Scale-up evaluation of anaerobic degradation of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate from sanitary sewage in expanded granular sludge bed reactor

Sanitary sewage composed of 6.2 +/- 3.2 mgLAS L-1, low diversity of organic acids (21.4 +/- 18.9 and 2.1 +/- 3.9 mg L-1, for acetic and propionic, respectively), metals (Fe, Zn, Pb, Mn, Ni, Cr, Cu) and xenobiotic compounds (limonene, terpinene, phenol, indolizine) were used in the pilot-scale EGSB reactor feed (69 L). For influent load of 1.4 +/- 0.7 mgLAS gVS(-1)d(-1) and 50 +/- 15 mgCOD gVS(-1) d(-1), removal efficiencies were 60 +/- 30% and 77 +/- 28% for LAS and COD, respectively. According to the alpha diversity indices (Shannon, Chao-land Simpson), the sanitary sewage composition did not negatively affect the microbial richness throughout the 314 days of EGSB reactor operation. Bacteria related to LAS degradation such as Synergistes, Syntrophus, Clostridium and Geobacter were identified. For the Archaea Domain, Methanosaeta was the dominant genus. Therefore, in the present study the application of a pilot-scale EGSB reactor was considered viable for the LAS bioremediation in sanitary sewage. (AU)