Anaerobic biodegradation of spent sulphite liquor in a UASB reactor

Anaerobic biodegradation of fermented spent sulphite liquor, SSL, which is produced during the manufacture of sulphite pulp, was investigated. SSL contains a high concentration of lignin products in addition to hemicellulose and has a very high COD load (173 g COD l(-1)). Batch experiments with diluted SSL and pretreated SSL indicated a potential of 12-22 l methane per litre SSL, which corresponds to 0.13-0.22 l methane (g VS)(-1) and COD removal of up to 37%. COD removal in a mesophilic upflow anaerobic sludge blanket, UASB. reactor ranged from 10% to 31% at an organic loading rate, OLR, of 10-51 g (1 d)(-1) and hydraulic retention time from 3.7 to 1.5 days. The biogas productivity was 3 1 (l(reactor d)(-1), with a yield of 0.05 l gas (g VS)(-1). These results suggest that anaerobic digestion in UASB reactors may provide a new alternative for the treatment of SSL to other treatment strategies such as incineration. Although the total COD reduction achieved is limited, bioenergy is produced and readily biodegradable matter is removed causing less load on post-treatment installations.     

Photosynthetically oxygenated salicylate biodegradation in a continuous stirred tank photobioreactor

A consortium consisting of a Chlorella sorokiniana strain and a Ralstonia basilensis strain was able to carry out sodium salicylate biodegradation in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) using exclusively photosynthetic oxygenation. Salicylate biodegradation depended on algal activity, which itself was a function of microalgal concentration, light intensity, and temperature. Biomass recirculation improved the photobioreactor performance by up to 44% but the results showed the existence of an optimal biomass concentration above which dark respiration started to occur and the process efficiency started to decline. The salicylate removal efficiency increased by a factor of 3 when illumination was increased from 50-300 microE/m2.s. In addition, the removal rate of sodium salicylate was shown to be temperature-dependent, increasing from 14 to 27 mg/l.h when the temperature was raised from 26.5 to 31.5 degrees C. Under optimized conditions (300 microE/m2.s, 30 degrees C, 1 g sodium salicylate/l in the feed and biomass recirculation) sodium salicylate was removed at a maximum constant rate of 87 mg/l.h, corresponding to an estimated oxygenation capacity of 77 mg O2/l.h (based on a BOD value of 0.88 g O2/g sodium salicylate for the tested bacterium), which is in the range of the oxygen transfer capacity of large-scale mechanical surface aerators. Thus, although higher degradation rates were attained in the control reactor, the photobioreactor is a cost-efficient process which reduces the cost of aeration and prevents volatilization problems associated with the degradation of toxic volatile organic compounds under aerobic conditions.     

Ozone treatment of process water from a dry-mill ethanol plant

Fuel ethanol production in corn dry milling plants is a rapidly expanding industrial sector. Whole stillage, the residue from the distillation of the fermented corn, is centrifuged and the concentrate, thin stillage, is found to have a chemical oxygen demand (COD) of approximately 75,000 mg/L. This thin stillage is partly recycled, but much of it needs to be evaporated to concentrate the solubles for addition to the animal feed coproduct from corn dry milling. This research is an exploration into lowering COD from thin stillage using ozonation as a simple single-step unit process to facilitate a larger reusable fraction. The ozonation would usually be a pretreatment before additional flocculation or biological treatment. Also, COD removal by ozonation with and without a catalyst has been studied. Three different application rates of ozone O(3,1)=7 mg/min, O(3,2)=21 mg/min, and O(3,3)=33 mg/min were used for 8h into samples of 2L each of three dilutions 20x, 30x and 40x. COD removal of 85% was observed with an ozone dosage of 4000 mg/L into a 40x-diluted sample. This would correspond to about 0.5 mg COD removed per mg ozone dosed. However, at lower dosages and smaller dilutions, more than 1mg COD removal was achieved per mg ozone dosed. Two different catalysts, Fe(II) and Fe(III), were used and the samples were ozonated for 4 h. Five different dosages of each of the two catalysts were used and better COD removal was observed compared to ozonation alone with all 5 dosages. COD removal rate was increased from 45% to 74% with Fe(III) and was increased to 77% with Fe(II). Up to 10mg/L COD was removed per mg O(3) dosed well below the maximum dosage. Both the catalysts resulted in almost the same improved COD removal rates when compared to ozonation alone.     

Piggery wastewater characterisation for biological nitrogen removal process design

In intensive farming areas, the design of biological nitrogen removal plants for piggery wastewater requires the determination of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) fractions of the effluent. For this purpose, an experimental procedure was developed to quantify the inert soluble (SI) and particulate (XI) COD fractions, as well as the readily (SS) and the slowly (XS) biodegradable COD fractions. For the four wastewaters tested, the SI and the XI fractions were equal to 3-4 g O(2)l(-1) and 17-28 g O(2)l(-1), respectively, which resulted in a total inert fraction of 42-84% of total COD. The SS and the XS fractions were very variable, ranging 0-5 g O(2)l(-1) and 4-25 g O(2)l(-1) respectively, depending on the farm management practices and the storage conditions prior to biological treatment. From these results, the denitrification potential of the piggery wastewaters for biological nitrogen removal treatment could be assessed.     

Effect of COD to sulphate ratio and temperature in expanded-granular-sludge-blanket reactors for sulphate reduction

In an ethanol-fed expanded-granular-sludge-blanket (EGSB) reactor at 33°C, 80–90% of the sulphate load was removed at a rate of 4 g S/l d, provided that at least 6 g chemical oxygen demand (COD) per g sulphate-sulphur was supplied. The reactor started up in a matter of days. Gradually decreasing the ethanol to sulphate ratio (R) to about stoichiometry, resulted in 60–70% sulphate removal at rates of 7 g S/l d. Similar tendencies were observed with ethylene glycol as sole carbon and energy source. Total COD removal never reached more than 70–75%. This was related to a rather high biomass washout. The sulphate removal efficiency decrease when R was set at levels below 6, apparently because sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB) could not compete with methane producing bacteria (MPB) for acetate produced from the substrate dosed. Thermophilic operation at 55°C, after a stepwise increase in the reactor temperature over a period of 23 days, did not favour acetotrophic sulphate reduction. Yet, operation at 48°C and subsequently returning the temperature to 33°C clearly enhanced acetate conversion by SRB. In the case of an electron donor price of 0.035–0.075 USD/kg COD, the cost for operation at R=6 was found to be competitive to that at stoichiometry, i.e. R=2, provided the biogas produced was effectively used.     

Mesophilic anaerobic digestion in a fluidised-bed reactor of wastewater from the production of protein isolates from chickpea flour

A study of the anaerobic digestion of wastewater derived from the production of protein isolates from chickpea flour was carried out in a laboratory-scale, mesophilic (35 °C) fluidised-bed reactor with saponite as bacterial support. Soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) removal efficiencies in the range of 96.8–85.2% were achieved in the reactor at organic loading rates (OLR) of between 0.58 and 2.10 g chemical oxygen demand (COD)/l per day, hydraulic retention times (HRT) of between 14.9 and 4.5 days and average feed COD concentration of 9.1 g/l. Eighty-five percent of feed COD could be removed up to OLR of 2.1 g COD/l per day. The yield coefficient of methane production was 0.34 l of methane (at STP) per gram COD removed and was virtually independent of the OLR applied. Because the buffering capacity of the experimental system was maintained at favourable levels with excess total alkalinity present at all loadings, the rate of methanogenesis was not affected by loading. Experimental data indicated that a total alkalinity in the range of 1090–2130 mg/l as CaCO₃ was sufficient to prevent the pH from decreasing to below 7.2 for OLR of up to 2.7 g COD/l per day. The volatile fatty acid (VFA) levels and the VFA/alkalinity ratio were lower than the suggested limits for digester failure (0.3–0.4) for OLR and HRT up to 2.7 g COD/l per day and 3.5 days, respectively. For a HRT of 2.8 days (OLR of 3.00 g COD/l per day) the start of acidification was observed in the reactor.     

Performance evaluation of a mesophilic anaerobic fluidized-bed reactor treating wastewater derived from the production of proteins from extracted sunflower flour

A study of the anaerobic digestion of wastewater derived from the production of protein isolates from extracted sunflower flour was carried out in a laboratory-scale, mesophilic (35 degrees C) fluidized-bed reactor with saponite as bacterial support. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies in the range of 98.3-80.0% were achieved in the reactor at organic loading rates (OLR) of between 0.6 and 9.3 g COD/I d, hydraulic retention times (HRT) of between 20.0 and 1.1 d and average feed COD concentration of 10.6 g/l. Eighty percent of feed COD could be removed up to OLR of 9.3 g COD/l d. The yield coefficient of methane production was 0.33 l of methane (at STP) per gram of COD removed and was virtually independent of the OLR applied. Because the buffering capacity of the experimental system was maintained at favorable levels with excess total alkalinity present at all loadings, the rate of methanogenesis was not affected by loading. The experimental data indicated that a total alkalinity in the range of 2,000-2,460 mg/l as CaCO3 was sufficient to prevent the pH from dropping to below 7.0 for OLR of up to 9.3 g COD/l d. The volatile fatty acid (VFA) levels and the VFA/alkalinity ratio were lower than the suggested limits for digester failure (0.3-0.4) for OLR and HRT up to 9.3 g COD/l d and 1.1 d, respectively. For a HRT of 0.87 d (OLR of 12.1 g COD/l d) the start of acidification was observed in the reactor.     

Protozoan biomass relation to nutrient and chemical oxygen demand removal in activated sludge mixed liquor

The relationship between biomass concentration to nutrient and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal in mixed liquor supplemented with sodium acetate was investigated, using three protozoan isolates and three different initial biomass concentrations (10(1), 10(2) and 10(3) cells/mL). The study was carried out in a shaking flask environment at a shaking speed of 100 rpm for 96 h at 25 degrees C. Aliquot samples were taken periodically for the determination of phosphate, nitrate, COD and dissolved oxygen, using standard methods. The results revealed remarkable phosphate removal of 82-95% at biomass concentration of 10(3)cells/mL. A high nitrate removal of over 87% was observed at all initial biomass concentration in mixed liquor. There was an observed COD increase of over 50% in mixed liquor in at the end of 96-h incubation and this was irrespective of initial biomass concentration used for inoculation. The study shows the trend in nutrient and COD removal at different biomass concentrations of the test isolates in mixed liquor.     

The inhibitory effects and removal of dieldrin in continuous upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors

The inhibitory effects and removal efficiency of dieldrin (DLD) in anaerobic reactors were investigated. Anaerobic toxicity assay (ATA) experiments conducted in batch reactors revealed that 30 mg/l DLD had inhibitory effects on the unacclimated mixed anaerobic cultures. Continuous reactor experiments performed in a lab-scale two-stage upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor system which was fed with ethanol as the sole carbon source, indicated that anaerobic granular cultures could be successfully acclimated to DLD. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies were 88-92% for the two-stage system. The influent DLD concentration of 10 mg/l was removed by 44-86% and 86-94% in the second stage and overall UASB system, respectively. Biosorption of DLD on granular anaerobic biomass was found to be a significant mechanism for DLD removal in the UASB system. The maximum DLD loading rate and minimum HRT achievable for the first stage UASB reactor were 0.5 mg/lday (76 microg DLD/g VSS.day) and 10 h, respectively, which resulted in the overall COD removal efficiency of 85%.     

Effect of initial COD concentration, nutrient addition, temperature and microbial acclimation on anaerobic treatability of broiler and cattle manure

In this study, anaerobic treatability and biogas generation potential of broiler and cattle manure were investigated. For this purpose, seven sets of anaerobic batch reactor experiments were performed using broiler and cattle manure and their mixtures in five different ratios (100% broiler; 75% broiler, 25% cattle; 50% broiler, 50% cattle; 25% broiler, 75% cattle; 100% cattle). These manure mixtures had two different initial chemical oxygen demand (COD) (12,000 and 53,500 mg/l) concentrations. The effects of initial COD concentration, nutrient and trace metal supplementation, microbial acclimation and digestion temperature were investigated. Results revealed that the efficiency of total COD removal was 32.0-43.3% and 37.9-50% for initial COD concentrations of 12,000 and 53,500 mg/l, respectively. The biogas yields observed for initial COD concentrations of 12,000 and 53,500 mg/l were 180-270 and 223-368 ml gas/g COD added, respectively. A decrease in biogas yield was observed as the fraction of broiler manure increased in mixture of broiler and cattle manure at initial COD values of 53,500 mg/l.     

Effect of temperature on the efficiency of the thermo- and mesophilic aerobic batch biodegradation of high-strength distillery wastewater (potato stillage)

The objective of the study was to assess the effect of temperature on the extent of aerobic batch biodegradation of potato stillage with a mixed culture of bacteria of the genus Bacillus. The experiments were performed in a 5-l stirred-tank reactor at 20, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 63 and 65 degrees C with the pH of 7. Only at 65 degrees C, no reduction in chemical oxygen demand (COD) was found to occur. Over the temperature range of 20-63 degrees C, the removal efficiency was very high (with an extent of COD reduction following solids separation that varied between 77.57% and 89.14% after 125 h). The process ran at the fastest rate when the temperature ranged from 30 to 45 degrees C; after 43 h at the latest, COD removal amounted to 90% of the final removal efficiency value obtained for the process. At 20, 55, 60 and 63 degrees C, a 90% removal was attained after 80 h. Two criteria were proposed for the identification of the point in time when the process is to terminate. One of these consists in maximising the product of the extent of COD reduction and the extent of N-NH4 content reduction. The other criterion is a simplified one and involves the search for the minimal value of N-NH4 concentration.     

Effect of Pollution Load and Oxygen Availability on Thermophilic Aerobic Continuous Biodegradation of Potato Processing Wastewater

The possibility of enhancing the effectiveness of the biodegradation process of potato wastewater was evaluated. The effect of wastewater pollution load, dilution rate and oxygen supplementation during the thermophilic aerobic continuous utilization process on biodegradation of the main organic pollutants was investigated. Aeration performed using a stirred tank reactor (1.5 vvm, 300 rpm, 55 °C) proved to be not sufficient to provide aerobic conditions. During the continuous process, the amount of oxygen introduced into the wastewater was totally utilized by the microflora. The accumulation and decomposition of the fermentative metabolism products of the Bacillus mixed culture during oxygen limitation and supplementation were analyzed. Under microaerobic conditions (DOT < 1 %), a biosynthesis of acetic acid was observed up to a concentration of 6.5 g/dm³. After chemostat conditions were achieved, the level of acetic acid stabilized at 2.2 g/dm³. The addition of oxygen for aeration allowed a total decomposition of organic acids like acetic and lactic acid (the by‐products were synthesized from partially oxidized substrates) as well as an increase in COD reduction of the wastewater (from 66 % to 79 %). The periodic fortification of aeration with pure oxygen is proposed for critical situations during the continuous wastewater biodegradation when an unexpected inflow of highly polluted wastewater occurs in the system.     

Performance of upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor treating wastewaters containing carbon tetrachloride

The anaerobic biodegradation of carbon tetrachloride (CT) was investigated during the granulation process by reducing the hydraulic retention time, increasing the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and CT loadings in a 2l laboratory-scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. Anaerobic unacclimated sludge and glucose were used as seed and primary substrate, respectively. Granules were developed 4 weeks after start-up, which grew at an accelerated rate for 8 months, and then became fully grown. The effect of operational parameters such as influent CT concentrations, COD, CT loading, food to biomass ratio and specific methanogenic activity (SMA) were also considered during granulation. The granular sludge cultivated had a maximum diameter of 2.1 mm and SMA of 1.6 g COD/g total suspended solid (TSS) day. COD and CT removal efficiencies of 92 and 88% were achieved when the reactor was firstly operating at CT and COD loading rates of 17.5 mg/l day and 12.5 g/l day, respectively. This corresponds to hydraulic retention time of 0.28 day and food to biomass ratio of 0.5 g COD/g TSS day. Kinetic coefficients of maximum specific substrate utilization rate, half velocity coefficient, growth yield coefficient and decay coefficient were determined to be 2.4 × 10^–3 mg CT/TSS day^–1, 1.37 mg CT/l, 0.69 mg TSS/mg CT and 0.046 day^–1, respectively for CT biotransformation during granulation.     

Comparison between a moving bed membrane bioreactor and a conventional membrane bioreactor on organic carbon and nitrogen removal

A membrane bioreactor filled with carriers instead of activated sludge named a moving bed membrane bioreactor (MBMBR) was investigated for simultaneously removing organic carbon and nitrogen in wastewater. Its performance was compared with a conventional membrane bioreactor (CMBR) at various influent COD/TN ratios of 8.9–22.1. The operational parameters were optimized to increase the treatment efficiency. COD removal efficiency averaged at 95.6% and 96.2%, respectively, for MBMBR and CMBR during the 4 months experimental period. The MBMBR system demonstrated good performance on nitrogen removal at different COD/TN ratios. When COD/TN was 8.9 and the total nitrogen (TN) load was 7.58 mg/l h, the TN and ammonium nitrogen removal efficiencies of the MBMBR were maintained over 70.0% and 80.0%, respectively, and the removed total nitrogen (TN) load reached to 5.31 mg/l h. Multifunctional microbial reactions in the carrier, such as simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND), play important roles in nitrogen removal. In comparison, the CMBR did not perform so well. Its TN removal was not stable, and the removed total nitrogen (TN) load was only 1.02 mg/l h at COD/TN ratio 8.9. The specific oxygen utilization rate (SOUR) showed that the biofilm has a better microbial activity than an activated sludge. Nevertheless, the membrane fouling behavior was more severe in the MBMBR than in the CMBR due to a thick and dense cake layer formed on the membrane surface, which was speculated to be caused by the filamentous bacteria in the MBMBR.     

Converting corn wet-milling effluent into high-value fungal biomass in a biofilm reactor

Rhizopus microsporus was grown in an attached growth system using corn wet-milling effluent as a growth medium. This strain was chosen due to its ability to effectively degrade organic matter in corn wet-milling effluent and for its properties to produce significant levels of protein, chitin and chitosan. Fungal growth and organic removal efficiency were examined under both aseptic and non-aseptic conditions with and without nutrient supplementation. Plastic composite support (PCS) tubes, composed of 50% (w/w) polypropylene (PP) and 50% (w/w) agricultural products were used as support media. Significantly higher organic removal measured as chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biomass yield were observed in the bioreactor with PCS tubes than in two control bioreactors; that is with PP tubes alone and suspended growth (without support media). This confirmed that the PCS support medium with agricultural components enhanced fungal growth and organic removal. The results showed that supplementation of nutrients (e.g., mineral salts) under aseptic conditions enhanced the COD removal from 50% to 55% and observed biomass yield from 0.11 to 0.16 g (dry-weight)/g COD(removed) (i.e., from 0.10 to 0.14 g volatile solids (VS)/g COD(removed) approximately). Non-aseptic operation without nutrient supplementation resulted in an observed biomass yield of 0.32 g volatile suspended solids (VSS)/g COD(removed) with no significant improvement in COD removal ( approximately 53%); whereas with nutrient supplementation, the observed biomass yield increased to 0.56 g VSS/g COD(removed) and COD removal improved to 85%. The fungal system was able to degrade the organic matter with concomitant production of high-value fungal biomass. This is the first study that examined the conversion of corn milling waste stream into high value fungal protein.     

Kinetic behaviour of waste tyre rubber as microorganism support in an anaerobic digester treating cane molasses distillery slops

The kinetics of anaerobic digestion of cane molasses distillery slops was investigated using a continuous-flow bioreactor which contained waste tyre rubber as support, to which the microorganisms became immobilized. Hydraulic retention times (HRT) ranging from 1 to 10 days were investigated at an average influent chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration of 47.7?g/l. The maximum substrate utilization rate, k, and half saturation coefficient, K _L, were determined to be 1.82?kg COD_removed/kg VSS day and 0.33?kg COD/kg VSS day. The yield coefficient, Y, and sludge decay rate coefficient, K _d, were also determined to be 0.06?kg VSS/kg COD_removed and 0.05?day^-1, respectively. Methane production was maximum (6.75?l/l day) at a 2 day HRT corresponding to a biomass loading rate of 2.578?kg COD/kg VSS day. Biogas yield ranged between 0.51?l/g COD (HRT=2 days) and 0.25?l/g COD (HRT=1?day). In addition, the methane percentage in the biogas varied between 70.5% (HRT=10?days) and 47.5% (HRT=1?day). The close relationship between biomass loading rate and specific substrate utilization rate supported the use of Monod equations. Finally, the experimental values of effluent substrate concentration were reproduced with deviations equal to or less than 10% in every case.     

Continuous anaerobic treatment of wastewaters containing formaldehyde and urea

The toxicity of formaldehyde (FA) in batch assays, using volatile fatty acids (VFA) as co-substrate, and the continuous anaerobic treatment of wastewaters containing FA in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors was investigated. In batch studies, FA exerted a 50% methanogenic toxicity on VFA at concentrations of around 100 mg/l, 2.5 times lower than values reported with sucrose. Although at FA concentrations higher than 200 mg/l methanogenesis was completely inhibited, a partial recovery of the bacterial activity was observed after 250 h when the FA had been removed from the medium. The continuous anaerobic degradation of FA at concentrations up to 2 g/l, using 1.6 g/l of glucose as co-substrate, was studied in a UASB reactor. A stable and efficient operation was observed at organic loading rates (OLR) of 6.0 g COD/l·d and with a COD/FA ratio as low as 1.4. A synthetic substrate with the same characteristics as the effluents produced during fibreboard adhesives manufacturing (based on urea-FA), i.e. 0.95 g FA/l and 0.35 g urea/l, was treated in a UASB reactor. The applied OLR and nitrogen loading rate (NLR) were 3.45 g COD/l·d and 0.58 g N/l·d, respectively. COD removal efficiencies were maintained at 90–95%, FA and urea being completely degraded.     

Ecological clarification of cheese whey prior to anaerobic digestion in upflow anaerobic filter

Anaerobic digestion of cheese whey wastewaters (CW) was investigated in a system consisting of an ecological pretreatment followed by upflow anaerobic filter (UAF). The pretreatment was conducted to solve the inhibition problems during anaerobic treatment of CW caused by the amounts of fats, proteins and carbohydrates and to avoid the major problems of clogging in the reactor. The optimized ecological pretreatment of diluted CW induce removal yields of 50% of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and 60% of total suspended solids (TSS) after acidification by Lactobacillus paracasei at 32 degrees C during 20 h and neutralization with lime. The pretreated CW was used to feed UAF (35 degrees C). The effects of organic loading rate (OLR) and hydraulic retention time (HRT) on the pretreated CW anaerobic degradation were examined. The average total COD removals achieved was 80-90%. The performance of the reactor was depressed by increasing the COD concentration to 20 g/l (OLR = 4 gCOD/ld) and the COD removal efficiency was reduced to 72%. Significant methane yield (280 l/kg COD removal) was obtained at an HRT of 2 days.     

Biomethanation of Spent Wash: Bacterial Pretreatment to Remove Heavy Metals by Adsorption

In a semicontinuous fermentation system, biomethanation of diluted spent wash (DW, initial COD 25–27 g/l) resulted in only 0.2 l/l of methane production in 20 d. Two capsular Gram-negative strains of bacteria were used for adsorption of heavy metals such as lead, copper, and zinc from spent wash. Strain I removed 64 % of the lead in 1 h and 82% of the copper in 2 h, while strain II removed 76% of the zinc in 2 h. The diluted spent wash from which heavy metals were removed was supplemented with synthetic medium and an acidophilic strain of Candida sp. This treatment improved methanogenesis. In 12 d, 4.9 l/l of biogas containing 63% methane was produced.     

Performance of an anaerobic bioreactor with biomass recycling, continuously removing COD and sulphate from industrial wastes

A 30-l anaerobic bioreactor with biomass recycling was used to provide a continuous reduction in sulphate and a continuous COD removal from wastewater, which consisted of the effluent from an industrial pig fattening farm, enriched with technical FeSO(4) x 7H(2)O, a waste product from ferrous metallurgy. The concentrations of sulphate and COD in the wastewater amounted to 2.73 g l(-1) and 3.15 g l(-1), respectively. The HRT (hydraulic retention time) of 10-1.7d produced an extent of sulphate and COD reduction which totalled 98% and 88%, respectively. When the HRT was further shortened, the efficiency of reduction in sulphate and COD decreased. The maximum removal rate constants for both the pollutants, calculated by means of a modified Stover-Kincannon model, were 80.9 g COD l(-1)d(-1) and 41.8 g SO(4)(2-)l(-1)d(-1), the values of the saturation constants being 91.582 g COD l(-1)d(-1) and 42.398 g SO(4)(2-)l(-1)d(-1).