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The removal of heavy metals in anaerobic upflow sludge blanket reactors
Author(s) -
Mehrotra I.,
Alibhai K. R. K.,
Forster C. F.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of chemical technology and biotechnology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.64
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1097-4660
pISSN - 0268-2575
DOI - 10.1002/jctb.280370307
Subject(s) - zinc , chromium , chemistry , adsorption , heavy metals , metal , biogas , environmental chemistry , waste management , organic chemistry , engineering
The continuous removal of heavy metals by the biological solids in an anaerobic reactor has been examined. The metals used were chromium (III), zinc and lead. Both competitive and non‐competitive removal was studied. The results were evaluated in terms of adsorption isotherms and were compared with earlier batch studies. This suggested that the sludge acted as a cation‐exchange material, with chromium having a much lower binding intensity than lead and zinc. The data also suggest that the nature of the sludge surface is of considerable significance in determining the capacity and intensity of binding. The effect of the metals on biogas formation was also examined. This showed that inhibition of the gas formation was a function of the metal concentration and that the relative toxicities appeared to be zinc > lead > chromium.