Degradation of high concentrations of nonionic surfactant (linear alcohol ethoxylate) in an anaerobic fluidized bed reactor

Author(s)

Motteran, Fabricio ^[1] ; Braga, Juliana Kawanishi ^[1] ; Sakamoto, Isabel Kimiko ^[1] ; Silva, Edson Luiz ^[2] ; Amancio Varesche, Maria Bernadete ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Engn Sao Carlos, Dept Hydraul & Sanitat, BR-13566590 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Sao Carlos, Dept Chem Engn, BR-13565905 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Science of The Total Environment; v. 481, p. 121-128, MAY 15 2014.
• Web of Science Citations: 18

Abstract

The removal and degradation of the nonionic surfactant linear alcohol ethoxylate (LAE)Genapol (R) C-100 in an anaerobic fluidized bed reactor were evaluated with 4.7 mg LAE/L to 107A mg LAE/L added to the synthetic substrate (535 +/- 121 mg/L to 882 +/- 126 mg/L of organic matter). High removal efficiencies of the COD (chemical oxygen demand) (88%) and LAE (98%) were observed even at high surfactant concentrations during the 492 days of operation. The absence of sucrose in the synthetic substrate modified the microbial community. Similarity coefficients between the phases with sucrose and without sucrose were 74% and 59% for the Archaea and Bacteria domains, respectively. The higher LAE removal (98%) was obtained for the 97.9 mg LAE/L influent in the absence of the co-substrate, as well as the greater diversity of volatile fatty acid. At the end of the reactor operation 2.05 mg of LAE was adsorbed in the biomass and 98.5% was biodegraded. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/18885-0 - DEGRADATION OF NON IONIC SURFACTANT LINEAR ALCOHOL ETHOXYLATE IN ANAEROBIC FLUIDIZED BED
• Grantee: Fabricio Motteran
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate