Activated sludges obtained from the Rilling Road plant located at San Antonio, Tex., and from the Hyperion treatment plant located at Los Angeles, Calif., have the ability to remove all of the orthophosphate normally present in Tucson sewage within 3 hr after being added to the waste water. Phosphorus removal was independent of externally supplied sources of energy and ions, since orthophosphate and 32p radioactivity were readily removed from tap water, glass-distilled water, and deionized

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... . Phosphorus uptake by Rilling sludge in the laboratory appears to be wholly biological, as it has an optimum pH range (7.7 to 9.7) and an optimum temperature range (24 to 37 C). It was inhibited by HgC12, iodoacetic acid, p-chloromercuribenzoic acid, NaN3, and 2,4-dinitrophenol (compounds that affect bacterial meimbrane permeability, sulfhydryl enzymes, and adenosine triphosphate synthesis). Uptake was inhibited by 1% NaCl but was not affected by 10n3 M ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt (a chelating agent for many metallic ions).