The Bhavana Likhananont creator Preeda Pakpian Chairperson Apisit Eiumnoh Examination Committee Eckhardt, Heinz Examination committee The United Kingdom Scholarship donor text theses th Bangkok Asian Institute of Technology 1997 monographic eng 84 leaves Composting can be one of the appropriate means to manage sewage sludge created in Bangkok Metropolitan area. Considering the amount of some heavy metals already existed in the sludge, problems of composting sewage sludge be generated especially when composting inocula which consist of various types of microorganisms are applied to the composting process. To achieve some data concerning making compost from Bangkok sewage sludge by adding specific microbial inoculum named QCTC, three experiments were conducted. They were an experiment on sewage sludge characterization, an experiment on effect of some significant metals found in the sludge on the growth of composting microorganisms and an experiment on effect of microbial inocula on composting sewage sludge mixed with rice hulls. The results of the experiments showed that Sipraya sewage sludge comprised copper, zinc, chromium and nickel of the concentration of 801, 1,220, 310 and 282 mg/kg of the sludge, respectively. Moisture content of the sludge was relatively high, about 80 % which is not suitable for composting. Therefore, the sludge needed to be dried. pH of the sludge was about 6.5 when measured with water at the ratio of 1:5 (weight by volume). Microbiological study of the sludge showed that this activated sludge still contained a high number of microorganisms up to about 2 x 109 cells/gram of sludge of which were seven bacteria, one actinomycetes and eight fungi. When these microorganisms were tested for their cellulolytic activity, it was found that all fungi and an actinomycetes performed the activity whereas bacteria did not. Experiments done on effect of some metals which were found existent in the sludge on the growth of composting microorganisms showed that most of the metals tested especially copper and zinc had a negative influence on the microorganisms tested. On the contrary, the extract of the sewage sludge showed no effect on the growth of these composting . . mtcroorgarusms. When sewage sludge was composted with or without rice hulls, it was observed little decomposition. The highest temperature of every compost pile was about 41° C and was not more than this degree which was considered lower than it should be and the temperature had been raised up only for short period about 3-5 days after starting the operation. Compost piles with or without microbial composting inocula did not show any differences on percentage volatile solids and carbon to nitrogen ratio of the compost samples which were used as parameters of composting process for this study. Quantity of macro nutrients (N, P and K) in the compost produced from sludge were also analyzed and it was found comparatively high when compared to the compost produced from other sources. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, School of Environment, Resources and Development Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1997 Sewage Purification Biological treatment Asian Institute of Technology. http://203.159.5.9/ait-thesis/detail.php?q=B14227 http://203.159.5.9/ait-thesis/detail.php?q=B14227 980319 20260817162919.0