Aerobic and anaerobic purification of wine distillery wastewater in batch reactors

The decomposition of the organic pollutant matter present in wine distillery wastewater (WDW) is studied in batch reactors, by a single aerobic degradation, by a single anaerobic digestion and by the combination of both processes: an aerobic stage followed by an anaerobic stage. In the single aerobic treatment, the evolution of the substrate (in terms of chemical oxygen demand), biomass, and total phenolic compounds present in the wastewater are followed during the process, and a kinetic study is performed using the Contois model, which when applied to the experimental data provides the specific kinetic parameters of this model: q(max) and K-1. Similarly in the anaerobic treatment, the evolution of the substrate digested and the methane produced are followed, and the kinetic study is conducted using a modified Monod model, whose application to the experimental data of methane formed during the bioreactions leads to the determination of the global kinetic constant K-A Finally, in the combined process, the effect of the aerobic pretreatment on the methane production and kinetic constant of the later anaerobic treatment is established and discussed.