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Rapid granulation and sludge retention for tetrachloroethylene removal in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor

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Abstract

A laboratory scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor was operated at 35 °C for over 200 days to investigate the granulation mechanism during tetrachloroethylene (TCE) biodegradation. Anaerobic, unacclimated sludge and glucose were used as seed and primary substrate, respectively. TCE-degrading granules developed after 1.5 months of start-up. They grew at an accelerated pace for 7 months. The TCE-degrading granules had a maximum diameter of 2.5 mm and specific methanogenic activity of 1.32 g chemical oxygen demand (COD) g−1 total suspended solid (TSS) day−1. 94% COD and 90% TCE removal efficiencies were achieved when the reactor was operating at loading rates as high as 160 mg TCE l−1 day−1 and 14 g COD l−1 day−1, after 230 days of continuous operation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Engineering Department, Engineering Faculty, Dokuz Eylül University, Buca Kaynaklar Campus, İzmir, Turkey

    Delia Teresa Sponza

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  1. Delia Teresa Sponza
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Sponza, D.T. Rapid granulation and sludge retention for tetrachloroethylene removal in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor. Biotechnology Letters 23, 1209–1216 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010569101116

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