Treatment of methanolic wastewater using anaerobic sequencing batch reactor

Treatment of methanolic wastewater was studied in an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) for a period of 193 days. The results showed that the system worked efficiently when the system volume loading was of 4–8g COD/l. d. Both Methanol concentration and bicarbonate play an important role in the anaerobic conversion of methanol. The route by which methanol was converted into methane had great effect on the COD removal of system. The acetic acid utilization rate increased with the volume loading. When the volume loading was 8g COD/l. d, the acetic acid utilization rate was 5% and the COD removal was over 95%. While the volume loading was 12g COD/l. d, the acetic acid utilization rate was 15.83% and the COD removal is less than 78%. The results of this study suggest that treating methanolic wastewater using anaerobic sequencing batch reactor is feasible.