Investigation of fixed bed sequencing batch reactor for synthetic wastewater treatment

This study was carried out for surveying the efficiency of biofilm sequencing batch reactor (SBR) for treatment of wastewater with high organic loading. A cylindrical lab scale biofilm SBR was used in this study. Primary microorganisms for startup of the reactor were obtained from return activated sludge of a municipal waste treatment plant. Reactor was feed with synthetic wastewater containing mono ethylene glycol as the main carbon source and NH4Cl and KH2PO4 as nutrients. Following startup and acclimation of microorganisms, organic loading was increased via influent COD concentrations of 500, 1000, 1500 and 2000 mg/L in constant hydraulic retention time. The most removal efficiency of 94% was achieved in influent COD concentration of 100 mg/L. According to data obtained in this work, it can be concluded that biofilm SBR has acceptable efficiency for high strength wastewaters.