Bioreactor performance using biochar and its effect on aerobic granulation

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 300; p. 122620
• Main Authors: Ming, Jie, Wang, Qinghong, Yoza, Brandon A., Liang, Jiahao, Guo, Hongqiao, Li, Jin, Guo, Shaohui, Chen, Chunmao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2020
• Subjects: Aerobic granular sludge; Aerobiosis; Agricultural waste; Biochar; Bioreactors; Charcoal; Granulation; Petroleum wastewater; Sewage; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Waste Water; Aerobic granular sludge; Agricultural waste; Granulation; Biochar; Petroleum wastewater
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2019.122620

•The biochars all accelerated granulation and improved reactor performances.•More functional bacteria enriched in the granules with biochars.•Biochars functioned as nucleus for granular formation with EPS as assistant.•Granular sizes are more related to the surface area and pore size of biochar.•Adsorption capacity and functional composition are more correlated to performance. The effects that rice husk (biochar-rh), rice bran (biochar-rb) and walnut shell (biochar-ws) biochar had on aerobic granulation and reactor performance during the treatment of petroleum wastewater have been investigated. The different biochars reduced aerobic granulation time by 15 days compared with the control and also increased resistance to shock loading. The average COD and TN removal increased by 3.2%–5.1% and 10%–13%, respectively. Bacteria having functional metabolisms associated with the treatment of petroleum wastewaters were enriched in granular sludge that contained biochars. The reactor containing biochar-rb was the most stable and removed the most nutrients. The reactor containing biochar-rh had the largest initial granule size. This study provides insights into how the physicochemical properties of different biochars influence aerobic granular sludge systems.