Use of nitrate, sulphate, and iron (III) as electron acceptors to improve the anaerobic degradation of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate: effects on removal potential and microbiota diversification.

Linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) is a synthetic anionic surfactant that is found in certain amounts in wastewaters and even in water bodies, despite its known biodegradability. This study aimed to assess the influence of nitrate, sulphate, and iron (III) on LAS anaerobic degradation and biomass microbial diversity. Batch reactors were inoculated with anaerobic biomass, nutrients, LAS (20 mg L-1), one of the three electron acceptors, and ethanol (40 mg L-1) as a co-substrate. The control treatments, with and without co-substrate, showed limited LAS biodegradation efficiencies of 10 ± 2% and 0%, respectively. However, when nitrate and iron (III) were present without co-substrate, biodegradation efficiencies of 53 ± 4% and 75 ± 3% were achieved, respectively, which were the highest levels observed. Clostridium spp. was prominent in all treatments, while Alkaliphilus spp. and Bacillus spp. thrived in the presence of iron, which had the most significant effect on LAS biodegradation. Those microorganisms were identified as crucial in affecting the LAS anaerobic degradation. The experiments revealed that the presence of electron acceptors fostered the development of a more specialised microbiota, especially those involved in the LAS biodegradation. A mutual interaction between the processes of degradation and adsorption was also shown.

Degradação dos homólogos do alquilbenzeno linear sulfonato em lodo anaeróbio disperso / Degradation of the homologues of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate by dispersed anaerobic sludge

RESUMO: Avaliou-se a degradação anaeróbia do alquilbenzeno linear sulfonato (LAS) e seus homólogos em experimento em escala de laboratório. Foi usado lodo disperso para minimizar o efeito da adsorção. Em primeiro lugar, determinaram-se a maior concentração de LAS (substrato) e a menor concentração de etanol (cossubstrato) que manteriam os micro-organismos ativos, resultando em 25 e 200 mg.L-1, nessa ordem. Posteriormente, o experimento (90 dias) foi realizado em um reator somente com etanol (controle) e outro (reator teste, triplicata) com ambos os substratos nas concentrações anteriores. Os micro-organismos apresentaram crescimento exponencial em 48 h para os 2 reatores; não ocorreu toxicidade pelo LAS no reator teste durante esse período inicial, quando o etanol foi todo consumido. Após então, houve decréscimo de micro-organismos, indicando possível toxicidade por LAS ou intermediários. Observou-se também a diminuição ou ausência da produção de ácidos graxos voláteis e de metano. Portanto, com lodo disperso, a maior parcela da remoção foi por conta da biodegradação, porém, com formação de intermediários que não o acetato nem o metano, apontando a inibição à acidogênese e à metanogênese. Ao final, a remoção do LAS foi de 35% por biodegradação e apenas 0,35% por adsorção ao lodo. A ordem preferencial de biodegradação para os homólogos foi de C13 para C12, C11 e C10, com percentual de degradação em relação à massa inicial de 49, 31, 24 e 17%, respectivamente. A mesma ordem deu-se para a adsorção, da maior para a menor cadeia alquílica, sendo a remoção por adsorção de 0,85; 0,32; 0,13 e 0,01%, respectivamente.

ABSTRACT: The anaerobic degradation of linear alquibenzene sulfonate (LAS) and its homologues was evaluated in batch experiment. Dispersed sludge was used to minimize the effect of adsorption. Initially, the highest concentration of LAS (substrate) and the lowest concentration of ethanol (co-substrate) were determined to maintain the microorganisms active; the results were 25 and 200 mg.L-1, respectively. Afterwards, a 90-day period experiment was conducted with one reactor with only the addition of ethanol (control) and the other (test reactor in triplicate) with both substrates and the previous concentrations found. The microorganisms showed exponential growth in the first 48 h for both reactors; LAS toxicity has not occurred in the test reactor during the first 4 days, during which ethanol was consumed. After that, the microorganisms decreased, indicating possible toxicity due to LAS or intermediates; a decrease or absence of volatile organic acids and methane production was also observed. Therefore, with dispersed sludge the largest removal was due to biodegradation, but with formation of intermediates other than acetate or methane, indicating inhibition of acidogenesis and methanogenesis. At the end, the removal was 35% by biodegradation and only 0.35% by adsorption to the biomass. The preferential order of the biodegradation for the homologues was from C13 to C12, C11 and C10; and the removal in relation to the initial mass of each was 49, 31, 24 and 17%, respectively. The same order occurred to adsorption, from the higher to the lower alkyl chain, with removal of 0.86, 0.32, 0.13 and 0.01%, respectively.

Remoção de alquilbenzeno linear sulfonato em esgoto doméstico tratado em reator UASB e lagoa de polimento / Linear alquilbenzene sulfonate removal from domestic sewage treated in UASB and polishing pond

RESUMO: Avaliou-se a remoção do alquilbenzeno linear sulfonato (LAS) em uma estação de tratamento de esgoto (ETE) com reator tipo UASB e lagoa de polimento durante dois períodos, seco e chuvoso. A remoção de LAS também foi avaliada em uma das 8 células do UASB (810 m3). Nessa célula, a remoção, predominantemente por adsorção, foi de 68±52 e 0% para os períodos seco e chuvoso, respectivamente. A eficiência de remoção global do LAS na ETE foi de 80±15 a 98±3%, considerando os dois períodos sazonais. A concentração de LAS no efluente da lagoa de polimento ficou entre 0,1±0,3 e 0,6±0,3 mg.L-1. Portanto, a qualidade do efluente da ETE, em termos de LAS, foi muito satisfatória, com valores inferiores aos da legislação (<0,5 mg.L-1 de LAS - CONAMA) para as substâncias definidas como aquelas que reagem com o azul de metileno, em águas superficiais de classe 1 a 3.

ABSTRACT: We evaluated the removal of linear alquilbenzene sulfonate (LAS) in a sewage treatment plant (WWTP) with a UASB reactor and a polishing pond during two seasonal periods, dry and rainy. The removal was also evaluated in one of the eight cells of the UASB reactor (810 m3). In this cell, the removal was predominantly by adsorption, of 68±52 and 0% for the dry and rainy seasons, respectively. The total removal efficiency of LAS in the WWTP was between 80±15 and 98±3%, considering the two seasonal periods. The LAS concentration in the polishing pond effluent was between 0.1±0.3 and 0.6±0.3 mg.L-1. Therefore, the quality of the final effluent, in terms of LAS, was very satisfactory, with values lower than those defined by the Brazilian legislation (<0.5 mg L-1 of LAS) of CONAMA, for substances reacting with the methylene blue, when the receiving water body is within the classes 1 to 3.