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| Author(s): |
Julia Sumiko Hirasawa
Total Authors: 1
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| Document type: | Doctoral Thesis |
| Press: | São Carlos. |
| Institution: | Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC/SBD) |
| Defense date: | 2007-11-23 |
| Examining board members: |
Maria Bernadete Amâncio Varesche Silva;
Nelma Regina Segnini Bossolan;
Eugenio Foresti;
Roberto Alves de Oliveira;
Marcelo Zaiat
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| Advisor: | Maria Bernadete Amâncio Varesche Silva |
| Abstract | |
A microbial characterization of granular sludge from an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (UASB) was carried out by molecular biology techniques. The reactor with 1,5 L of volume was operated with HRT of 12 h under mesophilic (30 \'+ OR -\' 2ºC) and sulfidogenic conditions, in the presence of 3.0 \'+ OR -\' 0.7 mg \'O IND.2\'/L. The granular sludge samples were withdrawn from the bottom (P1) and upper (P2) parts of the reactor. The synthetic substrate used in the reactor feeding was composed by Zinder basal medium in addition with a solution of vitamins, trace metal and sodium bicarbonate (10%). The Zinder basal medium was prepared daily with tap water with pH value varying from 7 to 8. Concentrations of ethanol and sodium sulfate were applied as organic and sulfur sources, respectively. Three different COD/sulfate ratios (3,0, 1,6 and 2,0) were evaluated in these conditions. The fluorescent in situ hibridization (FISH) analysis demonstrated the predominance of methanogenic archaea, detected by ARC915 specific probe, in all the operational conditions, with mean values of 75.9%, 77.1% and 85.4% in P1 and 78.6%, 73.4% and 83.1% in P2. The sequencing of the excised band of DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) showed similarity of 96% with the acetoclastic archaea Methanosaeta sp. The bacterial community (EUB338 probe) varied from 9.6% to 36.2% in P1 and from 15.5% to 37.4% in P2. Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), detected by SRB385 probe, varied from 7.9% to 10.8% and from 8.7% to 19.8% in P1 and P2, respectively. Other identified microorganisms were Shewanella sp. and Desulfitobacterium hafniense Y51 bacteria, and the sulfate-reducing Desulfovibrio vulgaris subsp. vulgaris DP4. Granule-size distribution did not significantly change during the assays. Granules of size varying from 2 mm to 3 mm, that generally represent the active biomass inside the reactor, accounted for 76% of the total quantified percentage; while, granules of size varying from 1 mm to 2 mm, that suggest the formation of new granules in the reactor, presented mean percentage of 17% of the total. The mean produced concentrations of methane and sulfide in the reactor were equal to 33 \'mü\'mol/mL and 1.5 \'mü\'mol/mL of biogas, respectively. The obtained results indicated that the applied oxygen concentration did not severely affect the metabolism of the strictly anaerobic microorganisms. This fact was evidenced by the obtained result of the oxidation-reduction potential that remained equal to -208 mV, even in the presence of oxygen. The mean removal efficiencies of organic matter (COD) and sulfate also achieved favourable results with values higher than 74%. (AU) | |