/g at 35°C.Under both acidic conditions（part of the adsorption sites was consumed） and basic conditions（negative charges formed on the surface of NFS, which led to a static repulsion of PO43-and HPO42-）, the adsorption of phosphate was slightly inhibited. Further study showed that part of the adsorption sites could be recovered by 0.25 mol/L Na OH. The activation energy was calculated to be above 8.0 k J/mol, indicating that the adsorption of phosphate on NFS was probably a chemical process. Considering the strong phosphate adsorption capacity and recoverability, NFS showed great promise on enhancing phosphate removal from the secondary treated wastewater in the filtration process.

Effects of water quality on the coagulation performances of humic acids irradiated with UV light

The presence of humic acid in drinking water treatment has received significant attention in recent years because of its adverse effects on the removal of many pollutants in coagulation. In this paper, the effects of water quality including pH, turbidity, alkalinity, and hardness on the removal of humic acid were investigated in a UV light hybridized coagulation process. Our results suggested that UV light radiation could effectively improve the removal rate of humic acid in coagulation under both neutral and basic conditions, and the variations of the selected water quality parameters had little adverse effect on the function of UV light. After UV light radiation, the removal rate of the nitro-humic acid （NHA） increased from 20% to 60% in coagulation, and increased further to 75% and 85% for the raw waters with 10.0 NTU kaolin and 100mg.L-1 hardness, respectively. In addition to NHA, the removal rates of the humic acid extracted from peat coal （PHA） and the humic acid provided by Japan metals and chemicals company （JHA） in coagulation were also improved, both in the range of 80%-90% after undergoing UV light radiation. By changing the radiation location from prior to coagulation to the flocculation process, similar experimental results were obtained. The formation of positive charged sites after UV light radiation was considered to be the primary factor that led to an enhanced removal of the humic acid in coagulation.

A comprehensive simulation approach for pollutant bio-transformation in the gravity sewer

Presently, several activated sludge models (ASMs) have been developed to describe a few biochemical processes. However, the commonly used ASM neither clearly describe the migratory transformation characteristics of fermentation nor depict the relationship between the carbon source and biochemical reactions. In addition, these models also do not describe both ammonification and the integrated metabolic processes in sewage transportation. In view of these limitations, we developed a new and comprehensive model that introduces anaerobic fermentation into the ASM and simulates the process of sulfate reduction, ammonification, hydrolysis, acidogenesis and methanogenesis in a gravity sewer. The model correctly predicts the transformation of organics including proteins, lipids, polysaccharides, etc. The simulation results show that the degradation of organics easily generates acetic acid in the sewer system and the high yield of acetic acid is closely linked to methanogenic metabolism. Moreover, propionic acid is the crucial substrate for sulfate reduction and ammonification tends to be affected by the concentration of amino acids. Our model provides a promising tool for simulating and predicting outcomes in response to variations in wastewater quality in sewers.

Structure and formation of anoxic granular sludge A string-bag hypothesis

Anoxic granular sludge was developed in a laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactor which was fed with sodium acetate and sodium nitrate as electron donor and accepter. The sludge in the reactor was almost granulated after approximately 90 days of cultivation. In the present study, a detailed examination of surface morphology and internal structure of anoxic granular sludge was conducted using scanning electron microscope. It showed that the bacteria inside the granules had a uniform, coccus-like shape. By contrast, filamentous bacteria were predominant outside the granules. These bacteria were woven and had wrapped the coccus bacteria together to form granules. The small amounts of DO in the liquid bulk promoted the growth of filamentous bacteria on the surface of the granules. A string-bag hypothesis was proposed to elucidate the structure and formation of the anoxic granular sludge. It suggested that micro-aeration could be a method to promote granulation in practical anoxic treatment systems.