Nematodes

Identification

• Range from 400-5,000 µm in length
• Cylinder-shaped
• Move in a whip-like motion

Why Do I Have It?

• Old sludge age

Treatment

Nematodes are indicators of old sludge, increasing wasting to reduce sludge age is the preferred treatment. If you are concerned about your plant conditions contact a technical rep for information and recommendations.

Under the Microscope and in Your Plant

Nematodes are a cylinder-shaped metazoan that can be identified under 100x magnification. Nematodes can be found in a variety of different environmental conditions. If nematodes are found in a wastewater treatment plant, they are an indication of old sludge age. They are also more resilient to mild toxicity or low dissolved oxygen than other metazoans. They range from 400-3,000 µm long. Nematodes move in a thrashing motion due to the fact that their muscles only run lengthwise, so they can only use side-to-side movements. Nematodes feed on bacteria, fungi, and other nematodes. Some species of nematodes have teeth while others have spears that they can stick in their prey and then use as a straw.

Interesting Facts

• There is an estimated 500,000 to 5,000,000 species of nematodes
• In Lebanon, the earliest aquatic nematode fossil was found preserved in amber, dated to be 120-135 million years old
• Adult females are slightly larger than males in size