title: Anaerobic treatment of wastewater with high organic content using a stirred tank reactor coupled with a membrane filtration unit.
abstract: Using a cross-flow membrane bioreactor, high anaerobic conversion rates of three different types of wastewater with varying organic content were achieved. Loading rates obtained were as follows: 20 g CODL(-1) x d(-1) for artificial wastewater, approximately 8 g CODL(-1) x d(-1) from vegetable processing industry (sauerkraut brine) and 6-8 g CODL(-1) x d(-1) for wastewater from an animal slaughterhouse. At stable conditions, COD-removal rates in all three wastewaters were higher than 90%. Methane yields from the treatment of artificial wastewater, sauerkraut brine, and animal slaughterhouse wastewater were in the range of 0.17-0.30, 0.20-0.34, and 0.12-0.32 L(n) x g(-1) COD(-1) fed, respectively. The complete retention of biomass and suspended solids is a unique feature of this treatment process, which combines a high loading capacity and at the same time, high COD removal rates even for complex wastewater containing high concentrations of particulate matter.
authors.affiliation: IFA-Tulln, Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Konrad Lorenz Strasse 20, 3430, Tulln, Austria. fuchs@ifa-tullin.ac.at
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Binder
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mavrias
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Braun
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000693:Anaerobiosis; D000818:Animals; D019149:Bioreactors; D005374:Filtration / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D018508:Water Purification / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D009930:Organic Chemicals