LOW-TEMPERATURE EFFECTS ON ANAEROBIC MICROBIAL KINETIC-PARAMETERS

Anaerobic sequencing batch reactors (ASBRs) were operated in the tempe rature range of 5 to 25 degrees C and 24, 16, 12, 8, 6 hour hydraulic retention times (HRTs) over a period of two years to evaluate the effe cts of different temperatures on the microbial kinetic parameters K, K -s, K-d, Y-g and mu(m). The values of K, K-d and mu(m) were found to d ecrease, and the half saturation constant, K, was found to increase wi th a decrease in temperature in accordance with the Arrhenius equation . Temperature coefficient, a values for substrate utilization rate, ma ximum specific growth rate, decay rate and half saturation constant we re 1.083, 1.062, 1.076 and 1.05 respectively. Through the determinatio n of kinetic parameters, a design engineer may be able to predict the performance of ASBR treatment systems over a wide range of low tempera tures.