title: Performance and microbial community analysis of a pilot-scale UASB for corn-ethanol wastewater treatment.
abstract: The performance and microbial community structure of a pilot-scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor inoculated with flocculent sludge were investigated over 52 days. The characteristics of corn-ethanol wastewater were as follows: CODCr, 1,050-4,970 mg l(-1); ammonia, 14-298 mg l(-1); and alkalinity, 332-2,867 mg l(-1). The UASB could start up smoothly with a hydraulic loading rate lower than 180 l h(-1) and a ratio of volatile fatty acid versus alkalinity between 0.04 and 0.48. The maximum gas production rate was 432 l h(-1) and the highest volumetric loading rate of 7.2 kg m(-3) day(-1) was obtained after 48 days. The 1 mm granules could form a complex network and were composed of many Methanosaeta. Aceticlastic methanogens served as a dominant methanogenic group, which accounted for the relatively high resistance to shock loading.
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou, 450011, China, huangjianpingh@163.com.
authors.forename: Jianping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Chunhui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xi
mesh_terms: D000468:Alkalies / Q000032:analysis; D000641:Ammonia / Q000032:analysis; D001105:Archaea / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D057919:Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology; D058448:Biota; D000431:Ethanol / Q000378:metabolism*; D007220:Industrial Waste; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D003313:Zea mays / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000468:Alkalies; D000641:Ammonia; D000431:Ethanol; D007220:Industrial Waste; D012722:Sewage; D062065:Wastewater