APLICA??O DE REATORES ANAERóBIOS OPERADOS EM BATELADAS SEQUENCIAIS COM FILME FIXO NO TRATAMENTO DE áGUA RESIDUARIA INDUSTRIAL RICA EM SULFATO

摘要

This paper presents and discusses the potential for use of pilot-scale anaerobic sequencing batch biofilm reactors (ASBBR) for the treatment of industrial wastewater containing high sulfate concentration. The pilot-scale ASBBR reactor (total volume= 1.2 m3) containing biomass immobilized in inert support (mineral coal) was operated at sulfate loading rates varying from 0.15 to 1.90 kgSO4-2/cycle (cycle of 48 h) corresponding to sulfate concentrations of 0.25 to 3.0 gSO4-2.L-1. Domestic sewage and ethanol were utilized as electron donors for sulfate reduction. The mean sulfate removal efficiencies remained in the range of 88 to 92% in the several sulfate concentrations obtained from 92 operational cycles. As post-treatment unit for the generated effluents by the sulfate reduction was used another reactor ASBBR in pilot-scale (total volume=385 L) with similar inert support for biomass immobilization. The mean COD removal (mean influent=1450 mg.L-1) achieved 88% and total sulfide concentrations (H2S, HS?, S2?) remained in the range of 41 to 71 mg.L-1 during the 35 operational cycles of 48 h. The results demonstrated that the use of ASBBR reactors is an alternative potential for the sulfate removal and as post-treatment of generated effluent.