Evaluation of Pretreatment Using UASB and SGBR Reactors for Pulp and Paper Plants Wastewater Treatment

Static granular bed reactor (SGBR) and upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor were demonstrated at mesophilic condition for the treatment of pulp and paper mill wastewater. The hydraulic retention times (HRTs) were varied from 4 to 24 h following 29-day start-up period. The overall chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency of the SGBR was higher than the UASB during this study. At 4 h HRT, the COD removal was greater than 70 % for the SGBR and 60 % for the UASB. Biomass yield and volatile fatty acids concentration of SGBR were slightly less than UASB at organic loading rates ranging from 1.2 to 5.1 kg/m 3 /day. The results indicated that the SGBR system can be considered a viable alternative system for anaerobic treatment for pulp and paper wastewater.