Removal of anionic surfactant of commercial laundry wastewater diluted in sewage in an enlarged expanded granular sludge bed reactor

• Grant number: 14/26582-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2015
• End date: December 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: Maria Bernadete Amâncio Varesche
• Grantee: Alana Gandra Lima de Moura
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 09/15984-0 - Bioenergy production from wastewaters and environmental fitting of liquid and solid wastes generated, AP.TEM

Abstract

Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonate (LAS) is an anionic surfactant of high consumption worldwide. An alternative for the anaerobic degradation of these recalcitrant substance is the use of the EGSB reactor (expanded granular sludge bed) with effluent recirculation, which promotes mixing and dilution of the toxic and then facilitates its removal and degradation. The dilution of the laundry wastewater in sewage increases affluent organic carbon concentration, facilitating the action of microrganisms. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the removal of LAS of commercial laundry wastewater in EGSB reactor with hydraulic retention time of 36 hours, and without synthetic organic carbon supplementation, but with the dilution of this wastewater in sewage instead. Analysis will be performed for periodic monitoring, such as COD, pH, alkalinity, volatile organic acids, sulfate, sulfite, total solids and LAS. Furthermore, analysis of LAS concentration in the granules will be done, in order to assess the amount of surfactante adsorbed, removed and degraded according to the operation time.