An innovative reactor design for the treatment of biologically inhibitory wastewater

Miscellaneous · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:5605864

Fox, P

The anaerobic expanded-bed granular activated carbon (GAC) reactor combines biological and physical removal mechanisms to continuously treat biologically inhibitory wastewaters. An innovative reactor design that decouples biological and physical removal mechanisms by combining a GAC adsorber with a biological reactor was developed and studied. The innovative reactor design was compared with a single stage GAC reactor while both reactor systems were operated with identical influents. A synthetic wastewater composed of acetate and 3-ethylphenol was used throughout the study. Acetate was removed biologically while 3-ethylphenol was removed by both adsorption onto GAC and by biodegradation. The performance of the innovative reactor design was superior to the conventional reactor in all respects. The innovative reactor design provided both long sludges and control over the amount of physical adsorptive capacity. These features made the hybrid reactor design ideal for the treatment of high-strength wastewater. Long sludge ages allowed for growth of slow growing 3-ethylphenol utilizing organisms while control of adsorptive removal capacity maintained the concentration of 3-ethylphenol below the inhibitory level. Variations in the influent loading were easily compensated for by varying the amount of adsorptive removal capacity. In the single-stage GAC reactor 3-ethylphenol utilizing organisms washed out of the reactor at a sludge age of 9.3 days. Under biologically inhibited conditions, the single-stage GAC reactor failed. Biological kinetics were characterized through the use of batch tests. A unique fed batch technique was used to observe the biodegradation of 3-ethylphenol. Biodegradation of 3-ethylphenol was described by Haldane kinetics and the effect of 3-ethylphenol on the biodegradation of acetate was described by competitive inhibition.

• Research Organization: Illinois Univ., Urbana, IL (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5605864
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACETATES
BIODEGRADATION
BIOREACTORS
DESIGN
PHENOLS
WASTE WATER
DECONTAMINATION
ADSORPTION
ANAEROBIC CONDITIONS
MICROORGANISMS
AROMATICS
CARBOXYLIC ACID SALTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CLEANING
DECOMPOSITION
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
LIQUID WASTES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SORPTION
WASTES
WATER
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology