title: Seasonal and wastewater stream variation of trace organic compounds in a dairy processing plant aerobic bioreactor.
abstract: Bioreactors are often an integral part of dairy factory efforts to reduce the biological oxygen demand of their wastewater. In this study, infeed, mixed liquor and supernatant samples of an aerobic bioreactor used by a dairy factory in South-Eastern Australia were analyzed for nutrients and organic compounds using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and physicochemical analyses. Despite different concentrations of organic inputs into the bioreactor, nutrients and trace organic compounds were reduced significantly (i.e. average concentration of trace organic compounds: infeed=1681 μg/L; mixed liquor=257 μg/L; supernatant=23 μg/L). However, during one sampling period the bioreactor was adversely affected by the organic loading. Trace organic compounds in the samples were predominantly fatty acids associated with animal products. The analyses suggest that it is possible to trace a disruptive input (i.e. infeed with high organic carbon concentrations) into an aerobic bioreactor by measuring concentrations of fatty acids or ammonia.
authors.affiliation: Future Farming Systems Research Division, Department of Primary Industries, 1301 Hazeldean Road, Ellinbank, Victoria 3821, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Heaven
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wild
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Verheyen
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cruickshank
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nash
mesh_terms: D000332:Aerobiosis; D001315:Australia; D019149:Bioreactors; D003612:Dairying; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis*; D012621:Seasons; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D009930:Organic Chemicals; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical