Anaerobic Biodegradation of Cyclamate and Sucralose: Influence of Feeding Strategy, Cycle Length, and Temperature.

• Grant number: 24/05026-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2024
• End date: May 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Principal Investigator: Suzana Maria Ratusznei
• Grantee: João Pedro Paz Tinti
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia Mauá (EEM). Instituto Mauá de Tecnologia. São Caetano do Sul , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Sweeteners are part of the composition of foods, feeds, beverages, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products. Treated or untreated wastewater has shown elevated concentrations of these compounds due to limited metabolism by consumers, industrial discharges, and the low efficiency of conventional sewage treatment systems in removing them. The continuous accumulation of sweeteners has great potential to trigger adverse effects on humans and the environment. Removing sweeteners, such as sucralose and cyclamate, through anaerobic processes is a good alternative, as it requires less energy and has lower costs than other processes (physicochemical or aerobic). Anaerobic reactors operated in sequential batch mode with immobilized biomass (AnSBBR) are suitable for anaerobic digestion of effluents and constitute an alternative discontinuous technological option, allowing greater control of effluent quality and flexibility in feeding strategy (different cycle lengths). These reactor configurations have been studied by the School of Engineering Mauá of the Mauá Institute of Technology (EEM/IMT) regarding bioenergy production (H2/CH4), biomolecules (PHA/BioCelulose), and micro pollutant removal. In this context, this project aims to study an anaerobic reactor operated in sequential batch and fed-batch modes containing immobilized biomass (AnSBBR), with mechanical agitation and under mesophilic conditions, applied to the removal of cyclamate and sucralose from synthetic sanitary wastewater, also including caffeine as a standard compound for comparison. The variables studied will be feeding strategy, cycle length, temperature, and the stability and efficiency of the process regarding substrate and micropollutant conversion, methane productivity, and yield.