Journal of Environmental Biology

Kinetic comparison of microbial assemblages for the anaerobic treatment of wastewater with high sulfate and heavy metal contents

Nusara Sinbuathong*¹, Pramote Sirirote², Winai Liengcharernsit³, Sutha Khaodhiar⁴ and Daniel J. Watts⁵

¹Scientific Equipment Center, Kasetsart University Research and Development Institute (KURDI),Kasetsart University, Bangkok - 10900, Thailand

²Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok - 10900, Thailand

³Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kasetsart University, Bangkok - 10900, Thailand

⁴Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok - 10330, Thailand

⁵Otto H. York Center for Environmental Engineering and Science, New Jersey Institute of Technology, New Yark , New Jersey - 07102, USA

(Received: January 24, 2007; Revised received: June 10,2008;  Accepted: June 27, 2008)

Abstract: Mixed-microbial assemblages enriched from a septic tank, coastal sediment samples, the digester sludge of a brewery wastewater treatment plant and acidic sulfate soil samples were compared on the basis of growth rate, waste and sulfate reduction rate under sulfate reducing conditions at 30^oC.  The specific growth rate of various cultures was in the range 0.0013-0.0022 hr^-1. Estimates of waste and sulfate reduction rate were obtained by fitting substrate depletion and sulfate reduction data with the Michaelis-Menten equation. The waste reduction rates were in the range 4x10^-8-1x10^-7 l  mg^-1hr^-1 and generally increased in the presence of copper, likely by copper sulfide precipitation that reduced sulfide and copper toxicity and thus protected the anaerobic microbes.  Anaerobic microorganisms from a brewery digester sludge were found to be the most appropriate culture for the treatment of wastewater with high sulfate and heavy metal content due to their growth rate, and waste and sulfate reduction rate.

Key words:  Anaerobic digestion, Brewery wastewater, Copper, Kinetics, Mixed microbial culture, Sulfate reducing condition

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