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Retention of Sulfate‐Reducing Bacteria in Expanded Granular‐Sludge‐Blanket Reactors
Author(s) -
De Smul Andy,
Verstraete Willy
Publication year - 1999
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 - 10.2175/106143097x122077
Subject(s) - sulfate , chemistry , sulfate reducing bacteria , formate , bacteria , methane , blanket , sulfur , bioreactor , waste management , biochemistry , catalysis , materials science , organic chemistry , biology , engineering , composite material , genetics
In acetate‐fed, expanded granular‐sludge‐blanket reactors with a liquid upflow velocity between 3.5 and 4.5 m/h and pH 8.0 to 8.5, calcium‐containing tap water tended to select for sulfate‐reducing bacteria, whereas demineralized tap water promoted methane production. In a formate‐fed, sulfate‐reducing, expanded granular‐sludge‐blanket reactor operated at pH 8.25 to 8.65, maximum sulfate removal rate was 9.5 g sulfur/L·d at the slowest liquid upflow velocity tested (3.0 m/h). The latter was only possible if methane‐producing bacteria were repressed by two consecutive doses of 3.85 g/L 2‐bromo‐ethane sulfonate. These laboratory‐scale experiments confirm the presumed limited capacity of sulfate‐reducing bacteria to multiply to high biomass densities in upflow reactor systems.