Treatment of terephthalic acid plant wastewater with an anaerobic fixed film reactor

Abstract

Anaerobic treatment of terephthalic acid plant wastewater with a lab‐scale downflow tubular fixed film reactor achieved 75% of COD removal with a HRT of 3.4 days at 33°C. The raw wastewater from a petrochemical plant was settled and neutralized prior to reactor feeding. The responses to shock loads and to periods without feeding were satisfactary, and no inhibitory effects were noticed. A primary settling ‐ anaerobic ‐ aerobic process configuration is proposed as a highly efficient, energy saving alternative to the conventional aerobic process.