High ciliate count correlated with COD removal and
enhanced methane production in reactors.
Protozoa reduce MLSS and increase sludge activity.
Direct uptake of dissolved COD by flagellates and particulates
by ciliates in bacteria-suppressed cultures confirms
that they are not purely dependent on grazing of bacteria
as food source and that they can consume organic matter.
The significance of protozoa in anaerobic wastewater
treatment technology is their ability to overcome the rate
limitation caused by solubilization of particulate matter.