Removal of formate from wastewater by anaerobic process

Journal Article · · Journal of Environmental Engineering (New York); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9372(1994)120:5(1308)· OSTI ID:6978409

Chui, H K; Fang, H H.P. ^[1]; Li, Y Y ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
2. Tohoku Univ., Sendai (Japan). Civil Engineering Dept.

Formate in waste water was effectively removed at 37 C by the upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) process. This was accomplished by keeping the recycle ratio at 3.0 and by lowering the pH of incoming wastewater to pH 3.8. The COD removal efficiencies were 97--98% at loading rates of 10--20 g-COD[center dot]L[sup [minus]1][center dot]day[sup [minus]1], but were reduced to 86%--90% at 29--65 g-COD[center dot]L[sup [minus]1][center dot]day[sup [minus]1]. When the loading was further increased to 77 g-COD[center dot]L[sup [minus]1][center dot]day[sup [minus]1], the reactor abruptly failed due to the sudden decrease of the pH. About 94% of COD of the formate removed was converted to methane with a sludge yield of 0.05 g-VSS[center dot]g-COD[sup [minus]1]. The small sludge granules settled satisfactorily and had a maximum specific methane production rate (SMPR) of 2.06 g-COD[center dot]VSS[sup [minus]1][center dot]day[sup [minus]1]. The specific methane activity (SMA) of granules using formate as substrate was 2.90 g-COD[center dot]g-VSS[sup [minus]1][center dot]day[sup [minus]1]; but the granules were usable to degrade other fatty acids. Microscopic examination indicated that the granules mainly comprised Methanobacterium formicicum-like bacteria, plus a small amount of Methanococcus vannielii-like bacteria, and an unknown species of bacterium.

• OSTI ID: 6978409
• Journal Information: Journal of Environmental Engineering (New York); (United States), Vol. 120:5; ISSN 0733-9372
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
FORMATES
REMOVAL
WASTE WATER
WASTE PROCESSING
BIODEGRADATION
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
CARBOXYLIC ACID SALTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LIQUID WASTES
MANAGEMENT
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WATER
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)