Evaluation of a combined anaerobic and aerobic system for the treatment of slaughterhouse wastewater.
A laboratory scale anaerobic/aerobic (An/Ar) system, comprising an anaerobic filter (AF) coupled to an aerobic sequential batch reactor (SBR), was developed to treat wastewater from a slaughterhouse. The AF operated with organic loadings (OL) from 3.7 to 16.5 kg m(-3) d(-1) and a hydraulic retention time (HRT) ranging from 16 to 72 h. The efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal was between 50 and 81% and was shown to be related inversely to the value of the OL. The production rate of methane was in the region of 411 mL per g of COD removed. On the other hand, the degradation of organic matter (OM) by an aerobic pathway in the SBR followed first-order kinetics with regard to OM concentration; 85% of the remaining OM from the AF was eliminated within 6 h of aeration, and over 95% of total OM was eliminated as COD within 9 h. The optimal treatment conditions in this system were found at OL = 11.0 kg m-3 d(-1) and HRT = 24 h in the AF, whereas the SBR was most efficient at 9 h of aeration.
López-López
A
A
Centro de Investigación y Asistencia en Tecnología y Diseño del Estado de Jalisco AC (CIATEJ), Normalistas 800, Colinas de la Normal, 44270, Guadalajara, Jal. México. alopez103@yahoo.com
Vallejo-Rodríguez
R
R
Méndez-Romero
D C
DC
D000003:Abattoirs; D000332:Aerobiosis; D000693:Anaerobiosis; D000818:Animals; D019149:Bioreactors; D004867:Equipment Design; D005740:Gases; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D007700:Kinetics; D008697:Methane / Q000737:chemistry; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D013997:Time Factors; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
D005740:Gases; D007220:Industrial Waste; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008697:Methane; D010100:Oxygen