Resumen de Concentración de biopelícula y eficiencia de un reactor de lecho fluidizado empacado con dos nuevos materiales de soporte

Rubén Alfonso Saucedo Terán, Ll. Manzanares, Guadalupe Virginia Nevárez Moorillón, Raúl Germán Bautista Margulis, Francisco Javier Solís Martínez, L. Córdoba, J. Carrazco, C. Andrade

• español

  La estabilizacion de la biopelicula es clave en la operacion de reactores de lecho fluidizado. Se determinaron las variaciones en la concentracion de biopelicula como efecto del material de soporte en un reactor experimental y su relacion con la eficiencia de tratamiento de agua residual sintetica. El reactor consistio en una columna de 8.9 cm de diametro y 90 cm de altura. Se utilizaron dos materiales de soporte: poliester-perlita expandida y perlita vitrificada. La concentracion de biopelicula se determino mediante el monitoreo de proteinas (PR), carbohidratos (CS) y conteos de bacterias mesofilicas aerobicas (BT), proteoliticas (BP), amiloliticas (BA), lipoliticas (BL) y formadoras de exopolisacaridos (EPS). Con un microscopio de barrido se observo la estructura de la biopelicula y los tipos de microorganismos predominantes. Se observo una importante actividad microbiologica en poliester-perlita expandida y perlita vitrificada desde el primer dia de operacion. Las concentraciones de PR + CS se situaron entre 40 y 70 Êg g.1 de material de soporte. Las poblaciones bacterianas mostraron una alta correlacion entre si, situandose BT, BP y BA entre 7.5 y 8.5 logaritmo de unidades formadoras de colonias (log UFC) y BL y EPS entre 6.2 y 7.2 log UFC g.1 de biomasa humeda. Las remociones de DQO fueron concomitantes con las concentraciones de biopelicula, sin diferencias (p < 0.01) entre materiales de soporte. En poliester-perlita expandida se observaron bacterias esfericas y cilindricas, en perlita vitrificada predominaron bacterias esfericas. El reactor opero de manera continua, eliminando el exceso de biomasa sin aplicar lavados del lecho.

• English

  Biofilm stabilisation is a key issue in the performance of fluidised-bed reactors. The effect of two support materials on variations in biofilm concentration and the relationship with synthetic wastewater treatment efficiency were determined in an experimental reactor. The reactor was made with an 8.9 cm diameter and 90 cm high acrylic column.

  Polyester plus expanded perlite particles, and vitrified perlite particles, were used as support materials. Biofilm growth was determined by monitoring biofilm proteins (PR) and carbohydrates (CS), and counting aerobic mesophilic (BT), proteolytic (BP), amilolytic (BA), lipolytic (BL) and exopolysaccharide forming (EPS) bacteria. Biofilm structure and the types of predominant microorganisms were observed via scanning electron microscopy. Important microbiological activity was observed from the first day of operation onwards in polyester plus expanded perlite and vitrified perlite.

  PR plus CS concentrations varied between 40 and 70 ìg g.1 of support material. Bacterial populations were highly intercorrelated. BT, BP and BA counts varied from 7.5 to 8.5 logarithm of colony forming units (log CFU), and BL and EPS counts were between 6.2 and 7.2 log CFU g.1 of fresh biomass. COD removal rates were not different from biofilm concentrations (p < 0.01) regarding the support materials. Spherical and cilindrical bacteria were observed in polyester plus expanded perlite particles, whereas spherical bacteria predominated in vitrified perlite particles. The reactor operated continuously, eliminating the excess of biomass without the need for bed backwashing..