UASB treatment of wastewater containing concentrated benzoate
- Univ. of Hong Kong (Hong Kong). Civil and Structural Engineering Dept.
The upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) process removed 97--99% of soluble chemical oxygen demand (COD) from wastewater containing concentrated benzoate at 37 C, pH 7.5, a hydraulic retention time of 9.8 h, and loading rates up to 30.6 g-COD/(L {center_dot} day) based on the reactor volume. About 95.2% of the total COD removed was converted to methane; 0.034 g of volatile suspended solids (VSS) was yielded for each gram of COD removed. The highly settleable granules were 1--3 mm in size with a layered microstructure and were composed in abundance of bacteria resembling the benzoate-degrading Syntrophus buswellii. Two interesting observations have led to the postulation that the degradation of benzoate into acetate was probably conducted completely inside the cell of Syntrophus buswellii-like bacteria: (1) no fatty acids except acetate were found in the effluent; and (2) the granules showed very limited butyrate-degrading capability and could not degrade propionate. This study demonstrated the feasibility of removing aromatic pollutants in wastewater by anaerobic processes.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 128835
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Environmental Engineering, Vol. 121, Issue 10; Other Information: PBD: Oct 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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