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Performance and microbial community analysis of a pilot-scale UASB for corn-ethanol wastewater treatment

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Abstract

The performance and microbial community structure of a pilot-scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor inoculated with flocculent sludge were investigated over 52 days. The characteristics of corn-ethanol wastewater were as follows: CODCr, 1,050–4,970 mg l−1; ammonia, 14–298 mg l−1; and alkalinity, 332–2,867 mg l−1. The UASB could start up smoothly with a hydraulic loading rate lower than 180 l h−1 and a ratio of volatile fatty acid versus alkalinity between 0.04 and 0.48. The maximum gas production rate was 432 l h−1 and the highest volumetric loading rate of 7.2 kg m−3 day−1 was obtained after 48 days. The 1 mm granules could form a complex network and were composed of many Methanosaeta. Aceticlastic methanogens served as a dominant methanogenic group, which accounted for the relatively high resistance to shock loading.

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Acknowledgments

This study was primarily supported by the Critical Patented Projects in the Control and Management of National Polluted Water Bodies (No. 2009ZX07210-002) and the Science and Technology Plan of Henan (No. 132300410080).

Supporting information

Supplementary Table 1—DNA sequences of primers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou, 450011, China

    Jianping Huang, Ling Xiao & Chunhui Xi

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  1. Jianping Huang
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  2. Ling Xiao
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  3. Chunhui Xi
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Correspondence to Jianping Huang.

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Huang, J., Xiao, L. & Xi, C. Performance and microbial community analysis of a pilot-scale UASB for corn-ethanol wastewater treatment. Biotechnol Lett 37, 815–823 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-014-1748-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-014-1748-2

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