Microbiology, Process Control, & Lab Techniques with Toni Glymph

Instructor: Toni Glymph-Martin, Senior Environmental Microbiologist

Course Description

Understanding the microorganisms responsible for wastewater treatment is essential for maintaining stable operations, optimizing nutrient removal, and preventing process failures. This course provides wastewater professionals with a practical understanding of wastewater microbiology and the laboratory techniques used to monitor and evaluate treatment performance.

Participants will explore the roles of bacteria, protozoa, and metazoa within biological treatment systems and learn how environmental conditions influence treatment efficiency. The course will examine common indicators of process health, methods for identifying and troubleshooting treatment system upsets, and the development of effective microbiology monitoring programs. In addition, attendees will receive instruction on laboratory tools, procedures, and standard operating practices used to support process control decisions.

Hands-on laboratory demonstrations may include microscope operation, slide preparation, staining techniques, and the identification of common microorganisms found in wastewater treatment systems. Participants will leave with practical skills and resources that can be immediately applied to improve treatment performance and process monitoring.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Describe the role of bacteria, protozoa, and metazoa in biological wastewater treatment processes.
• Identify environmental and operational conditions that support healthy microbial populations and effective nutrient removal.
• Recognize common indicators of treatment system performance and potential process upsets.
• Apply microbiological observations to troubleshoot operational issues and improve treatment efficiency.
• Develop a basic wastewater microbiology monitoring program, including laboratory procedures and documentation practices.
• Demonstrate an understanding of microscope operation, slide preparation, and staining techniques used in wastewater laboratories.
• Identify common microorganisms observed in activated sludge and biological treatment systems.
• Utilize laboratory tools and standard operating procedures to support routine process monitoring and process control decisions.
• Implement simple laboratory techniques for evaluating wastewater treatment performance and identifying operational trends.
• Interpret laboratory and microbiological data to make informed operational and process control decisions.

Course Topics

• Wastewater Microbiology Fundamentals
• Activated Sludge Biology
• Process Control Through Microscopic Evaluation
• Troubleshooting Biological Treatment Systems
• Laboratory Program Development
• Microscope Use and Maintenance
• Slide Preparation and Staining Techniques
• Routine Monitoring and Sampling Procedures
• Laboratory Quality Assurance and Standard Operating Procedures
• Using Laboratory Data to Improve Treatment Performance