A full-scale two-stage anaerobic treatment plant has been treating the wast
ewaters from a purified terephthalic acid (PTA) production facility in Sout
h Korea for over 4 years. A study was conducted to evaluate the performance
characteristics of this system over a 17-month period of operation. The sy
stem has provided stable operation with COD removals consistently averaging
over 90%. The removal of specific phthalic acid isomers and related chemic
als has been essentially 100% except for terephthalic acid which has averag
ed about 90% and paratoluic acid which had only about 30% removal. About 80
% of the removal occurred in the first stage of the two-stage hybrid proces
s. A companion single-stage anaerobic contact process removed only 80 to 85
% of the COD and only 35 to 67% of the phthalic acids.