Rapid granulation using calcium sulfate and polymers for refractory wastewater treatment in up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor

Jiahao Liang; Qinghong Wang; Brandon A Yoza; Qing X Li; Chunmao Chen; Jie Ming; Jingshi Yu; Jin Li; Ming Ke

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2020.123084

Rapid granulation using calcium sulfate and polymers for refractory wastewater treatment in up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor

Bioresour Technol. 2020 Jun:305:123084. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.123084. Epub 2020 Feb 24.

Authors

Jiahao Liang¹, Qinghong Wang¹, Brandon A Yoza², Qing X Li³, Chunmao Chen⁴, Jie Ming⁵, Jingshi Yu¹, Jin Li¹, Ming Ke¹

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Pollution Control, China University of Petroleum-Beijing, Beijing 102249, China.
² Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, United States.
³ Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, United States.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Pollution Control, China University of Petroleum-Beijing, Beijing 102249, China. Electronic address: chunmaochan@163.com.
⁵ State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Pollution Control, China University of Petroleum-Beijing, Beijing 102249, China; Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8577, Japan.

PMID: 32135348
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.123084

Abstract

Long start-up period and slow granulation are major restraints in up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors for the treatment of refractory wastewater. In this study, Calcium sulfate (CaSO₄), CaSO₄/guar gum (GG), and CaSO₄/cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM) were used to enhance granulation during the treatment of phenolic wastewaters in UASB reactors. Use of CaSO₄, CaSO₄/GG, and CaSO₄/CPAM increased formation of granules (>0.25 mm) by 7%, 21% and 40%, respectively, after 90 days in comparison with the control. Use of CaSO₄/GG and CaSO₄/CPAM at an organic loading rate of 2.89 kg chemical oxygen demand (COD) m^-3 d^-1 increased the COD removal efficiency by 9% and 3%, respectively, in comparison with the control (75%). The CaSO₄ enhanced the granulation rate as nuclei and the subsequent dissolution of CaSO₄ improves the activity of methanogens. Polymers facilitated bacteria adhesion and improved the diversity of phenols-degrading bacteria. This study describes a new method for rapid granulation in UASB reactors when treating toxic and refractory wastewaters.

Keywords: Cationic polyacrylamide; Granulation; Guar gum; UASB; Wastewater; Wastewater treatment.