Effect of reactor height on mixing characteristics and performance of the anaerobic downflow stationary fixed-film (DSFF) reactor

Three anaerobic downflow stationary fixed-film (DSFF) reactors using multiple vertical clay channels of different heights (31, 92 and 183 cm) and treating bean blanching waste showed improved performance and mixing characteristics with increased reactor height. A start-up period of 100 days was necessary to achieve the best performance in terms of loading rate (up to 9.5 kg Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) m^?3 d^?1) and methane production rate (up to 2.7 m³ m^?3 d^?1). During this period, differences in performance could only be related to the surface-to-volume ratio. At steady-state, mixing analysis indicated that the reactors deviated from the perfect-mixed pattern. Some dead space and shortcircuiting occurred. The amount of dead space due to biomass accumulation decreased as the reactor height increased (up to 44% for the shortest reactor). The COD removal efficiency was dependent on loading rate, decreasing from 90% at a loading rate of 1.0 kg COD m^?3 d^?1 to 75% at 7.0 kg COD m^?3 d^?1. However, the effect was more pronounced in the shortest reactor than in the tallest one. The improvement in mixing characteristics in the tallest reactor could be related to the higher liquid velocity inside channels which in turn permitted better support utilization and concomitant better COD removal. Data also suggest that it may be preferable to scale-up vertically rather than horizontally in order to maximize the liquid velocity in the channels.     

Decolorization of Reactive Red 159 by a consortium of photosynthetic bacteria using an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (AnSBR)

This experiment aimed to decolorize Reactive Red 159 using a high potential of a consortium of purple nonsulfur bacteria (PNSB) with an application of response surface methodology through a central composite design in open system. The three factors of hydraulic retention time (HRT), sludge retention time (SRT) and dye concentration were applied to the design. The decolorization was operated in an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor until the system reached to a pseudosteady state for 30?cycles in each experiment. The optimal condition was 6,500?mg/L of Reactive Red 159 concentration with 20 days of SRT and 8 days of HRT, achieving dye effluent of 142.62?±?5.35?mg/L, decolorization rate of 264.54?±?7.13?mg/L/h and decolorization efficiency of 97.68?±?0.74%. The results revealed that PNSB efficiently decolorized the high concentration of Reactive Red 159 and they were a high potential of microorganisms for dyes contaminated wastewater treatment.     

Stability of a downflow anaerobic fixed-film reactor to feed change

Summary A stepped-loading start-up regime utilising volatile fatty acids as carbon and energy sources was applied to a downflow anaerobic fixed-film reactor operated at 37°C. A steadystate was attained with over 90% COD reduction at an organic loading rate of 6.1 Kg COD/m³·day. A complex wastewater coming from a citrus processing plant was then used to test the feasibility of feeding changes as well as the stability of the reactor performance. A final COD reduction of 60% was achieved with hydraulic retention times down to 1.5 days.     

Treatment of brewery wastewater using anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR)

Brewery wastewater was treated in a pilot-scale anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) in which a floating cover(@) was employed. Long time experiments showed that the reactor worked stably and effectively for COD removal and gas production. When the organic loading rate was controlled between 1.5 kg COD/m3 d and 5.0 kg COD/m(3)d, and hydraulic retention time one day, COD removal efficiency could reach more than 90%. Sludge granulation was achieved in the reactor in approximately 60 days, which is much less than the granulation time ever reported. In addition, high specific methanogenic activity (SMA) for formate was observed. The study suggests that the ASBR technology is a potential alternative for brewery wastewater treatment.     

Decolorization and degradation of textile dyes with biosulfidogenic hydrogenases

Successful decolorization of azo dyes (Orange II, Amido Black 10, Reactive Black 5, and Reactive Red 120) and industrial textile dye influents and effluents with sulfate-reducing bacteria from within a biosulfidogenic reactor was achieved with decolorizations ranging from 96% to 49% over 144 h. Concomitant with the decrease in absorbance of the dye in the visible region (480-620 nm) was an increase in the absorbance at 280 nm, over 48 h, suggesting an increase in concentration of single aromatic amines. With an extended period of time there was a subsequent decrease in the absorbance at 280 nm indicating that the aromatic amines had been degraded. The anthraquinone dye, Reactive Blue 2, remained unchanged after 144 h of incubation in the biosulfidogenic reactor and was only rapidly decolored at 192 h, implying that certain factors are induced in the reactor to break down this non-azo dye. The fastest decolorization/degradation rates and highest hydrogenase enzyme production were observed with Orange II, while the slowest decolorization/degradation rate and least enzyme production were with Reactive Blue 2, suggesting that these processes are controlled, to a certain degree, by an enzymatic mechanism. With sulfate-reducing bacteria that had been cultured on a lactate medium, there was complete decolorization of both authentic dyes and industrial influents and effluents as monitored by the decrease of absorbance in the visible region (480-620 nm). There was, however, very little breakdown of the single aromatic compounds as the absorbance at 280 nm remained fairly significant. This supports the suggestion that, within the biosulfidogenic reactor, there are factors other than the identified hydrogenases that are responsible for degradation of the aromatic compounds.     

An evaluation of the phosphorus storage capacity of an anaerobic/aerobic sequential batch biofilm reactor

The aim of this work was to assess the phosphorus storage capability of the polyphosphate (poly-P) accumulating organisms (PAO) in the biofilm using a sequential batch biofilm reactor (SBBR). In the anaerobic phase, the specific COD uptake rates increases from 0.05 to 0.22 (mg-COD/mg-biomass/h) as the initial COD increases and the main COD uptake activity occurs in the initial 30 min. The polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) accumulation from 18 to 38 (mg-PHA/g-biomass) and phosphorus release from 20 to 60 (mg-P/L) share a similar trend. The adsorbed COD cannot be immediately transformed to PHAs. Since the PHAs' demand per released phosphorus is independent of the initial COD, the enhancement of the PHA accumulation would be of benefit to phosphorus release. The only requirement is to have an initial amount of substrate that will result in sufficient PHA accumulation (approximately 20 mg-PHA/g-biomass) for phosphorus release. During the aerobic phase, the aeration should not only provide sufficient dissolved oxygen, but should also enhance the mass transfer and the diffusion. In other words, the limitation to the phosphorus storage capability always occurs during the anaerobic phase, not the aerobic phase.     

Simulation of sequential batch reactor (SBR) operation for simultaneous removal of nitrogen and phosphorus

Modeling of the operation of sequential batch reactor (SBR) was performed to find out optimum design parameters for simultaneous removal of nitrogen and phosphorus in a small-scale wastewater treatment plant. The models were set up with material balances on SBR operation and Monod kinetics. The model parameters were obtained to best fit the experimental results in a small scale SBR. The models were useful in optimizing hydraulic retention time (HRT) and successfully simulated operations of SBR in a larger scale. Especially the model predicted well the reactions occurring in the filling period as well as the effect of dilution, and evaluated the performance of SBR process under diverse operating conditions.     

Treatment of phenol in an anaerobic fluidized bed reactor (AFBR): continuous and batch regime

Results of this study describe the feasibility of anaerobic treatment of highly concentrated phenol synthetic wastewater using an anaerobic fluidized bed reactor (AFBR) in both continuous and batch modes. Wastewater with a maximum load of 2,100 mg C·l⁻¹ was prepared using phenol (maximum concentration of 1,600 mg C·l⁻¹) as substrate and a mixture of acetic, propionic and butyric acids (500 mg C·l⁻¹) as co-substrate. AFBR reached total organic carbon (TOC) and phenol removal efficiency over 95% treating the highest organic loading rate (OLR) containing phenol studied for this kind of reactor (5.03 g C·l⁻¹·d⁻¹). The phenol loading rate rise caused volumetric biogas rate increase up to 4.4 l·l⁻¹·d⁻¹ (average yield of 0.28 l CH₄·g⁻¹ COD_removed) as well as variation in the biogas composition; the CO₂ percentage increased while the CH₄ percentage decreased. Morphological examination of the bioparticles at 4.10 g C·l⁻¹·d⁻¹, revealed significant differences in the biofilm structure, microbial colonization and bacterial morphological type development. The five batch assays showed that phenol degradation may be favoured by the presence of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) (co-metabolism), whereas VFAs degradation may be inhibited by phenol. AFBR reached initial phenol degradation velocity of 0.25 mg C·l⁻¹·min⁻¹.     

Treatment of coke wastewater in a sequential batch reactor (SBR) at pilot plant scale

Coke wastewater is a highly toxic industrial effluent which is usually treated by a combination of physico-chemical and biological treatments. With the aim of completing prior studies carried out in CSTR, in this work we studied the treatment of coke wastewater in a pilot plant equipped with a 400 L stripping tank, a 350 L neutralization/homogenization tank and a 6 m high 1500 L sequential batch reactor (SBR), controlled by a PLC. Ammonia stripping efficiencies of 96% were obtained for HRT of 66 h. The biological treatment in the SBR led to removal efficiencies of 85% COD, 98% thiocyanate and 99% phenols for HRT of 115 h. Final concentrations in the effluent of 1.8 mg phenols/L, 5.4 mg SCN/L, 206 mg COD/L and 78 mg N-NH(4)(+)/L were obtained.     

Treatment of brewery slurry in thermophilic anaerobic sequencing batch reactor

Treatment of brewery slurry in a thermophilic anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) was studied using conventional fully mixed semi-continuous digestion as a control. The process phases were adapted to fit the brewery slurry discharge schedule. ASBR experiments were conducted under different organic loading rates (OLR) from 3.23 to 8.57 kg of COD/m(3)day of reactor and control was conducted with OLR of 3.0 kg of COD/m(3)day. The ASBR COD degradation efficiency was from 79.6% to 88.9%, control experiment efficiency was 65%. ASBR VSS removal efficiency was from 78.5% to 90.5%, control experiment efficiency was 54%. The ASBR methane production yield was from 371 to 418 L/kg COD inserted, control experiment methane yield was 248 L/kg COD inserted. The ASBR process was superior to conventional fully mixed digestion, and is fully adaptable to brewery slurry discharge, needs no additional collection and settling pools and experiences no solids settling problems.     

Kinetics of anaerobic treatment of slaughterhouse wastewater in batch and upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor

The kinetics of anaerobic treatment of slaughterhouse wastewater in batch and upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors was investigated. Different concentrations of organic matter in slaughterhouse wastewater did not change the first order kinetics of the reaction. In batch digesters, methane and nitrogen production stopped after 30-40, 20-30 h, respectively, and in UASB reactors it was terminated after 30-40 days. The constant of velocity was 3.93 and 0.23 h(-1) respectively, for methane and nitrogen production. The yield coefficient, Yp was 343 and 349 ml CH4 per g of chemical oxygen demand at standard temperature and pressure conditions for batch reactors and UASB reactor, respectively.     

Integration of ozonation and an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (AnSBR) for the treatment of cherry stillage

Cherry stillage is a high strength organic wastewater arising from the manufacture of alcoholic products by distillation of fermented cherries. It is made up of biorefractory polyphenols in addition to readily biodegradable organic matter. An anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (AnSBR) was used to treat cherry stillage at influent COD ranging from 5 to 50 g/L. Different cycle times were selected to test biomass organic loading rates (OLR(B)), from 0.3 to 1.2 g COD/g VSS.d. COD and TOC efficiency removals higher than 80% were achieved at influent COD up to 28.5 g/L but minimum OLR(B) tested. However, as a result of the temporary inhibition of acetogens and methanogens, volatile fatty acids (VFA) noticeably accumulated and methane production came to a transient standstill when operating at influent COD higher than 10 g/L. At these conditions, the AnSBR showed signs of instability and could not operate efficiently at OLR(B) higher than 0.3 g COD/g VSS.d. A feasible explanation for this inhibition is the presence of toxic polyphenols in cherry stillage. Thus, an ozonation step prior to the AnSBR was observed to be useful, since more than 75% of polyphenols could be removed by ozone. The integrated process was shown to be a suitable treatment technology as the following advantages compared to the single AnSBR treatment were observed: greater polyphenols and color removals, higher COD and TOC removal rates thus enabling the process to effectively operate at higher OLR, higher degree of biomethanation, and good stability with less risk of acidification.     

Methanogenic degradation of hydroquinone in an anaerobic fixed-bed reactor

Summary A 500-ml fixed-bed reactor filled with glass sinter spools was used to study the dynamics and potential of methanogenic hydroquinone degradation. The concentration of hydroquinone as sole energy and carbon source in the inflowing medium varied from 0.55 to 2.2 g/l. Degradation of hydroquinone to methane and CO₂ was complete at low flow rates (170 ml/h) and low hydroquinone concentrations (0.55 g/l). At higher hydroquinone concentrations and/or higher flow rates, acetate accumulated in the reactor, and traces of hydroquinone were detected in the outflowing medium. The maximum degradation rate was 0.3–0.4 hydroquinone/h per 500 ml reactor volume. The bacterial community that established in the reactor after several weeks of operation was fairly stable, and consisted primarily of three bacterial species: a rod-shaped bacterium responsible for the degradation of hydroquinone to acetate and hydrogen, and two species of methanogenic bacteria, Methanospirillum hungatei and Methanothix sp.     

Kinetics of BTEX degradation in a packed-bed anaerobic reactor

The ever-increasing diversity of industrial activity is responsible for the discharge of compounds that are toxic or difficult to degrade into the environment. Some of the compounds found in surface and ground waters, usually deriving from the contamination of oil-based products, are benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX). To remove these compounds from contaminated water, a bench-scale horizontal-flow anaerobic immobilized biomass reactor, containing anaerobic biomass from various sources immobilized in polyurethane foam matrices, was employed to treat a synthetic substrate composed of protein, carbohydrates and BTEX solution in ethanol, as well as a BTEX solution in ethanol as the sole carbon source. The reactor removed up to 15.0 mg/l of each BTEX compound over a hydraulic detention time of 11.4 h. A first-order kinetic model fitted the experimental data well, showing correlation coefficients higher than 0.994. The apparent first-order coefficient values, , ranged from 8.4±1.5 day⁻¹ for benzene to 10.7±1.4 day⁻¹ for o-xylene in the presence of ethanol, protein and carbohydrates, and from 10.0±2.0 day⁻¹ for benzene to 13.0±1.7 day⁻¹ for o-xylene in the presence of ethanol. The BTEX degradation rates estimated here were 10- to 94-fold higher than those found in reports on microcosm studies.     

Feasibility of treating partially soluble wastewater in anaerobic sequencing batch biofilm reactor (ASBBR) with mechanical stirring

This work reports on the treatment of partially soluble wastewater in an anaerobic sequencing batch biofilm reactor, containing biomass immobilized on polyurethane matrices and stirred mechanically. The results showed that agitation provided optimal mixing and improved the overall organic matter consumption rates. The system showed to be feasible to enhance the treatment of partially soluble wastewaters.     

Decolorization of azo-reactive dye by polyphosphate- and glycogen-accumulating organisms in an anaerobic-aerobic sequencing batch reactor

An anaerobic-aerobic sequencing batch reactor with a sludge age of 8 days and anaerobic + aerobic + settling times of 18 + 5 + 1 h, was used to decolorize an azo-reactive dye wastewater. The nutrient broth (NB) and sodium acetate (SA) solution at 500 + 0, 350 + 150, 250 + 250 and 0 + 500 mg/l as COD was fed to the system to promote the polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs), while only glucose (500 mg/l COD) was used as a glycogen-accumulating organisms (GAOs) promoting substrate. The decolorization capability of the process was about 73-77 and 59-64% in terms of ADMI for the systems which the PAOs and GAOs proliferated, respectively. The color reduction was mainly achieved within the first 2 h of the anaerobic stage.     

Decolorization of reactive dyes by the white rot fungus Trametes versicolor in sequencing batch reactors

The white rot fungus Trametes versicolor was shown to be capable of decolorizing three reactive dyes in a sequencing batch process, using glucose as the carbon and energy source over an extended period without supplementation of new mycelium. Decolorization activity was related to the expression of extracellular peroxidases and could be continuously reactivated by sheering the suspended pellets. Pure culture experiments were carried out simultaneously in agitated Erlenmeyer flasks and in completely stirred tank reactors with two azo dyes, C.I. Reactive Black 5 and C.I. Reactive Red 198 as well as the anthraquinone dye C.I. Reactive Blue 19 (Brilliant Blue R). Results show high and stable degrees of decolorization of 91%-99% in both systems, which could be repeated without decrease in activity over time. Under nonsterile conditions only five cycles of decolorization could be achieved. An increasing bacterial population suppressed fungal growth and the formation of peroxidases. Copyright John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Mutagenicity of benzidine and benzidine-congener dyes and selected monoazo dyes in a modified Salmonella assay

We have evaluated the mutagenic activity of a series of diazo compounds derived from benzidine and its congeners o-tolidine, o-dianisidine and 3,3'-dichlorobenzidine as well as several monoazo compounds. The test system used was a modification of the standard Ames Salmonella assay in which FMN, hamster liver S9 and a preincubation step are used to facilitate azo reduction and detection of the resulting mutagenic aromatic amines. All of the benzidine and o-tolidine dyes tested were clearly mutagenic. The o-dianisidine dyes except for Direct Blue 218 were also mutagenic. Direct Blue 218 is a copper complex of the mutagenic o-dianisidine dye Direct Blue 15. Pigment Yellow 12, which is derived from 3,3'-dichlorobenzidine, could not be detected as mutagenic, presumably because of its lack of solubility in the test reaction mixture. Of the monoazo dyes tested, methyl orange was clearly mutagenic, while C.I. Acid Red 26 and Acid Dye (C.I. 16155; often referred to as Ponceau 3R) had marginal to weak mutagenic activity. Several commercial dye samples had greater mutagenic activity with the modified test protocol than did equimolar quantities of their mutagenic aromatic amine reduction products. Investigation of this phenomenon for Direct Black 38 and trypan blue showed that it was due to the presence of mutagenic impurities in these samples. The modified method used appears to be suitable for testing the mutagenicity of azo dyes, and it may also be useful for monitoring the presence of mutagenic or potentially carcinogenic impurities in otherwise nonmutagenic azo dyes.     

Methanethiol degradation in anaerobic bioreactors at elevated pH (8): reactor performance and microbial community analysis

The degradation of methanethiol (MT) at 30 degrees C under saline-alkaline (pH 8-10, 0.5M Na(+)) conditions was studied in a lab-scale Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactor inoculated with estuarine sediment from the Wadden Sea (The Netherlands). At a sodium concentration of 0.5M and a pH between 8 and 9 complete MT degradation to sulfide, methane and carbon dioxide was possible at a maximum loading rate of 22mmolMTL(-1)day(-1) and a hydraulic retention time of 6h. The presence of yeast extract (100mg/L) in the medium was essential for complete MT degradation. 16S rRNA based DGGE and sequence analysis revealed that species related to the genera Methanolobus and Methanosarcina dominated the archaeal community in the reactor sludge. Their relative abundance fluctuated in time, possibly as a result of the changing operational conditions in the reactor. The most dominant MT-degrading archaeon was enriched from the reactor and obtained in pure culture. This strain WR1, which was most closely related to Methanolobus taylorii, degraded MT, dimethyl sulfide (DMS), methanol and trimethylamine. Its optimal growth conditions were 0.2M NaCl, 30 degrees C and pH 8.4. In batch and reactor experiments operated at pH 10, MT was not degraded.