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High rate of biological removal of sulfate, organic matter, and metals in UASB reactor to treat synthetic acid mine drainage and cheese whey wastewater as carbon source
Author(s) -
Sampaio Gabriela F.,
Santos Angelica M.,
Costa Patricia R.,
Rodriguez Renata P.,
Sancinetti Giselle P.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
water environment research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.356
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1554-7531
pISSN - 1061-4303
DOI - 10.1002/wer.1235
Subject(s) - sulfate , effluent , acid mine drainage , wastewater , sulfate reducing bacteria , chemistry , bicarbonate , hydraulic retention time , bioreactor , organic matter , pulp and paper industry , electron donor , environmental chemistry , carbon fibers , waste management , environmental engineering , environmental science , catalysis , biochemistry , organic chemistry , engineering , materials science , composite number , composite material
The anaerobic biological treatment of sulfate‐rich effluents, such as acid mine drainage (AMD), is mediated by sulfate‐reducing bacteria (SRB). This process involves the reduction of sulfates in the presence of an electron donor. Complex carbon compounds can be used as electron donors. In the present study, was used an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor to co‐treat a low‐pH synthetic AMD and cheese whey wastewater (CWW). Were observed higher sulfate and COD removal rates (1,114 ± 88 and 1,214 ± 128 mg L −1 day −1 , respectively) at higher sulfate and applied COD loading rates (1,500 mg L −1 day −1 ). The overall pH of the effluent remained above 6.4 without any bicarbonate supplementation. Almost 100% of the Fe, Zn, and Cu was removed and the presence of metals improved the process. The use of a single reactor to treat AMD and CWW is promising. Practitioner points Wastewater cheese whey was electron donor for treating acid mine drainage in an UASB reactor. Metals additions in the system indicated an increased removal of COD. About 99% of the metals were removed with the treatment.