Evaluación del uso de polímeros en la concentración de biomasa en un reactor de lodos activados

Abstract

This Master´s investigation project evaluated the influence of three polyelectrolytes: neutral, anionic and cationic in the produced biomass´s behavior and the organic matter removal efficiency in the treatment of synthetic domestic wastewater, milk industry wastewater and candies industry wastewater in an activated sludge system with extended aeration. The treatment with Synthetic domestic wastewater has a working period of 6, 8 and 10 hours with polyelectrolytes dosages of 0.2, 0.3 y 0.5 mg/L. The best result was given by the experimental conditions that favored the increase of biomass concentration and the organic matter removal; it was in 8 hours and 0.2 mg/L of polyelectrolyte. This also determined that the addition of polyelectrolyte during the domestic wastewater treatment reached higher removal COD, more than 89%. Indeed, the biomass concentration reached the highest value, 8538.97 mg/L with neutral polyelectrolyte, followed by the anionic with 4586.67 mg/L. The neutral polyelectrolyte also influenced in the sludge quality, because the bioreactor reached the best volumetric parameter among the other bioreactors, it was 68.53 L/mg. Finally, during this first investigation stage and with the optimum operating parameters, the industrial wastewater treatment was tested, where a well organic matter removal occurred in and the biomass concentration was more than 4000 mg/L.