Title: Anaerobic biodegradation of olive mill wastewater: batch and UASB reactor performance

Authors: Wala'a Alshiekh Abdallah; Omar Zimmo; Eldon R. Rene; Peter Van Der Steen

Addresses: Faculty of Engineering, Birzeit University, P.O. Box 14, Birzeit, West Bank, Palestine ' Faculty of Engineering, Birzeit University, P.O. Box 14, Birzeit, West Bank, Palestine ' Department of Environmental Engineering and Water Technology, UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, P.O. Box 3015, 2601 DA Delft, The Netherlands ' Department of Environmental Engineering and Water Technology, UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, P.O. Box 3015, 2601 DA Delft, The Netherlands

Abstract: Batch biodegradability tests were carried out to determine the digestibility of olive mill waste water (OMW), the COD removal and potential methane (CH₄) yield. The tests were prepared with anaerobic sludge and different volumes of OMW (0 ml, 10 ml unfiltered, 20 ml unfiltered and 10 ml of filtered sample). The biodegradability of the mixtures based on the gas production rate was 43, 58, 53, and 59%, respectively. Anaerobic treatment of OMW was also investigated in an up flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor at organic loading rates (OLRs) between 1.6 and 8 kg COD m⁻³ d⁻¹ at a hydraulic retention time of 15 h. The results showed stable COD removal efficiencies (∼85%) for OLRs up to 7.6 kg m⁻³ d⁻¹. Gradual improvement in the biogas production rate was observed with higher OLRs. The highest CH₄ yield was about 0.37 L CH₄ g⁻¹ of COD removed.

Keywords: COD removal; chemical oxygen demand; methane yield; CH4; olive mill wastewater; organic loading rate; OLR; up flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors; UASB reactors; anaerobic biodegradation; reactor performance; batch biodegradability; wastewater treatment; anaerobic sludge; gas production rate; hydraulic retention time; biogas production.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGENVI.2017.083430

International Journal of Global Environmental Issues, 2017 Vol.16 No.1/2/3, pp.162 - 175

Received: 06 Aug 2016
Accepted: 03 Sep 2016
Published online: 29 Mar 2017 *

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