ATP-BASED MICROBIAL ACTIVITY MONITORING IN WASTEWATER BIOFILTERS OF A BEVERAGE PLANT

Biofilters play a crucial role in wastewater treatment by facilitating microbial degradation of pollutants. Assessing microbial activity within biofilters is essential for optimizing filtration efficiency. This study focuses on ATP measurement as a rapid and reliable method for evaluating microbial activity in wastewater biofilters within a beverage production facility over a two-month period.The research utilized Hygiena EnSURE Touch ATP luminometers to measure ATP concentrations in biofilter samples under different operational conditions. These measurements were compared with conventional microbial enumeration techniques, including heterotrophic plate counts and microscopic analysis, to assess their reliability. ATP levels ranged from 50 to 350 RLU (relative light units) across different biofilter sections, with higher values correlating to increased microbial activity. The results indicated a strong correlation between ATP levels and microbial activity, demonstrating the effectiveness of ATP monitoring as a real-time biofilter performance indicator.Environmental factors such as temperature (18–30°C), pH (6.5–7.8), and nutrient levels were analyzed for their influence on ATP concentrations. The findings suggest that ATP monitoring can serve as an early warning system for biofilter performance fluctuations, allowing timely interventions to maintain efficiency.