title: Long-term performance and stability of a continuous granular airlift reactor treating a high-strength wastewater containing a mixture of aromatic compounds.
abstract: Continuous feeding operation of an airlift reactor and its inoculation with mature aerobic granules allowed the successful treatment of a mixture of aromatic compounds (p-nitrophenol, o-cresol and phenol). Complete biodegradation of p-nitrophenol, o-cresol, phenol and their metabolic intermediates was achieved at an organic loading rate of 0.61 g COD L(-1)d(-1). Stable granulation was obtained throughout the long-term operation (400 days) achieving an average granule size of 2.0 ± 1 mm and a sludge volumetric index of 26 ± 1 mL g(-1) TSS. The identified genera in the aerobic granular biomass were heterotrophic bacteria able to consume aromatic compounds. Therefore, the continuous feeding regimen and the exposure of aerobic granules to a mixture of aromatic compounds make possible to obtain good granulation and high removal efficiency.
authors.affiliation: GENOCOV Research Group, Department of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Edifici Q, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.affiliation: GENOCOV Research Group, Department of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Edifici Q, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: María Eugenia
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Suárez-Ojeda
authors.affiliation: GENOCOV Research Group, Department of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Edifici Q, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: julian.carrera@uab.cat.
authors.forename: Julián
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carrera
mesh_terms: D000332:Aerobiosis; D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism; D057919:Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; D018533:Biomass; D019149:Bioreactors; D006841:Hydrocarbons, Aromatic / Q000737:chemistry*; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D010316:Particle Size; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D006841:Hydrocarbons, Aromatic; D007220:Industrial Waste; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Aerobic granules; Airlift reactor; Industrial wastewaters; Phenolic compounds