Effects of temperature and hydraulic residence time (HRT) on treatment of dilute wastewater in a carrier anaerobic baffled reactor.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effect of hydraulic residence time (HRT) on the performance and stability, to treat dilute wastewater at different operational temperatures in a carrier anaerobic baffled reactor (CABR), and hence to gain a deeper insight into microbial responses to hydraulic shocks on the base of the relationships among macroscopic performance, catabolic intermediate, and microcosmic alternation.


METHODS
COD, VFAs, and microbial activity were detected with constant feed strength (300 mg/L) at different HRTs (9-18 h) and temperatures (10 degrees C-28 degrees C) in a CABR.


RESULTS
The removal efficiencies declined with the decreases of HRTs and temperatures. However, the COD removal load was still higher at short HRT than at long HRT. Devastating reactor performance happened at temperature of 10 degrees C and at HRT of 9 h. HRTs had effect on the VFAs in the reactor slightly both at high and low temperatures, but the reasons differed from each other. Microbial activity was sensitive to indicate changes of environmental and operational parameters in the reactor.


CONCLUSIONS
The CABR offers to certain extent an application to treat dilute wastewater under a hydraulic-shock at temperatures from 10 degrees C to 28 degrees C.
Feng
Hua-Jun
HJ
College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, Zhejiang, China.
Hu
Li-Fang
LF
Shan
Dan
D
Fang
Cheng-Ran
CR
Shen
Dong-Sheng
DS
D000693:Anaerobiosis; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D018533:Biomass; D019149:Bioreactors; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000378:metabolism; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid
D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D012722:Sewage; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D010100:Oxygen