Title: Performance of Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactor treating simulated wastewaters containing 1,1,2-Trichloroethane and 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane

Authors: Debolina Basu; Sudhir Kumar Gupta

Addresses: Centre for Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India. ' Centre for Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India

Abstract: Reactors R2 and R3 were investigated for biodegradation of 1,1,2-Trichloroethane and 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane respectively, during acclimation phase. Reactor R1 was maintained as control. The stepwise increment in concentration of 1,1,2-TCA from 5 mg/L to 40 mg/L in R2 caused no inhibition to reactor performance. The percentage of 1,1,2-TCA and COD removal was 99.9% and 98.6%, respectively. Severe inhibition to methanogenesis occurred at 30 mg/L of 1,1,2,2-TeCA, showing decrease in percentage COD removal to 45.5%, reduction in biogas production by 45–60% and increase in effluent VFA concentration to 172 mg/L. The sludge in R3 was acclimated upto 20 mg/L of 1,1,2,2-TeCA.The percentage of 1,1,2,2-TeCA and COD removal was 99.1% and 98.2%, respectively.

Keywords: acclimation; biodegradation; UASB reactors; upflow anaerobic sludge blanket; 1,1,2-TCA; 1,1,2-Trichloroethane; 1,1,2,2-TeCA; 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane; wastewater treatment.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2012.044168

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2012 Vol.9 No.1/2, pp.181 - 190

Published online: 13 Dec 2014 *

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