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Anaerobic Treatment of High‐Saline Wastewater Using Halophilic Methanogens in Laboratory‐Scale Anaerobic Filters
Author(s) -
Riffat R.,
Krongthamchat K.
Publication year - 2007
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 - 10.2175/106143006x111763
Subject(s) - anaerobic filter , halophile , anaerobic exercise , wastewater , chemical oxygen demand , pulp and paper industry , chemistry , sewage treatment , sodium , anaerobic digestion , food science , environmental chemistry , environmental engineering , biology , environmental science , methane , bacteria , organic chemistry , engineering , genetics , physiology
The presence of a high concentration of sodium in wastewater is considered inhibitory for anaerobic biological treatment. This research was designed to investigate the potential use of halophilic methanogens and a mixed culture of halophilic methanogens and digester sludge, in anaerobic filters, for treatment of organic pollutants in high‐saline wastewater at 35°C. Data related to startup of the filters are presented. Both halophilic and mixed‐culture anaerobic filters were able to operate at a sodium chloride concentration of 35 g/L, at organic loading rates (OLRs) of 6.2 and 5 kg chemical oxygen demand (COD)/m 3 · d, respectively. The COD removal efficiency was as high as 80%, and the systems were able to maintain a low volatile fatty acids concentration of 500 mg/L. No significant difference in COD removal was observed between the halophilic filter and the mixed‐culture filter. Increasing the salt concentration to 37 g/L at an OLR of 3 kg/m 3 · d caused system failure.