Enhancing synthetic vinasse treatment efficiency using an integrated UASB-Modified Bardenpho Process

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Environmental Engineering
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Vinasse, a byproduct of ethanol distillation, presents significant environmental challenges due to its complex composition.
• Untreated vinasse discharge can lead to severe ecosystem damage from organic matter, minerals, and toxic compounds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of an integrated upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor and modified Bardenpho process (MBP) for synthetic vinasse treatment.
• To assess the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and key nutrients (total nitrogen, total phosphorus, ammonium) from vinasse.

Main Methods:

• An integrated UASB-MBP system was operated for 167 days, treating synthetic vinasse at varying organic loading rates (1.6–12.5 kgCOD/m³ day).
• Experiments were conducted under mesophilic conditions (33–35 °C) with optimized hydraulic retention time (HRT) and nitrate recycle ratio.

Main Results:

• The UASB-MBP system achieved exceptional removal efficiencies: 99.41% for COD, 98.14% for total nitrogen (TN), 99.91% for total phosphorus (TP), and 99.63% for ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺-N).
• Final effluent concentrations were low, with NH₄⁺-N at 0.8–1.2 mg/L and TN at 5.1–7.9 mg/L, resulting in a final discharge of 51.06 mg/L.
• Optimal system performance was observed at an HRT of 15.5 hours and a nitrate recycle ratio of 200%.

Conclusions:

• The integrated UASB-MBP system demonstrates a highly effective and eco-friendly solution for concurrent COD and nutrient removal from vinasse.
• This treatment approach shows significant potential for widespread implementation in industrial wastewater management, particularly for vinasse.