Monitoramento de reatores anaeróbios de fluxo ascendente com manta de lodo (UASB), tratando águas residuárias de suinocultura, por meio de medidas da alcalinidade.

Abstract

UASB reactors treating swine wastewater were operated with influent total suspended solids concentrations (TSS) of 500, 1000, 1500 and 2000 mg.l-1, hydraulic detention time (HDT) of 30, 20, 12 and 8 hours and consequently increasing organic loading rates (OLR). Total alkalinity, bicarbonate alkalinity (PA - partial alkalinity) and volatile acids alkalinity (IA - intermediate alkalinity) were measured with the objective of to verify relations between reactor performance and alkalinity proportions (IA:PA). IA:PA requires only one simple analytical procedure. The IA:PA increased to value above 0.30 whenever instabilities in reactor performance ocurred: COD and TSS removals, and CH4 production decreased and total volatile acids concentration increased.