Biomethanation of poultry litter leachate in UASB reactor coupled with ammonia stripper for enhancement of overall performance.

In the present study possibility of coupling stripper to remove ammonia to the UASB reactor treating poultry litter leachate was studied to enhance the overall performance of the reactor. UASB reactor with stripper as ammonia inhibition control mechanism exhibited better performance in terms of COD reduction (96%), methane yield (0.26m(3)CH(4)/kg COD reduced), organic loading rate (OLR) (18.5kg COD m(-3)day(-1)) and Hydraulic residence time (HRT) (12h) compared to the UASB reactor without stripper (COD reduction: 92%; methane yield: 0.21m(3)CH(4)/kg COD reduced; OLR: 13.6kg CODm(-3)day(-1); HRT: 16h). The improved performance was due to the reduction of total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) and free ammonia nitrogen (FAN) in the range of 75-95% and 80-95%, respectively by the use of stripper. G/L (air flow rate/poultry leachate flow rate) in the range of 60-70 and HRT in the range of 7-9min are found to be optimum parameters for the operation of the stripper.

Microbial conversion of sulfur dioxide in flue gas to sulfide using bulk drug industry wastewater as an organic source by mixed cultures of sulfate reducing bacteria.

Mixed cultures of sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) were isolated from anaerobic cultures and enriched with SRB media. Studies on batch and continuous reactors for the removal of SO(2) with bulk drug industry wastewater as an organic source using isolated mixed cultures of SRB revealed that isolation and enrichment methodology adopted in the present study were apt to suppress the undesirable growth of anaerobic bacteria other than SRB. Studies on anaerobic reactors showed that process was sustainable at COD/S ratio of 2.2 and above with optimum sulfur loading rate (SLR) of 5.46kgS/(m(3)day), organic loading rate (OLR) of 12.63kg COD/(m(3)day) and at hydraulic residence time (HRT) of 8h. Free sulfide (FS) concentration in the range of 300-390mgFS/l was found to be inhibitory to mixed cultures of SRB used in the present studies.

pH regulation of alkaline wastewater with carbon dioxide: a case study of treatment of brewery wastewater in UASB reactor coupled with absorber.

Studies were carried out with carbon dioxide absorber (CA) to evaluate the usage of carbon dioxide (CO(2)) in the biogas as an acidifying agent by Up-flow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactor. Investigation on the 5l absorber revealed that ratio of brewery wastewater (BW) flow rate to biogas flow rate of 4.6-5.2 was optimum for minimum consumption of CO(2) for acidification. The acidified BW after the absorber was treated in UASB reactor with optimum organic loading rate (OLR) of 23.1 kg COD/m(3)/day and hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 2h. UASB reactor exhibited good performance with respect to reduction of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and methane yield. The implications of the present study on the full scale anaerobic reactor of medium scale brewery revealed that sufficient cost savings could be made if CO(2) in the biogas or CO(2) that was being wasted (let out to the atmosphere) can be used instead of sulfuric acid (H(2)SO(4)) for pH control.

Xylitol production from corn fiber and sugarcane bagasse hydrolysates by Candida tropicalis.

A natural isolate, Candida tropicalis was tested for xylitol production from corn fiber and sugarcane bagasse hydrolysates. Fermentation of corn fiber and sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate showed xylose uptake and xylitol production, though these were very low, even after hydrolysate neutralization and treatments with activated charcoal and ion exchange resins. Initial xylitol production was found to be 0.43 g/g and 0.45 g/g of xylose utilised with corn fiber and sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate respectively. One of the critical factors for low xylitol production was the presence of inhibitors in these hydrolysates. To simulate influence of hemicellulosic sugar composition on xylitol yield, three different combinations of mixed sugar control experiments, without the presence of any inhibitors, have been performed and the strain produced 0.63 g/g, 0.68 g/g and 0.72 g/g of xylose respectively. To improve yeast growth and xylitol production with these hydrolysates, which contain inhibitors, the cells were adapted by sub culturing in the hydrolysate containing medium for 25 cycles. After adaptation the organism produced more xylitol 0.58 g/g and 0.65 g/g of xylose with corn fiber hydrolysate and sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate respectively.

Green gram husk--an inexpensive substrate for alkaline protease production by Bacillus sp. in solid-state fermentation.

Alkaline protease production under solid-state fermentation was investigated using isolated alkalophilic Bacillus sp. Among all agro-industrial waste material evaluated, green gram husk supported maximum protease production. Solid material particle size regulated the enzyme production and yield was improved with the supplementation of carbon and nitrogen sources to the solid medium. Optimum enzyme production was achieved with 1.5% maltose and 2.0% yeast extract with 371% increase than control. Glucose did not repressed enzyme production but inorganic nitrogen sources showed little negative impact. The physiological fermentation factors such as pH of the medium (pH 9.0), moisture content (140%), incubation time (60 h) and inoculum level played a vital role in alkaline protease production. The enzyme production was found to be associated with the growth of the bacterial culture.

Anaerobic treatment of wastewater with high suspended solids from a bulk drug industry using fixed film reactor (AFFR).

Studies were carried out on the treatment of wastewater from a bulk drug industry using an anaerobic fixed film reactor (AFFR) designed and fabricated in the laboratory. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total dissolved solids (TDS) of the wastewater were found to be very high with low biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) to COD ratio and high total suspended solid (TSS) concentration. Acclimatization of seed consortia and startup of the reactor was carried out by directly using the wastewater, which resulted in reducing the period of startup to 30 days. The reactor was studied at different organic loading rates (OLR) and it was found that the optimum OLR was 10 kg COD/m(3)/day. The wastewater under investigation, which had a considerable quantity of SS, was treated anaerobically without any pretreatment. COD and BOD of the reactor outlet wastewater were monitored and at steady state and optimum OLR 60-70% of COD and 80-90% of BOD were removed. The reactor was subjected to organic shock loads at two different OLR and the reaction could withstand the shocks and performance could be restored to normalcy at that OLR. The results obtained indicated that AFFR could be used efficiently for the treatment of wastewater from a bulk drug industry having high COD, TDS and TSS.

Anaerobic treatment of wastewater with high suspended solids from a bulk drug industry using fixed film reactor (AFFR).

Studies are carried out on the treatment of wastewater from a bulk drug industry using an anaerobic fixed film reactor (AFFR) designed and fabricated in the laboratory. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total dissolved solids (TDS) of the wastewater are found to be very high with low Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) to COD ratio and high total suspended solid (TSS) concentration. Acclimatization of seed consortia and start up of the reactor is carried out by directly using the wastewater, which resulted in reducing the period of startup to 30 days. The reactor is studied at different organic loading rates (OLR) and it is found that the optimum OLR is 10 kg COD/m3/day. The wastewater under investigation, which is having considerable quantity of SS, is treated anaerobically without any pretreatment. The COD and BOD of the reactor outlet wastewater are monitored and reduction at steady state and optimum OLR is observed to be 60-70% of COD and 80-90% of BOD. The reactor is subjected to organic shock loads at two different OLR and it is observed that the reactor could withstand shocks and performance could be restored to normalcy at that OLR. The results obtained indicated that AFFR could be used efficiently for the treatment of wastewater from a bulk drug industry having high COD, TDS and TSS.