Evaluation of a combined anaerobic and aerobic system for the treatment of slaughterhouse wastewater

• Published in: Environmental technology Vol. 31; no. 3; pp. 319 - 326
• Main Authors: López-López, A., Vallejo-Rodríguez, R., Méndez-Romero, D.C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis Group 01.03.2010; Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Abattoirs; Aeration; Aerobiosis; anaerobic filter; Anaerobic treatment; Anaerobiosis; Animals; Applied sciences; batch reactor; Bioreactors; Chemical engineering; Chemical oxygen demand; Crack opening displacement; Equipment Design; Exact sciences and technology; Gases; General purification processes; Industrial Waste - analysis; Kinetics; Methane; Methane - chemistry; Oxygen - chemistry; Oxygen demand; Pollution; Reactors; sequential batch reactor; slaughterhouse; Slaughterhouses; Time Factors; treatment system; Waste water; wastewater; Wastewaters; Water Pollutants, Chemical - isolation & purification; Water Purification - methods; Water treatment; Water treatment and pollution; British Isles; Methane; Organic matter; wastewater; batch reactor; Laboratory scale; anaerobic filter; sequential batch reactor; Aerobe; Retention time; Waste water; Aeration; Batchwise; Anaerobe; Organic loading; Chemical oxygen demand; Industrial waste water; First order; Production; Water quality; treatment system; Kinetics; Reactor; Slaughterhouse
• ISSN: 0959-3330; 1479-487X
• DOI: 10.1080/09593330903470693

A laboratory scale anaerobic/aerobic (An/Ar) system, comprising an anaerobic filter (AF) coupled to an aerobic sequential batch reactor (SBR), was developed to treat wastewater from a slaughterhouse. The AF operated with organic loadings (OL) from 3.7 to 16.5 kg m −3 d −1 and a hydraulic retention time (HRT) ranging from 16 to 72 h. The efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal was between 50 and 81% and was shown to be related inversely to the value of the OL. The production rate of methane was in the region of 411 mL per g of COD removed. On the other hand, the degradation of organic matter (OM) by an aerobic pathway in the SBR followed first-order kinetics with regard to OM concentration; 85% of the remaining OM from the AF was eliminated within 6 h of aeration, and over 95% of total OM was eliminated as COD within 9 h. The optimal treatment conditions in this system were found at OL = 11.0 kg m −3 d −1 and HRT = 24 h in the AF, whereas the SBR was most efficient at 9 h of aeration.