Effects of short-time aerobic digestion on EPS and sludge features were ascertained.
Both EPS concentration and sludge floc size increased with extending digestion time.
Sludge settleability gradually became poor during the aerobic digestion process.
Short-time aerobic digestion could promote sludge flocculability and dewaterability.
Sludge features showed close relations to proteins and polysaccharides in EPS.