Microbial activity and process kinetics of the Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket reactor for decomposition of selected chlorinated substances

Biological, anaerobic treatment of industrial wastewater was studied with use of Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket. Degradation of some chlorinated substances (6-chlorvanilin(6CV), trichloacetic acid(TCA)) which are found in bleaching wastewater, was followed. The rate of degradation of 6CV was determined. The rates of 6-chlorovanilin degradation was determined at about 0.22 gCOD-CH4/gVSS*d. Experiences on the UASB reactors performance is also presented. We have experienced that addition of 6-chlorovanilin to both : syntethic as well as bleachingwastewaters, causes problems. This was observed as loss of bacterial activity and low methane gas production. Reactors fed with the synthetic medium kept up activity longer than those fed with bleaching wastewater. Chlorinated compounds in bleaching wastewater may be degraded anaerobically. However, the performance of UASB reactors fed with bleaching wastewater needs to be studied further due to problems arising from constitutents other than chlorinated compounds.