Performance and stability of an anaerobic fixed bed reactor subjected to progressive increasing concentrations of influent organic matter and organic shock loads

Data on the performance of a horizontal-flow anaerobic immobilized biomass (HAIB) reactor subjected to step increases of organic loading rates (OLR) and to organic shock loads (OSL) are presented and discussed. The tubular reactor (100 cm long and 5 cm diameter) with a useful volume of 1995 mL was filled with polyurethane foam cubic matrices holding immobilized biomass and fed with synthetic wastewater. The reactor was operated at the controlled temperature of 30+/-1 degrees C and hydraulic retention time of 7 h. After about 15 days, the HAIB reactor attained operating stability. Thereafter, it was subjected to step increases of the applied OLR that ranged from 6.8 to 18.8 kg COD/m(3)d. After steady state had been achieved at each step, OSL corresponding to approximately three times the operating OLR were applied for 7 h. No disturbance was observed due to the step increase in OLR. An increase in effluent chemical oxygen demand (COD) and volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentrations and a decrease in the percentage of methane in the biogas were observed due to OSL applications. However, stability of the monitoring parameters was always restored approximately 17 h after the application of OSL for all conditions tested.     

Magnetic properties of the microorganism Candidatus Magnetoglobus multicellularis

Magnetotactic microorganisms use the interaction of internal biomineralized nanoparticles with the geomagnetic field to orientate. The movement of the magnetotactic multicellular prokaryote Candidatus Magnetoglobus multicellularis under an applied magnetic field was observed. A method using digital image processing techniques was used to track the organism trajectory to simultaneously obtain its body radius, velocity, U-turn diameter, and the reorientation time. The magnetic moment was calculated using a self-consistent method. The distribution of magnetic moments and radii present two well-characterized peaks at (9 ± 2) × 10⁻¹⁵ and (20 ± 3) × 10⁻¹⁵ A m² and (3.6 ± 0.1) and (4.3 ± 0.1) μm, respectively. For the first time, simultaneous determination of the distribution of the organism radii and magnetic moment was obtained from the U-turn method by a new digital imaging processing. The bimodal distributions support an organism reproduction process model based on electron microscopy observations. These results corroborate the prokaryote multicellular hypothesis for Candidatus M. multicellularis.     

Use of fluff in a coking coal blend in a pilot scale

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Fluff is a shredder waste made up mostly of polymeric material generated in semi-integrated steel manufacturing plants, which is usually disposed...     

A tubular ceramic membrane coated with TiO2-P25 for radial addition of H2O2 towards AMX removal from synthetic solutions and secondary urban wastewater

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - This work aims to integrate several hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) activation mechanisms, photolysis (UVC irradiation), chemical electron transfer (TiO2-P25...     

Thermoplastic Starch and Mica Clay Composites as Biodegradable Mulching Films

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - Multifunctional horticultural mulches satisfy different agronomic needs: control weeds and insects, reduction of water evaporation and soil erosion, as...     

Mass balance and characterization of bio-oil from sludge pyrolysis generated in the treatment of effluent from the biodiesel industry

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - The present work produced bio-oil from the pyrolysis of sludge from the biodiesel processing industry in a fixed bed reactor, aiming at industrial...