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Updated: May 6, 2026
15:19
Development of Sulfidogenic Sludge from Marine Sediments and Trichloroethylene Reduction in an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor
Published on: October 15, 2015
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Characterization of sulfate-reducing granular sludge in the SANI(®) process
1Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
Water Research
|November 9, 2013
Summary
This study investigated granular sludge in a Sulfate-Reducing Up-flow Sludge Bed (SRUSB) reactor for saline sewage treatment. The process achieved high organic and sulfate removal, demonstrating its efficiency for wastewater management.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Microbiology
- Water Treatment Engineering
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Hong Kong utilizes seawater for toilet flushing, serving 80% of its population.
- A Sulfate reduction, Autotrophic denitrification and Nitrification Integrated (SANI®) process was developed for saline sewage treatment.
- Granulation of Sulfate-Reducing Up-flow Sludge Bed (SRUSB) reactors enhances SANI® process efficiency and resilience.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the biological and physicochemical properties of granular sulfate-reducing sludge.
- To evaluate the performance of a lab-scale SRUSB reactor using synthetic saline sewage.
- To understand the microbial community structure within the granular sludge.
Main Methods:
- Operation of a lab-scale SRUSB reactor with synthetic saline sewage for 368 days.
- Analysis of sludge granulation, settling velocity (SVI5), and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS).
- Microbial community analysis using Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing.
Main Results:
- The SRUSB reactor achieved 90% COD and 75% sulfate removal efficiencies at 1h HRT.
- Stable granular sludge (400-500 μm) formed within 4 months, with low SVI5 (30 ml/g).
- FISH and pyrosequencing revealed abundant sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and absence of methanogens.
Conclusions:
- The granular SRUSB reactor demonstrates excellent performance for saline sewage treatment.
- The characterized microbial and physicochemical properties explain the reactor's high efficiency.
- This granulation approach offers a robust solution for sustainable wastewater management.
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