Two-stage UASB design enables activated-sludge free treatment of easily biodegradable wastewater

A two-stage lab-scale UASB reactor, incorporating a selector-type UASB prior to the main reactor was operated at 37 °C with an easily biodegradable food wastewater having a COD of 3,000 mg/L. Varying the hydraulic retention time from 25 to 5 h, the removal of COD by the two-stage process was higher than 95%. Effluent soluble COD was consistently below 75 mg/L and the methane production rate close to theoretical values. The selector UASB removed the majority of the organic load (70–90%) at high organic loading rate, i.e. between 6 and 30 g/(Ld) and the granular sludge developed was characterized by dense microbial colonies, high volatile suspended solids’ content and high substrate degradation efficiency. Design of a two-stage process, incorporating a selector and a second UASB reactor, was able to achieve stable and complete substrate degradation at overall loading rates of the order of ~10–15 g/(Ld).