Yeast

Identification

• Diameter measures between 30-60µm
• When budding it’s shaped like a peanut shell or number 8
• Can be definitively identified with Lactophenol cotton blue staining

Why Do I Have It?

• Low pH conditions ( ~6.5)

Treatment

To treat yeast we recommend increasing the pH to 7 using a basic pH adjuster such as Boost N Lock. If you are concerned about your plant conditions contact a technical rep for information and recommendations.

Under the Microscope and in Your Plant

Budding yeast has the appearance of the number eight or peanut shell and typically has a diameter ranging from 30 µm to 60 µm. Yeast is predominantly an indicator organism for low pH conditions (~6.5) within a plant. It can compete with bacteria in low pH conditions and can cause issues with TSS. On rare occasions, yeast has also been known to cause foaming. Yeast is common in systems accepting brewery and bakery wastewater; it thrives in conditions with high levels of soluble organic carbon.

Unique Experience in the Field

A municipal plant was experiencing a cloudy effluent and was unsure of the cause. Upon microscopic analysis, an abundance of budding yeast was observed, which was causing the cloudy effluent. We traced the problem back to a malting facility which had their own treatment facility. We adjusted the pH at the malt facility to prevent the further growth of yeast, and VitaStim Rebuild was used at the municipal plant to help promote proper reflocculation.