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Updated: Mar 21, 2026

Electrochemically and Bioelectrochemically Induced Ammonium Recovery
Published on: January 22, 2015
Electrical conductivity as a state indicator for the start-up period of anaerobic fixed-bed reactors
A Robles1, E Latrille2, J Ribes3
1IIAMA, Institut Universitari d'Investigació d'Enginyeria de l'Aigua i Medi Ambient, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camí de Vera s/n, Valencia 46022, Spain E-mail: ngerobma@upv.es; INRA, UR0050, Laboratoire de Biotechnologie de l'Environnement, Avenue des Etangs, Narbonne F-11100, France.
Abstract:
The aim of this work was to analyse the applicability of electrical conductivity sensors for on-line monitoring the start-up period of an anaerobic fixed-bed reactor. The evolution of bicarbonate concentration and methane production rate was analysed. Strong linear relationships between electrical conductivity and both bicarbonate concentration and methane production rate were observed. On-line estimations of the studied parameters were carried out in a new start-up period by applying simple linear regression models, which resulted in a good concordance between both observed and predicted values. Electrical conductivity sensors were therefore identified as an interesting method for monitoring the start-up period of anaerobic fixed-bed reactors due to its reliability, robustness, easy operation, low cost, and minimum maintenance compared with the currently used sensors.
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