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Anaerobic removal of 1-methoxy-2-propanol under ambient temperature in an EGSB reactor

Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering volume 38, pages 2137–2146 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

Two laboratory-scale expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactors were operated at 18 and 25 °C, respectively, for the treatment of synthetic wastewater composed of ethanol and 1-methoxy-2-propanol (M2P) in a mass ratio of 4:1. Reactors were operated first with continuous wastewater supply and after with discontinuous substrate supply (5 days a week, 16 h a day) to simulate shift working conditions. Under continuous wastewater supply chemical oxygen demand (COD), removal efficiency higher than 95 % was achieved at the end of the trial applying organic loading rates (OLR) of 29 and 43 kg COD m−3 day−1 at 18 and 25 °C; thus, corresponding to M2P OLR of 6.4 and 9.3 kg COD m−3 day−1, respectively. During intermittent supply of substrate, good performance was recorded at both temperatures with an OLR of 30 kg COD m−3 day−1 (M2P OLR of 6.6 kg COD m−3 day−1). After 56 h without substrate supply, a decline in methane yield of 15–30 % was observed due to the deactivation of the biomass. Specific methanogenic activity (SMA) assays were carried out at the end of the experiments. SMA values using 1-methoxy-2-propanol as substrate were 24.3 and 7.8 ml CH4 gVSS−1 day−1 at 25 °C and at 18 °C, respectively. This is the first attempt to investigate the removal of 1-methoxy-2-propanol by EGSB reactors.

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Acknowledgments

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement No. 284949. Financial support from Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Project CTM2014-54517) and Generalitat Valenciana (PROMETEO/2013/053), Spain, is also acknowledged. C. Lafita has a FPI grant from Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spain.

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  1. Research Group GI2AM, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Valencia, Avda. Universitat s/n, 46100, Burjassot, Spain

    C. Lafita, J. M. Penya-roja & C. Gabaldón

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  1. C. Lafita
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  2. J. M. Penya-roja
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  3. C. Gabaldón
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Correspondence to C. Gabaldón.

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Lafita, C., Penya-roja, J.M. & Gabaldón, C. Anaerobic removal of 1-methoxy-2-propanol under ambient temperature in an EGSB reactor. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 38, 2137–2146 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-015-1453-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-015-1453-0

Keywords

  • 1-Methoxy-2-propanol
  • EGSB
  • Packaging wastewater
  • Ambient temperature