The biological treatment of wastewaters from an industry was studied. Among the more important wastewater constituents of concern were high levels of suspended solids, due to graphite and nitrocellulose, the solvents, ethanol and acetone, and nitroglycerine (NG). The goal of this project was divided into four objectives. The impacts of graphite on a microbial population were evaluated. Sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) were used to monitor the effects of graphite on mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS), removal of soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD), and specific oxygen uptake rates (sOUR). Graphite appeared to have no adverse effect on the microbes. The potential benefits of adding sucrose, nitrogen, and phosphorus to SBRs were evaluated. The MLSS was maintained at 1,250 mg/L, similar to the microbial population in the suspended growth system at the industry. Sucrose addition increased the sCOD removals and sOUR. No direct effect was observed with the addition of nitrogen and phosphorus. The treatability of acetone and ethanol was studied through sOUR and batch testing to determine bacterial response to solvents. Both solvents were utilized by the microbes. The concentrations tested proved to be beneficial, not inhibitory. Ethanol and a 50/50 mixture of acetone and ethanol were more viable substrates than acetone. NG treatability was examined under anoxic and aerobic conditions in SBRs and batch biological reactors. NG degradation occurred under anoxic conditions, but was more favorable in aerobic environments. NG was degraded in all SBR tests to below detection limit (0.5 mg/L); therefore, the optimal treatment could not be determined. / Master of Science

The treatability of a high strength industrial wastewater, 9,000 mg/L as chemical oxygen demand (COD), by three sequencing batch reactor (SBRs) systems operated under alternating redox environments: anaerobic/aerobic (ANA), anoxic/aerobic (ANX), and aerobic was investigated. A synthetic wastewater was modeled after a wastewater from an existing chemical processing facility. The largest component, hydroxypivaldehyde, was unavailable for the use in this research and was substituted by pivalic acid, both of which have a tertiary carbon. No significant degradation occurred in the anaerobic phase of operation; however, 55-65% of the COD was removed during anoxic operation. Simultaneous removal of pivalic acid and acetic acid was seen in both the anoxic and aerobic reaction phases. The anoxic/aerobic SBR provided the best overall treatability of the synthetic wastewater based on: effluent quality, sludge characteristics and settling properties. The results suggested that anoxic/aerobic treatment schemes are a viable treatment alternative for industrial wastewaters containing high concentrations of organic acids, including acids with tertiary carbons. The treatability of the three alternating redox environments on the Industry's wastewater was also investigated. Again, no significant degradation of the industrial wastewater occurred during the anaerobic reaction phase. During the anoxic reaction phase, 15-20% of the COD was removed from the industrial wastewater in contrast to the high removals seen with the synthetic wastewater. The aerobic SBR provided the best COD removal for the industrial wastewater. The performance differences between the synthetic and industrial wastewaters stress the importance of treatability studies on the actual industrial wastewater. Biological treatment of the synthetic and Industry wastewaters was unable to achieve the effluent goal of 100 mg/L as COD. Sand filtration followed by granular activated carbon adsorption treatment of the effluent from the synthetic wastewater-fed ANA SBR provided the COD removal necessary to achieve the effluent goal. / Master of Science

Este trabalho avaliou a tratabilidade dos lixiviados do aterro sanitário de São Carlos-SP, utilizando-se reatores biológicos. O experimento foi conduzido à temperatura ambiente, em uma unidade piloto construída no aterro sanitário de São Carlos-SP. Inicialmente foram testados e comparados dois tipos de reatores anaeróbios, cada um com volume total de 1.200 L e ambos providos de agitação mecânica, diferenciando-se pelo tipo de imobilização da biomassa, sendo o primeiro com biomassa auto-imobilizada (ASBR) e o segundo com biomassa imobilizada em espuma de poliuretano (ASBBR). Um filtro biológico anaeróbio contínuo de fluxo ascendente de aproximadamente 120 L também foi avaliado. Além do pré-tratamento anaeróbio, foi avaliado também o pós-tratamento, que consistiu em um sistema de lodos ativados em batelada seqüencial de aproximadamente 180 L. O ASBR, inoculado com lodo granular de reator UASB, apresentou-se ineficiente, com problemas de desagregação e sedimentação da biomassa. O ASBBR, inoculado com lodo proveniente do fundo de uma lagoa de lixiviados, ao final de sua adaptação, apresentou eficiências superiores a 70%, em termos de remoção de DQO, utilizando-se lixiviado sem diluição, com DQO afluente da ordem de 11.000 mg/L, relação AVT/DQO aproximadamente igual a 0,6 e tempo de reação igual a 7 dias. Verificou-se que a biodegradabilidade anaeróbia dos lixiviados está diretamente relacionada à relação AVT/DQO, e que para relações AVT/DQO Total inferiores a 0,25, a biodegradabilidade é baixa, para relações entre 0,25 e 0,40 é média, e acima de 0,40 pode ser considerada elevada. Observou-se também que concentrações de N-amoniacal, da ordem de até 4.500 mg/L, não impedem o tratamento anaeróbio, desde que a biomassa esteja devidamente adaptada. Aos perfis temporais de concentração, realizados no ASBBR, foi ajustado um modelo de primeira ordem para consumo de substrato, na forma de DQO Total, obtendo valores de K1 variando entre 3,18 x \'10 POT.-5\' e 5,82 x \'10 POT.-5\' /(d.mgSTV/L). O pós-tratamento dos efluentes do ASBBR foi avaliado em um sistema de lodos ativados em batelada seqüencial, que obteve eficiência máxima da ordem de 30% em termos de remoção de DQO, com DQO afluente da ordem de 5.000 mg/L. Quanto ao filtro biológico anaeróbio de fluxo ascendente, obteve-se eficiências superiores a 70%, ao ser alimentado com uma mistura de lixiviado recalcitrante e etanol acidificado, com DQO afluente da ordem de 20.000 mg/L. / This work evaluated the tractability of landfill leachate from São Carlos-SP, utilizing biological reactors. The experiment was conducted at environmental temperature, in a pilot scale unity constructed into the São Carlos-SP landfill area. Initially, it was compared and tested two kinds of anaerobic reactors, each one with 1.200 L of total volume and both provided of mechanical agitation, differing by the kind of biomass immobilization, having the first (ASBR), self-immobilized biomass, and the second (ASBBR), immobilized biomass in polyurethane foam cubes. An approximately 120 L volume continuous up flow anaerobic biofilter was also evaluated. Additionally to the anaerobic treatment, it was also evaluated the post-treatment of landfill leachate in a sequence batch activated sludge system of 180 L. The ASBR, inoculated with a granular UASB sludge from a poultry wastewater treatment, was inefficient and presented sludge segregation and sedimentation problems. The ASBBR, inoculated using the sludge from the bottom of a landfill leachate reservoir, at the final of acclimation, presented efficiency over 70%, in terms of COD removal, utilizing landfill leachate without water dilution, with an inlet COD at the range of 11,000 mg/L, a TVA/COD ratio of approximately 0.6 and reaction time equal to 7 days. It was realized that the landfill leachate anaerobic biodegradability has a directly relationship to the TVA/COD ratio, and for TVA/COD Total ratio lower than 0.25, the biodegradability is low, for ratios between 0.25 and 0.40 is medium, and up to 0.40 may be considered high. It was also observed that \'NH IND.4\' POT.+\' concentrations at the range of 4,500 mg N/L has no significant interference in the anaerobic treatment, since the biomass has properly acclimated. At the temporal profiles of concentration performed in the ASBBR, it was adjusted a first order model for the substrate consumption, in terms of COD Total, obtaining K1 values ranging between 3.18 x \'10 POT.-5\' and 5.82 x \'10 POT.-5\' /(d.mgSTV/L). The post-treatment of the ASBBR effluents was evaluated in a sequence batch activated sludge system, which has obtained maximum efficiencies at the range of 30% in terms of COD removal, with an inlet COD at the range of 5,000 mg/L. As regards of the continuous up flow anaerobic biofilter, it has obtained efficiencies superiors to 70% when fed by a mixing of recovery landfill leachate and acidified ethanol, with an inlet COD at the range of 20,000 mg/L.

Este trabalho avaliou a tratabilidade dos lixiviados do aterro sanitário de São Carlos-SP, utilizando-se reatores biológicos. O experimento foi conduzido à temperatura ambiente, em uma unidade piloto construída no aterro sanitário de São Carlos-SP. Inicialmente foram testados e comparados dois tipos de reatores anaeróbios, cada um com volume total de 1.200 L e ambos providos de agitação mecânica, diferenciando-se pelo tipo de imobilização da biomassa, sendo o primeiro com biomassa auto-imobilizada (ASBR) e o segundo com biomassa imobilizada em espuma de poliuretano (ASBBR). Um filtro biológico anaeróbio contínuo de fluxo ascendente de aproximadamente 120 L também foi avaliado. Além do pré-tratamento anaeróbio, foi avaliado também o pós-tratamento, que consistiu em um sistema de lodos ativados em batelada seqüencial de aproximadamente 180 L. O ASBR, inoculado com lodo granular de reator UASB, apresentou-se ineficiente, com problemas de desagregação e sedimentação da biomassa. O ASBBR, inoculado com lodo proveniente do fundo de uma lagoa de lixiviados, ao final de sua adaptação, apresentou eficiências superiores a 70%, em termos de remoção de DQO, utilizando-se lixiviado sem diluição, com DQO afluente da ordem de 11.000 mg/L, relação AVT/DQO aproximadamente igual a 0,6 e tempo de reação igual a 7 dias. Verificou-se que a biodegradabilidade anaeróbia dos lixiviados está diretamente relacionada à relação AVT/DQO, e que para relações AVT/DQO Total inferiores a 0,25, a biodegradabilidade é baixa, para relações entre 0,25 e 0,40 é média, e acima de 0,40 pode ser considerada elevada. Observou-se também que concentrações de N-amoniacal, da ordem de até 4.500 mg/L, não impedem o tratamento anaeróbio, desde que a biomassa esteja devidamente adaptada. Aos perfis temporais de concentração, realizados no ASBBR, foi ajustado um modelo de primeira ordem para consumo de substrato, na forma de DQO Total, obtendo valores de K1 variando entre 3,18 x \'10 POT.-5\' e 5,82 x \'10 POT.-5\' /(d.mgSTV/L). O pós-tratamento dos efluentes do ASBBR foi avaliado em um sistema de lodos ativados em batelada seqüencial, que obteve eficiência máxima da ordem de 30% em termos de remoção de DQO, com DQO afluente da ordem de 5.000 mg/L. Quanto ao filtro biológico anaeróbio de fluxo ascendente, obteve-se eficiências superiores a 70%, ao ser alimentado com uma mistura de lixiviado recalcitrante e etanol acidificado, com DQO afluente da ordem de 20.000 mg/L. / This work evaluated the tractability of landfill leachate from São Carlos-SP, utilizing biological reactors. The experiment was conducted at environmental temperature, in a pilot scale unity constructed into the São Carlos-SP landfill area. Initially, it was compared and tested two kinds of anaerobic reactors, each one with 1.200 L of total volume and both provided of mechanical agitation, differing by the kind of biomass immobilization, having the first (ASBR), self-immobilized biomass, and the second (ASBBR), immobilized biomass in polyurethane foam cubes. An approximately 120 L volume continuous up flow anaerobic biofilter was also evaluated. Additionally to the anaerobic treatment, it was also evaluated the post-treatment of landfill leachate in a sequence batch activated sludge system of 180 L. The ASBR, inoculated with a granular UASB sludge from a poultry wastewater treatment, was inefficient and presented sludge segregation and sedimentation problems. The ASBBR, inoculated using the sludge from the bottom of a landfill leachate reservoir, at the final of acclimation, presented efficiency over 70%, in terms of COD removal, utilizing landfill leachate without water dilution, with an inlet COD at the range of 11,000 mg/L, a TVA/COD ratio of approximately 0.6 and reaction time equal to 7 days. It was realized that the landfill leachate anaerobic biodegradability has a directly relationship to the TVA/COD ratio, and for TVA/COD Total ratio lower than 0.25, the biodegradability is low, for ratios between 0.25 and 0.40 is medium, and up to 0.40 may be considered high. It was also observed that \'NH IND.4\' POT.+\' concentrations at the range of 4,500 mg N/L has no significant interference in the anaerobic treatment, since the biomass has properly acclimated. At the temporal profiles of concentration performed in the ASBBR, it was adjusted a first order model for the substrate consumption, in terms of COD Total, obtaining K1 values ranging between 3.18 x \'10 POT.-5\' and 5.82 x \'10 POT.-5\' /(d.mgSTV/L). The post-treatment of the ASBBR effluents was evaluated in a sequence batch activated sludge system, which has obtained maximum efficiencies at the range of 30% in terms of COD removal, with an inlet COD at the range of 5,000 mg/L. As regards of the continuous up flow anaerobic biofilter, it has obtained efficiencies superiors to 70% when fed by a mixing of recovery landfill leachate and acidified ethanol, with an inlet COD at the range of 20,000 mg/L.