ANAEROBIC TREATMENT OF WASTE-WATER PRODUCED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CELLULOSIC PULP FROM WHEAT-STRAW

A study of the continuous anaerobic digestion process of wastewater, produced in the manufacture of cellulosic pulp from wheat straw, was carried out. An influent wastewater with a COD of 45 g.l(-1) was used and hydraulic retention times ranging between 29 and 8 days were tested. For a hydraulic retention time of 8 days a start-up of acidification was observed in the reactor. The biodegradability of the wastewater ranged between 50% and 10% depending on the average COD of the medium. The inhibitory characteristics of this wastewater was shown through methanogenic activity tests. Lastly, a kinetic model of overall parameters was employed to correlate the results obtained.