Summary
The development of granular sludge in laboratory-scale upflow anaerobic sludge-blanket reactors was studied. Acetate was supplied as sole carbon source in order to select the acetotrophs Methanosarcina and Methanothrix. These microorganisms are dominant in methanogenic ecosystems and their ratio seems to control the speed of granulation. Changing the ratio of the above species was followed on the basis of their different F 420-coenzyme content. Five reactors were operated at the same hydraulic retention time but at different feed substrate concentrations. We found that granulation takes place only in acetate-fed systems but this process was slower and the resultant granules looser and less stable than those developed on sugar-starch substrate. In the range of feed acetate levels examined (0.5−0.3 g/1) higher concentrations of feed caused faster granulation of the sludge bed and, presumably, of the microbial population, and resulted in larger granules containing sludge that settled more readily. We found no evidence for selection pressure at substrate concentrations below 0.5 g/1 acetate in the reactor.
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Morvai, L., Miháltz, P., Czakó, L. et al. The influence of organic load on granular sludge development in an acetate-fed system. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 33, 463–468 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00176667
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00176667