Monitoring of anaerobic fluidized bed reactor submitted to different concentrations of nonionic surfactante

• Grant number: 12/05053-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2012
• End date: April 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: Maria Bernadete Amâncio Varesche
• Grantee: Caio Amancio Cristovão Martins
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The nonionic surfactant linear alcohol ethoxylate (LAE) is an important component of the cleaning products. In recent decades these nonionic surfactants has called great attention, mainly because of their high consumption of products both in domestic and industrial use. This great world consumption tends to increase the release of this compound in domestic sewage and industrial wastewater, which could compromise the treatment process, it is due to foam formation or inhibition of microorganisms responsible for biological treatment. The linear alcohol ethoxylate degradation, in aerobic system, has been extensively studied. However, in anaerobic system there are few experiments with this purpose. The aim of this research is to study the removal efficiency of organic matter in anaerobic fluidized bed reactor with biofilm attached submitted to different LAE concentrations. The anaerobic fluidized bed reactor, in lab-scale (1.3 L), will be filled with sand as support material and it will be operated continuously. Sludge from a UASB reactor, employed in swine wastewater treatment, will be used for the reactor inoculation and it will be fed with synthetic substrate supplemented with LAE (Genapol® C-100). The operating phases will be referring to inoculation, biomass adaptation and surfactant addition in the nominal concentrations of 50 mg/L and 100 mg/L. Analysis of pH, alkalinity, COD, volatile fatty acids and LAE will be carried out for the influent and effluent reactor monitoring. (AU)