A new method to study interactions between biomass and packing material in anaerobic filters

• Published in: Biotechnology techniques Vol. 12; no. 4; pp. 277 - 283
• Main Authors: ALVES, M. M, PEREIRA, M. A, BELLOUTI, M, ALVARES PEREIRA, R. M, MOTA VIEIRA, J. A, NOVAIS, J, MOTA, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Chapman and Hall 01-04-1998
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Bioreactors; Biotechnology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Various methods and equipments; Anaerobiosis; Microbial activity; Support; Plexiglas; Interaction; Size; Fixed bed reactor; Glass; Immobilization; Adhesion; Microbial biomass; Bioreactor; Investigation method; Methanogenesis; Polyvinyl chloride; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0951-208X; 1573-6784
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1008846113447

A new anaerobic, random-packed, fixed-bed reactor, where the fixed bed matrix is distributed between up to 36 independent mini-bioreactors, has been developed to investigate biomass-support interactions in anaerobic filters. Glass, Plexiglas and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) of three sizes all gave similar results though entrapped biomass was maximal at 3 g/L of matrix void volume for the smallest size and a maximum of 1 g adhered biomass per m super(2) was obtained for the largest size. In a second run, by periodically removing 3 mini-bioreactors, potential specific methanogenic activities against individual substrates were determined along the time and a continuous growth of the adhered biomass was observed, achieving a maximum of 40% of the total biomass.