This study compared the sludge characteristics of a lab-scale Air Products (A/O) and a conventional activated sludge system. The sludges were analyzed for operational properties and the exocellular biopolymers of each sludge was characterized. Operational analysis mainly consisted of measurements of settling (SVI) and dewatering (specific resistance, CST) parameters at each sludge age. Biopolymers were measured using pH extraction followed by gel filtration and subsequent analysis for carbohydrate and protein concentrations. The results showed a high degree of similarity between the two systems both operationally and with respect to biopolymer characteristics. The A/0 system did produce a lower effluent soluble COD at sludge ages below 5 days. Also, the A/O system showed some consistent differences in the distribution of bound and unbound fractions of protein and carbohydrate ECP but these had no discernible· effect on sludge operational characteristics. In addition relationships between unbound ECP and effluent BOD, bound HMW ECP and SVI, and phosphorus and Mg uptake were observed, with varying degrees of consistency, in this study. / Master of Science