Purple Sulfur Bacteria in Anaerobic Treatment Lagoons

Purple or pink colored lagoons, indicating the presence of purple sulfur bacteria, are less likely to be considered an odor nuisance than a more typical non-purple lagoon. The design and management factors that encourage the growth of purple sulfur bacteria are poorly understood. A study of eight purple and non-purple lagoons was initiated during the spring and summer of 1996. The intent of this effort was to identify critical factors that would allow purple lagoons to become a more predictable odor control alternative. A preliminary comparison of design and management factors assumed to be critical suggests more similarities between these two groups of lagoons than differences