Journal of Environmental Biology

The effect of organic loading rate on VFA/COD ratio for methane

production from an EGSB reactor

Bo Wei, Linjiang Yuan* and Wenhui Liu

School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an-710 055, China

*Corresponding Author?s E-mail: yuanlinjiang@xauat.edu.cn

 Publication Data

Paper received:

28 January 2015

Revised received:

02 June 2015

Accepted:

08 June 2015

Abstract

The present study evaluated the effect of organic loading rate (OLR) on VFA/COD ratio for continuous production of methane using an expanded granular sludge bed(EGSB) reactor for 200 d. Reactor performances were studied in treating high OLRs ranging from 4.91?0.54 to 16.79?1.62g-COD l^-1d^-1 of glucose-based synthetic wastewater in a mesophilic condition. Results showed that performance of anaerobic fermentation system was distinctly influenced by OLR in terms of organic removal efficiency, VFA yield, methane production rate and system stability.Acetic and propionic acids accounted for 80-90% of total VFA, and presented highest VFA concentration and composition of VFA showed minor changes with OLR variation. Moreover, an increase in OLR increased VFA/COD ratio in the whole operation period and high VFA/COD ratio could inhibit methanogenesis at high OLR (16.79?1.62g-COD l^-1d^-1).      

 Key words

Anaerobic fermentation, organic loading rate, Methane, VFA/COD ratio 

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