MICROBIAL KINETICS OF A MEMBRANE ANAEROBIC REACTOR SYSTEM

Microbial kinetics of a crossflow ultrafiltration membrane anaerobic r eactor (CUMAR) system were investigated at different MLVSS ranges name ly, 10-15 g 1(-1), 20-25 g 1(-1), 30-35 g 1(-1) and 40-50 g 1(-1) when heating brewery wastewater. The overall kinetic coefficients and kine tic coefficients estimated from the four steady-state runs had slight variations from each other. The system performed well, i.e. 99% COD re moval and almost 100% BOD removal efficiencies in the membrane permeat e (effluent) from the system during steady-state operation. Microbiolo gical analyses showed that significant changes in the numbers of both total bacteria and dominant Methanogenic species per gram MLVSS were o bserved throughout the operation of the CUMAR system which may mainly have caused some variations in the microbial kinetic coefficients at d ifferent level of biomass concentration retained in the anaerobic reac tor.