Toxic effects of selected industrial solvents in batch and continuous anaerobic reactors

Acetone and ethyl acetate were readily degraded in batch reactors containing anaerobic solids from an industrial reactor at concentrations to 1000 mg/L; isoamyl acetate was degraded at concentrations below 200 mg/L. Xylene was noninhibitory in batch cultures at concentrations of 50 mg/L or less. Batch reactors receiving 45 mg/L methylene chloride (MC) experienced a 60% reduction in gas production, and an increase in volatile fatty acids. Semicontinuously-fed reactors dosed with 20 mg/L MC at the start suffered some loss of anaerobic efficiency, but acclimated well with increased gas production after 20 d. A continuously fed sludge blanket reactor with no previous exposure to MC has acclimated to 20 mg/L MC after initial inhibition at 10 mg/L.