Denitrification of Anaerobic Sludge in Hybrid type Anaerobic Reactor(I): Acetate as Substrate

Hybrid type 반응조에서의 혐기성 슬러지의 탈질(I): 초산을 기질로 사용한 경우

In this study, it was attempted to remove nitrate and carbon in a single-stage reactor using acetate as substrate. Hybrid type upflow sludge baffled filter reactor was adopted using anaerobic sludge. Sludge bed in the bottom of reactor was intended to remove carbon and nitrate by denitrification and methanogenesis. And floating media in the upper part of reactor were intended to remove remaining carbon which was not removed due to the inhibition of nitrogen oxide on methane producing bacteria. The reactor removed over 96% of COD and most of nitrate with volumetric loading rate of $4.0kgCOD/m^3{\cdot}day$, hydraulic retention time of 24hr, 4,000mgCOD/L, and $266mgNO_3-N/L$. Nitrate in anaerobic sludge was converted to nitrogen gas(denitrification) or ammonia (ammonification) according to pH of influent, COD removal efficiency was easily affected by the change of volumetric loading rates and nitrate concentration. And when influent pH was about 4.7, most nitrate changed to ammonia while when influent pH was about 6.8~7.0, most nitrate denitrified independent of $COD/NO_3-N$ ratio. Most granules were gray and a few were black. In gray-colored granule, black inner side was covered with gray substance and SEM illustrated Methanoccoci type microorganisms which were compact spherical shape. Anaerobic filter removed residual COD effectively which was left in sludge bed due to the inhibition of nitrogen oxide.