Effect of sludge treatment on the bioaccumulation of nonylphenol in grass grown on sludge-amended soil

We studied the accumulation of p353-nonylphenol residues in the biomass of grass grown in soil amended with sewage sludge submitted to various conditioning/dewatering treatments. Incubation experiments were conducted growing Poa pratensis in sludge-amended soils and applying one ¹⁴C-labelled isomer of nonylphenol in the different systems. More metabolites than parent compounds were recovered in both roots and leaves of the grass. The type of sludge conditioning and dewatering treatment had a slight effect on the bioaccumulation of nonylphenol and its metabolites. When the grass was cultivated in soils amended with dewatered sludge without conditioning pretreatment, an increased accumulation was observed in the roots, while the final biomass of the grass was lower.     

Polychlorinated biphenyls,polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and alkylphenols in sediments from the Odra River and its tributaries,Poland

Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), nonylphenol (NP) and octylphenol (OP) were measured in sediments collected during June–August 1998 along the Odra River and its tributaries (Warta, Obrzyca, Barycz, Kaczawa and Bóbr Rivers) in Poland. In addition, raw and treated sewage sludge collected from Gdańsk, Poland, were analyzed for the target compounds. Concentrations of PCBs in sediments varied widely, ranging from 2.7 to 412?ng/g, on a dry weight basis (dry wt). PAHs were the predominant compounds in sediments with concentrations ranging from 150 to 19?000?ng/g, dry wt. The distribution of concentrations of PAHs was more homogenous than that of PCBs. NP concentrations in sediments ranged from <1 to 762?ng/g, while that of OP from <1 to 9.8?ng/g, dry wt. Measured concentrations of target analytes in sediments of the Odra River and its tributaries were comparable to or greater than those reported for riverine sediments in other eastern European countries. Concentrations of total PCBs, PAHs and NP in raw and treated sewage sludge collected from a sewage treatment plant in Gdańsk, Poland, were in the ranges of 203–284, 11?720–13?880 and 6760–99?600?ng/g, dry wt, respectively. Primary treatment of sewage did not appear to reduce PCB or PAH concentrations, although NP and OP concentrations were much less in treated sludge than in raw sludge. This is one of a few studies that document concentrations of PCBs, PAHs and NP in sediments of the Odra River and its tributaries in Poland.     

壬基酚与壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚对多刺裸腹溞的复合毒性效应

为了探讨壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚（NP10EO）与其降解产物壬基酚（NP）对多刺裸腹溞的复合毒性效应,在实验室条件下研究了NP和NP10EO单一暴露对多刺裸腹溞的急性毒性和亚慢性毒性,以及两者混合暴露对多刺裸腹溞的联合毒性效应。结果表明：NP和NP10EO两种物质单一暴露对多刺裸腹溞的24 h LC50分别为0.154和3.37 mg.L-1,48 h LC50分别为0.065和2.11 mg.L-1。联合毒性实验中,定义0.5×LC50（NP）＋0.5×LC50（NP10EO）为一个毒性单位（1TU）。NP和NP10EO混合暴露后对多刺裸腹溞的24 h和48 h的LC50分别是0.646TU和0.291TU,联合毒性强度明显高于两种物质单一暴露时的毒性强度。在持续混合暴露条件下,多刺裸腹溞的首次生殖时间延迟、母体体长和初生幼体体长严重缩短、首次生殖数量大幅减少。说明NP和NP10EO对多刺裸腹溞的复合毒性表现出明显的协同效应。     

Occurrence and behavior of pharmaceuticals in sewage treatment plants in eastern China

The occurrence and removal efficiency of seven pharmaceuticals (norfloxacin, trimethoprim, roxithromycin, sulfamethoxazole, ibuprofen, diclofenac and carbamazepine) were determined in three sewage treatment plants (STPs) with anaerobic/anoxic/oxic, anoxic/oxic and oxidation ditches processes in Xuzhou City, Eastern China. The results showed that seven pharmaceuticals were detected in the influent samples with concentrations ranging from 93 to 2540 ng·L⁻¹. The removal of these substances among the three different STPs varied from 36 to 84%, with the highest performance obtained by the wastewater treatment works with tertiary treatment (sand filtration). Most of the compounds were removed effectively during biologic treatment while sand filtration treatment also made a contribution to the total elimination of most pharmaceuticals. The efficiency comparison of the three sewage treatment processes showed that the STP which employed anaerobic/anoxic/oxic was more effective to remove pharmaceuticals than the oxidation ditches and anoxic/oxic.     

Estrogen content and relative performance of Japanese and British sewage treatment plants and their potential impact on endocrine disruption.

Both the UK and Japan are densely populated islands with relatively short rivers. Therefore, both countries are likely to be highly exposed to contaminants emanating from their human populations. This review considered how effective the different sewage treatment facilities of the two countries are at removing steroid estrogens from the effluent. The methods of estrogen analysis in sewage effluent, the number and importance of different sewage treatment types, and their apparent effectiveness at removing estrogens were all considered. In both countries, the activated sludge treatment was dominant in terms of people served and water discharged. The analytical techniques used by those studying estrogen concentrations in effluents in both countries were broadly similar. Activated sludge plant (ASP) effluent in the UK typically contained around 2 ng/L estradiol (E2) and 8 ng/L estrone (E1), while Japanese ASPs typically reported E2 as below detection, and 10 ng/L E1 in their effluents. When estrogenic bioassays were used in Japan, they typically record an estrogenic potency of 10 ng/L E2 equivalents. Even taking into account ethinylestradiol (EE2) (not found in Japanese effluents), the overall estrogenicity of British sewage effluents would appear to be the same as that of Japanese sewage effluents (around 10 ng/L E2 equivalents). This suggests that the ASPs serving the large urban communities in Japan and the UK would have effluent of similar estrogenic potencies. Less information is available about the more numerous biological (trickling) filter plants (BFP) in the UK and oxygen ditches (OD) in Japan which tend to serve smaller, more rural communities. The available data would suggest that the BFPs are significantly less efficient than the ODs at removing E1. This would suggest that in similar circumstances, British headwaters (where this sewage treatment plant (STP) type is often found) might be more at risk from endocrine disruption than their Japanese counterparts. Overall, the apparently higher incidence of endocrine disruption in British wild fish than in Japanese wild fish cannot be attributed to differences in the efficiency of their respective STPs.     

液相色谱-电喷雾质谱法测定污水和污泥中壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚的参数优化

在液相色谱-电喷雾质谱法测定壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚的过程中,对壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚加合离子的形成影响因素进行分析,优化了关键参数,建立了测定污水和污泥中壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚的高分辨高灵敏的液相色谱-电喷雾质谱方法.流动相A为0.1mmol·l~(-1)乙酸钠缓冲液,流动相B为甲醇,各聚合度壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚的加合离子响应值达到最大;锥孔电压没为60V能最大程度上避免[NPnEO+2Na]~(2+)对测定的干扰.NP1EO,NP2EO和NPnEOs(n=3-15)的仪器检出限分别为10pg,1pg和0.1pg.该方法成功用于污水和污泥中壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚的测定.     

Verhalten von Nanosilber in Kläranlagen und dessen Einfluss auf die Nitrifikationsleistung in Belebtschlamm

Background, aim and scope The application of nanosilver is increasing. Knowledge on the fate and behavior of nanosilver in wastewater and wastewater treatment plants is scarce. Studies under real world conditions are completely lacking. We studied (1) the impact of nanosilver on the nitrification of sewage sludge, (2) quantified the mass flow of nanosilver in a pilot-plant, and (3) verified the mass balance in a full-scale municipal wastewater treatment plant where nanosilver is introduced to the municipal plant by an indirect discharger. Materials and Methods The addition of four different nanosilver additives on ammonia oxidation in activated sludge has been studied in batch-reactors at two concentrations (1, 100?mg/L Ag) with two exposure times (2?h, 6?days). The pilot-plant treating 70 population equivalents of domestic wastewater is operated with a 12?day sludge age. Nanosilver was applied to the activated sludge tank within two sludge ages. The silver concentrations were measured in sludge and effluent samples during dosing and the following two sludge ages. The adsorption and speciation of silver particles has been analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Influent, effluent and sludge were sampled on a full-scale plant (60?000 equivalent inhabitants) and analyzed for silver. Results Silver nitrate, metallic nanosilver, nano-scaled silver chloride and microcomposite silver did not show any effect on ammonia oxidation after the addition of 1?mg/L Ag to the activated sludge (corresponding to 250?mg Ag per kg solids). In contrast, 100?mg/L Ag inhibited the nitrification process by 100?% after the addition of silver nitrate and 20–30?% after addition of colloidal polymer-coated nanosilver. A complete mass balance of the pilot-plant, a steady-state system with known fluxes, demonstrates significant enrichment of silver in the sewage sludge (96?%) after the addition of silver chloride to the plant and small losses of silver into the secondary effluent (4?%). The mass fluxes are similar to metallic colloidal nanosilver investigated under the same conditions. The mass balance has been consistently confirmed by the full-scale study in a municipal wastewater treatment plant. The silver fluxes correspond to the fluxes of the suspended solids in sludge and effluent. Overall, it is estimated that from public wastewater treatment plants about 4–40?mg/a Ag per inhabitant equivalent are discharged annually to the receiving water. The analysis by SEM-EDX demonstrates adsorption and incorporation of nanosilver on biological flocs. This method yields first insight into complex building and transformation of silver associated with sulfide after adding metallic nanosilver and silver chloride to wastewater. Discussion Silver ions released from nanosilver react immediately with large amounts of chloride present in wastewater to form silver chloride. Silver ions may react with organic ligands or sulfide groups additionally. Consequently, even silver nitrate added with 1?mg/L Ag (250?mg Ag/kg TS) to activated sludge did not inhibit nitrification activity. Very high amounts of nanosilver, i.?e. 100?mg/L Ag, overburdened the system and equilibrium condition between silver ion release and ligands was not reached. The mass balance reflects the excellent attachment of nanosilver to activated sludge and biological flocs. Therefore, the main elimination process of nanosilver is attachment to the activated sludge. The elimination of nanosilver is high compared to organic and inorganic micro pollutants omnipresent in wastewater. Any further reduction of suspended solids in the effluent water will reduce the silver load. Conclusions Generally, in wastewater nanosilver occurs bonded to activated sludge flocs and therefore the elimination of nanosilver is efficient under operation conditions typical for wastewater treatment plants. The major fraction of nanosilver is removed from the system by the excess sludge withdrawal. Nonetheless, the efficiency may be further improved by a tertiary filtration step. All analyses of influent, effluent and sludge confirmed that silver exists as silver sulfide. Due to a negligible water solubility of this silver species, silver ions are not subsequently released. Recommendations and perspectives Nanosilver research should be driven to the identification of transformation processes in real environmental matrices and the influence of coatings on the adsorption behavior. There is no need for action to take special measures for nanosilver removal in the area of municipal wastewater treatment plants compared to ubiquitous hazardous organic pollutants may present in wastewater. Nevertheless, source control measures following the precautionary principle should be performed.     

广州市某A2/O工艺城镇污水处理厂出水对大型溞的生殖毒性作用

城镇污水处理厂废水中存在大量生物毒性物质,但该废水对动物的生殖能力影响研究还十分缺乏。利用大型溞暴露实验,检测广州市某采用A~2/O工艺的城镇污水处理厂出水的急性毒性和生殖毒性。48 h急性毒性实验表明,所有水样均未表现出急性毒性效应。慢性生殖毒性(14 d)测试结果表明:(1)从进水到缺氧池出水均能显著提高第一胎产溞数量;(2)进水和沉砂池出水显著增加受试期总产溞数量;(3)从厌氧池到出水工艺段受试溞的第一胎产溞时间均推后;(4)好氧池出水的毒性显著降低,但仍然对大型溞具有生殖毒性。研究表明,好氧池(A~2/O)工艺能够显著去除具有大型溞生殖毒性的物质,但污水处理厂废水的生殖毒性仍需要引起关注。     

Low efficiency of sewage treatment plants due to unskilled operations in India

Centralized sewage treatment plants may not be a sustainable solution for a developing country such as India. Therefore, we conducted for the first time an integrated assessment of the different technologies currently used for sewage treatment in the state of West Bengal, India. Five decentralized sewage treatment plants and one centralized sewage treatment plant located in different parts of Kolkata were evaluated. We compared influent and effluent water quality, energy consumed, capital and operating costs, and treated wastewater reuse potential. F test was used to validate results on the effect of working days and holidays and seasons on treated water quality. Wastewater management strategy was assessed by performance indicators. Our results show that treatment efficiency was lowest in anaerobic plants not because of faulty technology but due to unskilled operation. Therefore, performance improvement of plants is expected if factors such as monitoring, training of staff, regular and scrupulous desludging, reuse aspects, and rational water tariff are implemented earnestly.     

上海市典型污水处理厂污泥浸出液的化学和毒性评价

为了研究污水污泥在海洋环境中释放带来的生态风险,在分析上海7处典型污水处理厂污水污泥浸出液中重金属与溶解性有机碳的基础上,使用黑鲷,卤虫,三角褐指藻,纤细角毛藻和小球藻研究污水污泥浸出液对海洋生物的急性毒性作用和生长抑制作用。化学分析结果表明,所有样点的污水污泥浸出液中重金属总量均低于中国(GB5085.3-2007)与欧盟(EN12457.2-2002)关于危险废弃物的鉴别标准,但溶解性有机碳(DOC)含量超过欧盟标准1个数量级。毒性实验结果表明,黑鲷幼鱼对污水污泥浸出液的敏感性最强,其次是海洋微藻,卤虫无节幼体的敏感性较低;毒性综合分析结果表明,S2和S3点的污水污泥浸出液对海洋生物的综合生物毒性相对最高,而S4,S5的综合生物毒性最低,其中接纳污水为工业污水,且有机质与硫化物含量较低的污水污泥浸出液对海洋生物的综合生物毒性较低。     

4种短链全氟化合物替代物在城市污水处理厂的污染特征研究

全氟辛烷羧酸(perfluorooctanoic acid,PFOA)和全氟辛烷磺酸(perfluorooctyl sulfonate,PFOS)等长链全氟化合物(perfluorinated compounds,PFCs)具有持久性、生物累积性和毒性,近年来发现一些短链PFCs具有相对较短的半衰期,可以成为PFOA和PFOS的替代品,这些物质包括C4和C6结构的PFCs,如全氟丁烷羧酸(perfluorobutanoic acid,PFBA)、全氟己烷羧酸(perfluorohexanoic acid,PFHx A)、全氟丁烷磺酸(perfluorobutyl sulfonate,PFBS)和全氟己烷磺酸(perfluorohexyl sulfonate,PFHx S)。为解析我国城市污水厂短链PFCs污染水平和地域分布特征,本研究调查了我国不同地区17座城市污水处理厂的进水、二沉出水和污泥中4种短链PFCs的分布和浓度水平。结果表明4种短链PFCs、PFOA和PFOS在17座污水厂进水中检出率均为100%(6种目标物单体浓度范围:0.19~274.72 ng·L-1);污泥中PFOS和PFOA检出率为100%(PFOS:2.08~72.31 ng·g-1,PFOA:1.03~24.81 ng·g-1),PFBA、PFHx A检出率为100%(0.60~3.33 ng·g-1),PFBS和PFHx S的检出率分别为42.11%和63.16%。在污水厂进水中,将PFOA和PFOS与其同类的短链PFCs浓度进行比较,发现短链PFCs分别相对于PFOA和PFOS的比例最高可达93.47%和94.57%。4种短链PFCs、PFOA和PFOS的地域分布差异明显,总浓度呈现出华东、华南地区高于西北、东北、华北地区的趋势,其中华东地区调查的污水处理厂浓度最高。污水厂4种短链替代物主要通过污水排放,不同污水厂的日排放总量(污泥和出水)为0.25~273.07 g·d-1,万吨水排放量范围为0.04~1.37 g。研究将为我国全氟化合物替代物污染和控制提供数据基础和科学依据。     

A/O-MBR处理某经济区市政污水的效能

采用A/O-MBR法处理某经济区市政污水,对其进、出水的水质进行连续监测,考察系统稳定性和处理效果。结果表明,在水力停留时间12小时,污泥龄30天,回流比75%,好氧段DO浓度1.3～8.5 mg/L的条件下,系统对COD、氨氮、总氮、总磷的平均去除率分别为92.04%、93.66%、78.04%、91.06%。反硝化...     

Evaluation of the performance of rural wastewater treatment plants using chemical measurements in combination with statistical techniques: a case study

The performance of a wastewater treatment plant was assessed statistically using multivariate cluster and principle component analysis. This was after measuring some physico-chemical properties in the influent, effluent, downstream, and upstream waters over a 4-month period. The cluster analysis grouped the sampling sites into three clusters: relatively non-polluted (upstream), medium polluted (downstream), and polluted (influent and effluent). The polluted water was further subdivided into very highly (influent) and highly (effluent) polluted. The grouping of influent and effluent into one cluster was due to some water quality parameters such as amount of copper, lead, and phosphates that are not efficiently removed by the plant. Using principal component analysis, samples from the same site taken over a period of 4 months were scattered, indicating inconsistencies in the performance of the plant. This was more pronounced during the rainy season, suggesting that increased water volumes from open sewers make the already poorly performing plant worse. The major loading factors found by principle component analysis were phosphate, lead, iron, zinc, copper, pH, and conductivity. Generally, the wastewater treatment system was found to be efficient in removing heavy metals and these were found in the sludge, but not anions. The mean percentage metal removal could be arranged in the following decreasing order: iron (85%)?>?zinc (57%)?>?copper (40%) and lead (38%) following the concentrations (mg?kg^?1) found in the sludge: iron (11,300)?>?zinc (820)?>?copper (180)?>?lead (20)?>?cadmium (3). Phosphate and iron concentrations in the effluent were found to be above the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) recommendations. The major cause of poor performance is the high volume of the wastewater, exceeding the capacity of the plant 10 times.     

制革废水处理系统各级出水的生态毒性评价

采用生态毒理学常用的大型溞（Daphnia magna）和活性污泥（activated sludge）作为试验系统,对制革废水处理系统各个环节出水进行毒性试验,以评价其处理效果。按照OECD标准试验方法,选取本实验室繁殖的大型溞（溞龄小于24 h）,和采自以处理生活污水为主的污水处理厂活性污泥,分别使用重铬酸钾和3,5-二氯酚作为参比物验证大型溞和活性污泥的毒性敏感性。以大型溞活动抑制和活性污泥呼吸抑制作为毒性终点,利用48 h静态试验和3 h曝气试验分别评价水样对于大型溞活动和活性污泥呼吸作用的急性毒性效应。统计各试验组大型溞的活动情况和活性污泥的呼吸速率,分别将其与空白对照组进行比较,计算大型溞的活动抑制率和活性污泥的呼吸抑制率,采用Bliss法统计制革废水处理系统各个环节出水对大型溞和活性污泥的半数抑制浓度（EC50）。结果表明：制革废水依次经过厌氧脱硫反应器、脱色厌氧反应器、微曝气反应器和厌氧氨氧化反应器的生物处理系统处理,其出水对大型溞和活性污泥的急性毒性已大为降低。进水、厌氧脱硫反应器出水、脱色厌氧反应器出水、微曝气反应器出水和厌氧氨氧化反应器出水对大型溞活动抑制试验的48 h-EC50分别为41.3%、32.2%、48.0%、91.2%和无抑制作用;活性污泥呼吸抑制试验3 h-EC50则分别为178.2%、101.5%、689.7%、184.6%和无抑制作用。总体上毒性呈现逐渐降低的趋势,而且大型溞比活性污泥更为灵敏。大型溞和活性污泥的生态毒性结果与化学分析的结果相互补充,可为制革废水处理提供预警和效果评价提供科学依据。     

Fate of herbicides and nonylphenol in soil–plant–water systems amended with contaminated sewage sludge

We studied the fate of sludge spiked with ¹⁴C-labelled diuron, glyphosate and nonylphenol applied to the soil by the way of contaminated sewage sludge in the soil-plant-water system. Here we show that the mineralization of the chemicals in mixture is reduced by 40–80% by comparison with a direct soil contamination. The persistence of the chemicals in soils is increased in the presence of sludge. We showed also that the chemicals present in the sludge are mobile and partly transferred to soil leachates and plant seedlings. These results allow postulating that these compounds may induce an ecotoxicological impact on the soil ecosystem.     

Occurrence and migration of microplastics and plasticizers in different wastewater and sludge treatment units in municipal wastewater treatment plant

● Reduce the quantifying MPs time by using Nile red staining. ● The removal rate of MPs and PAEs in wastewater and sludge were investigated. ● MPs and PAEs were firstly analyzed during thermal hydrolysis treatment. ● The removal of PAEs from wastewater and sludge was mainly biodegradation. Microplastics (MPs) and plasticizers, such as phthalate esters (PAEs), were frequently detected in municipal wastewater treatment plants (MWTP). Previous research mainly studied the removal of MPs and PAEs in wastewater. However, the occurrence of MPs and PAEs in the sludge was generally ignored. To comprehensively investigate the occurrence and the migration behaviors of MPs and PAEs in MWTP, a series of representative parameters including the number, size, color, shape of MPs, and the concentrations of PAEs in wastewater and sludge were systematically investigated. In this study, the concentrations of MPs in the influent and effluent were 15.46±0.37 and 0.30±0.14 particles/L. The MP removal efficiency of 98.1% was achieved and about 73.8% of MPs were accumulated in the sludge in the MWTP. The numbers of MPs in the sludge before and after digestion were 4.40±0.14 and 0.31±0.01 particles/g (dry sludge), respectively. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR) analysis showed that the main types of MPs were polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polystyrene (PS). Six PAEs, including phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP), ortho dibutyl phthalate (DBP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), and bis(2-ethyl) hexyl phthalate (DEHP), were detected in the MWTP. The concentrations of total PAEs (ΣPAEs) in the influent and effluent were 76.66 and 6.28 µg/L, respectively. The concentrations of ΣPAEs in the sludge before and after digestion were 152.64 and 31.70 µg/g, respectively. In the process of thermal hydrolysis, the number and size of MPs decreased accompanied by the increase of the plasticizer concentration.     

Autotrophic denitrification using hydrogen oxidizing bacteria in continuous flow biofilm reactor

Autotrophic denitrification was investigated in five bench‐scale upflow attached growth reactors using hydrogen oxidizing bacteria under anoxic conditions. The performance of sand, granular activated carbon (GAC), crushed pumice, crushed volcanic rock, and plastic media were evaluated as the support material. The reactors were inoculated with acclimated cultures obtained from domestic sewage treatment plant. A synthetic solution containing nitrate was used as the influent. The reactor performance was evaluated by measuring influent and effluent nitrate concentration. The design parameters demonstrated that the effectiveness of autotrophic denitrification is comparable to that of the heterotrophic process and may be utilized economically for drinking water treatment either as the main process or as a supplemental process for ion exchange regenerant treatment.     

邯郸西污水厂处理工艺的优化控制

由于实际进水水质与设计值有偏差,造成采用改良氧化沟工艺的邯郸市西污水处理厂,运行管理困难且费用较高。针对该厂的实际运行情况,探讨了曝气系统的溶解氧(DO)、混合液污泥浓度(MLSS)、泥龄等运行参数的控制问题,并对各参数进行了分析、优化调整。结果显示:该厂好氧区出水DO控制在2.5~3.5 mg/L,缺氧区DO控制在0.3~0.7 mg/L时,可保证良好的除磷效果;将MLSS控制在5000 mg/L左右,并通过排泥将泥龄控制在16~19 d时,氧化沟系统可在最低运行能耗下获得最优硝化、脱氮效果;避免过多的硝酸盐随回流污泥进入厌氧选择池也是该系统工艺控制的关键,适宜的进水BOD5/TN比值以及稳定可靠的反硝化控制,可进一步提高该系统的处理效果,尤其是脱氮效果。     

污水塘自净作用及环境因素的影响

本文研究了在自然状况下污水塘的净化作用及其效率,通过对总氮、总磷、COD_(Cr)和BOD_5等在进、出水中的含量与水温进行回归分析,建立了三者之间的相关性方程。同时讨论了水温对污水塘的自净效率的影响。     

Anaerobic treatment of wastewater containing methanol in upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactor

The direct conversion of methanol into methane is the main process in anaerobic treatment of methanol containing wastewater. However, acetic acid can also be produced from methanol theoretically, which may probably result in an abrupt pH drop and deteriorate the anaerobic process. Therefore, it is interesting to know what would really happen in an anaerobic reactor treating methanol wastewater. In this study, an up-flow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactor treating methanol wastewater was operated. The chemical oxygen demand (COD), acetic acid and pH of the effluent were monitored at different loadings and influent alkalinity. The results showed that the anaerobic reactor could be operated steadily at as low as 119 mg/L of influent alkalinity and high organic loading rate with no obvious pH drops. Volatile fatty acids accumulation was not observed even at strong shock loadings. The microorganisms in the sludge at the end of the test became homogeneous in morphology, which were mainly spherical or spheroidal in shape.