Abstract
Start-up and operation of an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactor fed with an industrial effluent from a polymer synthesis plant containing 6 mg styrene l−1 was unstable. In batch assays with 200 mg styrene l−1, 74% of styrene was degraded at a rate of 7 ml methane g−1 volatile suspended solids.day, without a lag phase. The toxicity limit (IC50) of styrene was 1.4 mM for the acetoclastic activity, 0.45 and 1.6 mM for the methanogenic activity in the presence of 30 mM of propionate and ethanol respectively. Instability of UASB operation was attributed to other compounds such as acrylates or detergents present in the industrial effluent.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alves MM, P ereira A, Mota M, Novais JM, Colleran E (1998) Staged and non-staged anaerobic filters: microbial activity segregation, hydrodynamic behavior and performance. J. Chem. Technol. Biotechnol. 73: 99–108.
Araya P, Aroca G, Chamy R (1999) Anaerobic treatment of effluents from an industrial polymers synthesis plant. Waste Manage. 19: 141–146.
Chemical Market Associates Inc. (1999) Global plastics and polymers report. www.cmaiglobal.com 13: 1–44.
Coates JD, Coughlan MF, Colleran E (1996) Simple method for the measurement of the hydrogenotrophic methanogenic activity of anaerobic sludges. J. Microbiol. Meth . 26: 237–246.
Colleran E, Pistilli A (1994) Activity test system for determining the toxicity of xenobiotic chemicals to the methanogenic process. Ann. Microbiol. Enzymol. 44: 1–20.
Demirer GN, Speece RE (1998) Anaerobic biotransformation of four 3-carbon compounds (acrolein, acrylic acid, allyl alcohol and n-propanol) in UASB reactors Water Res. 32: 747–759.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Office of Air Quality Planning & Standards (OAQPS) (2000) Styrene. Technology Transfer Network (TTNWeb), Unified Air Toxies Website (UATW). http://www.epa.gov/ttn/uatw/hlthef1styrene.htm
Henry MP, Donlon BA, Lens PN, Colleran E (1996) Use of anaerobic hybrid reactors for treatment of synthetic pharmaceutical wastewaters containing organic solvents. J. Chem. Tech. Biotechnol. 66: 251–264.
Pol AFJJ, van Haren HJM, den Camp O, van der Drift C (1998) Styrene removal from waste gas with a bacterial biotrickling filter. Biotechnol. Lett. 20: 407–410.
Sierra-Alvarez R, Field J, Lettinga G (1988) Toxicidad metanogénica de compuestos fenólicos e lipídicos. In: Polanco F, Garcia P, Hernando S, eds. Actas del 4 o Seminário D.A.A.R., pp. 170–189.
Soto M, Mendez R, Lema JM (1993) Methanogenic and nonmethanogenic activity tests. Theoretical basis and experimental set up. Water Res. 27: 1361–1376.
Speece RE (1996). Anaerobic Biotechnology for Industrial Wastewaters, 1st edn. Nashville, TX: Archae Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Araya, P., Chamy, R., Mota, M. et al. Biodegradability and toxicity of styrene in the anaerobic digestion process. Biotechnology Letters 22, 1477–1481 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005636030693
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005636030693