Treatment of high-strength ethylene glycol waste water in an expanded granular sludge blanket reactor: use of PVA-gel beads as a biocarrier

Yue Jin; Dunqiu Wang; Wenjie Zhang

doi:10.1186/s40064-016-2409-9

Treatment of high-strength ethylene glycol waste water in an expanded granular sludge blanket reactor: use of PVA-gel beads as a biocarrier

Springerplus. 2016 Jun 23;5(1):856. doi: 10.1186/s40064-016-2409-9. eCollection 2016.

Authors

Yue Jin¹, Dunqiu Wang², Wenjie Zhang²

Affiliations

¹ Guangxi Key Laboratory of New Energy and Building Energy Saving, College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Guilin University of Technology, 12, Jiangan Road, Guilin, 541004 China.
² Guangxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control Theory and Technology, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004 China ; Guangxi Collaborative Innovation Center for Water Pollution Control and Water Safety in Karst Area, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, 541004 China.

Abstract

Industrial-scale use of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-gel beads as biocarriers is still not being implemented due to the lack of understanding regarding the optimal operational parameters. In this study, the parameters for organic loading rate (OLR), alkalinity, recycle rate, and addition of trace elements were investigated in an expanded granular sludge blanket reactor (EGSB) treating high-strength ethylene glycol wastewater (EG) with PVA-gel beads as biocarrier. Stable chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies of 95 % or greater were achieved, and continuous treatment was demonstrated with appropriate parameters being an OLR of 15 kg COD/m(3)/day, NaHCO3 added at 400 mg/L, a recycle rate of 15 L/h, and no addition of trace elements addition. A biogas production yield rate of 0.24 m(3)/kg COD was achieved in this study. A large number of long rod-shaped bacteria (Methanosaeta), were found with low acetate concentration in the EGSB reactor.

Keywords: Anaerobic; Cost; Methanosaeta; Methanosarcina.