Basic Wastewater Operator Practice Exam

To calculate the F:M (Food to Microorganism) ratio, you need to understand that it provides a measure of the amount of organic material available to the microorganisms in the aeration basin. The formula for the F:M ratio is:

\[ F:M = \frac{BOD \, (mg/L) \times Flow \, (MGD)}{MLSS \, (mg/L) \times Volume \, (MG)} \]

First, to plug in the values accurately, it's beneficial to convert units where necessary:

1. **Influent BOD5**: 290 mg/L

2. **Influent flow**: 5.0 MGD

3. **Aeration basin MLSS**: 2650 mg/L

4. **Aeration basin volume**: 0.8 MG

Now, let's calculate:

- The total influent BOD5 entering the aeration basin per day can be calculated as follows:

\[ \text{Total BOD5} = 290 \, mg/L \times 5.0 \, MGD = 290 \, mg/L \times 5.0 \, MGD \times 8.34 \, (conversion