Performance of UASB reactor in the biotreatment of 1,1,2-Trichloroethane

J Environ Sci Health A Tox Hazard Subst Environ Eng. 2012;47(2):267-73. doi: 10.1080/10934529.2011.640902.

Abstract

This article aims to examine the performance of bench-scale Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactor operated under varying operating conditions, during the treatment of simulated wastewater containing 1,1,2-Trichloroethane (TCA). Initially, reactor R1 (control) and reactor R2 (test) containing TCA were operated at 5 different Hydraulic Retention Times (HRTs) of 36, 30, 24, 18 and 12 hours. TCA removal decreased from 99.8% to 96.5%, when the HRT was reduced from 36 to 12 hours in discrete steps. Later, when the OLR was varied periodically from 1.5 to 3.1 kg COD/m(3).d to obtain a different substrate: co-substrate ratios; lower TCA removal efficiencies were observed at an OLR of 2.5 kg COD/ m(3).d and above. The average effluent concentrations of TCA and COD were 0.12 and 79 mg/L, respectively, at the optimum HRT of 24 hours; whereas the effluent TCA and COD concentrations at the substrate: co-substrate ratio of 50:1 was 0.06 mg/L and 48 mg/L, respectively.

MeSH terms

  • Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis
  • Bioreactors*
  • Sewage
  • Time Factors
  • Trichloroethanes / metabolism*
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid / instrumentation
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid / methods*

Substances

  • Sewage
  • Trichloroethanes
  • 1,1,2-trichloroethane