Biological sulphide removal from anaerobically treated domestic sewage: reactor performance and microbial community dynamics.
We developed a biological sulphide oxidation system and evaluated two reactors (shaped similar to the settler compartment of an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket [UASB] reactor) with different support materials for biomass retention: polypropylene rings and polyurethane foam. The start-up reaction was achieved using microorganisms naturally occurring on the open surface of UASB reactors treating domestic wastewater. Sulphide removal efficiencies of 65% and 90% were achieved with hydraulic retention times (HRTs) of 24 and 12 h, respectively, in both reactors. However, a higher amount of elemental sulphur was formed and accumulated in the biomass from reactor 1 (20 mg S(0) g(-1) VTS) than in that from reactor 2 (2.9 mg S(0) g(-1) VTS) with an HRT of 24 h. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) results revealed that the the pink and green biomass that developed in both reactors comprised a diverse bacterial community and had sequences related to phototrophic green and purple-sulphur bacteria such as Chlorobium sp., Chloronema giganteum, and Chromatiaceae. DGGE band patterns also demonstrated that bacterial community was dynamic over time within the same reactor and that different support materials selected for distinct bacterial communities. Taken together, these results indicated that sulphide concentrations of 1-6 mg L(-1) could be efficiently removed from the effluent of a pilot-scale UASB reactor in two sulphide biological oxidation reactors at HRTs of 12 and 24 h, showing the potential for sulphur recovery from anaerobically treated domestic wastewater.
a Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering , Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) , Av. Antonio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte , MG 31270-901 , Brazil.
Graziella Patrício Pereira
GP
Garcia
Renata Côrtes Oliveira
RC
Diniz
Sarah Kinaip
SK
Bicalho
Vitor Araujo de Souza
VA
Franco
Eider Max de Oliveira
EM
Gontijo
Rodrigo Argolo
RA
Toscano
Kenia Oliveira
KO
Canhestro
Merly Rita Dos
MR
Santos
Ana Luiza Rodrigues Dias
AL
Carmo
Livia Cristina S
LC
Lobato
Emanuel Manfred F
EM
Brandt
Carlos A L
CA
Chernicharo
Juliana
J
Calabria de Araujo
D000693:Anaerobiosis; D018533:Biomass; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology*; D041883:Chlorobium / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D012722:Sewage / Q000032:analysis* / Q000382:microbiology*; D013440:Sulfides / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism
D012722:Sewage; D013440:Sulfides; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
DGGE analysis; UASB reactor effluent; biological sulphide oxidation; elemental sulphur; green and purple sulphur bacteria