Biotechnology of anaerobic digestion enhanced by iron-reducing bacteria

• Main Authors: Tay, Stephen Tiong Lee., Ivanov, Volodymyr.
• Other Authors: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Format: Research Report
• Published: 2008
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Environmental engineering::Water treatment
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/5166
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The aim of the research project was to study and optimize anaerobic treatment of organic and sulfate-containing wastewater under different dosage of iron-containing compounds. Anaerobic sludge of municipal wastewater treatment plant can be used for enrichment culture of iron-reducing bacteria (IRB) with maximum iron reduction rate 3.5 mg/l h for ferrihydrate and 0.75 mg/l h for iron-containing clay. Iron-containing clay, iron hydroxide, and ferric pyrophosphate were studied as the sources of Fe (III) for iron-reducing bacteria. Best source for iron reduction was dissolved ferric pyrophosphate, but most reasonable source for wastewater treatment can be iron hydroxide. Iron- reducing activity of isolated pure cultures was just 60 to 70% of the activity of related enrichment cultures.