Effect of temperature and cobalt addition on the performance of anaerobic thermophilic fixed film reactor in the treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater

Abstract

An anaerobic fixed film reactor was operated at temperatures between 49 and 55°C, as a thermophilic reactor using actual pharmaceutical wastewater, to observe the effects of temperature and cobalt addition on the performance of the reactor. The reactor was operated with a COD of 2500 mg L^‐1 at HRT of 4,7 days. COD, TVA, SS, VSS, NH₄‐N, PO₄‐P and SO₄ were measured. The temperature of 54°C was found to be the optimum operating temperature with respect to the removal efficiency. Cobalt addition did not affect COD removal and increased gas production but decreased methane percentage.

Keywords:

• Thermophilic
• fixed film reactor
• cobalt addition
• gas production
• COD removal
• total volatile acids