Mechanisms and models for anaerobic granulation in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor.

Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor has been employed in industrial and municipal wastewater treatment for decades. However, the long start-up period required for the development of anaerobic granules seriously limits the application of this technology. In order to develop the strategy for rapid UASB start-up, the mechanisms for anaerobic granulation should be understood. This paper attempts to provide a up-to-date review on the existing mechanisms and models for anaerobic granulation in the UASB reactor, which include inert nuclei model, selection pressure model, multi-valence positive ion-bonding model, synthetic and natural polymer-bonding model, Capetown's model, spaghetti theory, syntrophic microcolony model, multi-layer model, secondary minimum adhesion model, local dehydration and hydrophobic interaction model, surface tension model, proton translocation-dehydration theory, cellular automaton model and cell-to-cell communication model. Based on those previous works, a general model for anaerobic granulation is also proposed. It is expected that this paper would be helpful for researchers to further develop a unified theory for anaerobic granulation and technology for expediting the formation of the UASB granules.

[1]  J. B. van Lier,et al.  Effect of ethylene glycol-bis(β-aminoethyl ether)-N,N-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) on stability and activity of methanogenic granular sludge , 1991, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.

[2]  J. Wimpenny,et al.  A unifying hypothesis for the structure of microbial biofilms based on cellular automaton models , 1997 .

[3]  S. R. Guiot,et al.  A STRUCTURED MODEL OF THE ANAEROBIC GRANULE CONSORTIUM , 1992 .

[4]  Hideki Harada,et al.  Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Using 16S rRNA-Targeted Oligonucleotides Reveals Localization of Methanogens and Selected Uncultured Bacteria in Mesophilic and Thermophilic Sludge Granules , 1999, Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

[5]  Paul Rouxhet,et al.  Methods for Measuring Hydrophobicity of Microorganisms , 1987 .

[6]  S. Molin,et al.  Spatial Organization of Microbial Biofilm Communities , 2000, Microbial Ecology.

[7]  Jin-Woo Bae,et al.  Layered structure of granules in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor gives microbial populations resistance to metal ions , 2000, Biotechnology Letters.

[8]  D. Hoekstra,et al.  MEMBRANE-FUSION - FROM LIPOSOMES TO BIOLOGICAL-MEMBRANES , 1984 .

[9]  M. V. van Loosdrecht,et al.  Electrophoretic mobility and hydrophobicity as a measured to predict the initial steps of bacterial adhesion , 1987, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[10]  Christiane Cantin,et al.  Differentiation of Methanosaeta concilii andMethanosarcina barkeri in Anaerobic Mesophilic Granular Sludge by Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization and Confocal Scanning Laser Microscopy , 1999, Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

[11]  Joo-Hwa Tay,et al.  Anaerobic Biogranulation Using Phenol as the Sole Carbon Source , 2000 .

[12]  W Verstraete,et al.  Granulation and sludge bed stability in upflow anaerobic sludge bed reactors in relation to surface thermodynamics , 1995, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[13]  K. C. Marshall,et al.  Microbial Adhesion and Aggregation , 1985, Life Sciences Research Reports.

[14]  J. Costerton,et al.  The involvement of cell-to-cell signals in the development of a bacterial biofilm. , 1998, Science.

[15]  J. N. Lester,et al.  Complexation of heavy metals by extracellular polymers in the activated sludge process , 1984 .

[16]  Jules B. van Lier,et al.  Effect of temperature on the anaerobic thermophilic conversion of volatile fatty acids by dispersed and granular sludge. , 1996 .

[17]  Bruce E. Rittmann,et al.  Simulation of multispecies biofilm development in three dimensions , 1999 .

[18]  Herbert H. P. Fang,et al.  Maximum COD Loading Capacity in UASB Reactors at 37°C , 1993 .

[19]  Gerard Muyzer,et al.  Distribution of Sulfate-Reducing and Methanogenic Bacteria in Anaerobic Aggregates Determined by Microsensor and Molecular Analyses , 1999, Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

[20]  S. J. Caldwell,et al.  Multicellular Organization in a Degradative Biofilm Community , 1994, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[21]  Slawomir W. Hermanowicz A model of two-dimensional biofilm morphology , 1998 .

[22]  P. Hirsch,et al.  Microcolony Formation and Consortia , 1984 .

[23]  Hideki Harada,et al.  Quantification of methanogen cell density in anaerobic granular sludge consortia by fluorescence in-situ hybridization , 2000 .

[24]  B. Ahring,et al.  Extracellular polymers in granular sludge from different upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors , 1994, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.

[25]  A Ohashi,et al.  Phylogenetic diversity of mesophilic and thermophilic granular sludges determined by 16S rRNA gene analysis. , 1998, Microbiology.

[26]  Jun Liu,et al.  Advanced start up of UASB reactors by adding of water absorbing polymer , 1997 .

[27]  Willy Verstraete,et al.  The use of microsensors to determine population distributions in UASB aggregates , 1995 .

[28]  Joo-Hwa Tay,et al.  Molecular mechanism of granulation. I:H + translocation-dehydration theory , 2000 .

[29]  Yu-You Li,et al.  Effect of degradation kinetics on the microstructure of anaerobic biogranules , 1995 .

[30]  J J Heijnen,et al.  Two-dimensional model of biofilm detachment caused by internal stress from liquid flow. , 2001, Biotechnology and bioengineering.

[31]  W Verstraete,et al.  Contact angle measurement and cell hydrophobicity of granular sludge from upflow anaerobic sludge bed reactors , 1995, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[32]  Birgitte Kiær Ahring,et al.  Effects of magnesium on thermophilic acetate-degrading granules in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors , 1993 .

[33]  W. Liu,et al.  Characterization of microbial consortia in a terephthalate-degrading anaerobic granular sludge system. , 2001, Microbiology.

[34]  S. R. Guiot,et al.  Influence of synthetic and natural polymers on the anaerobic granulation process , 1998 .

[35]  E. Colleran,et al.  Effect of feed composition and upflow velocity on aggregate characteristics in anaerobic upflow reactors , 1997, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.

[36]  J W Wimpenny,et al.  Individual-based modelling of biofilms. , 2001, Microbiology.

[37]  J. Zeikus,et al.  Formation of Fatty Acid-degrading, anaerobic granules by defined species , 1996, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[38]  Paul Rouxhet,et al.  Physical chemistry of the interface between attached micro-organisms and their support , 1990 .

[39]  J. Tay,et al.  Enhanced sludge granulation in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors by aluminum chloride. , 2001, Chemosphere.

[40]  A. Klapwijk,et al.  Use of the upflow sludge blanket (USB) reactor concept for biological wastewater treatment, especially for anaerobic treatment , 1980 .

[41]  G. L. Sant'anna,et al.  Metabolic blocking of exopolysaccharides synthesis: effects on microbial adhesion and biofilm accumulation , 2004, Biotechnology Letters.

[42]  W. Verstraete,et al.  Enhancing the start-up of a UASB reactor treating domestic wastewater by adding a water extract of Moringa oleifera seeds , 2001, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.

[43]  J. Shapiro Thinking about bacterial populations as multicellular organisms. , 1998, Annual review of microbiology.

[44]  W. Verstraete,et al.  Effects of directly soluble and fibrous rapidly acidifying chemical oxygen demand and reactor liquid surface tension on granulation and sludge-bed stability in upflow anaerobic sludge-blanket reactors , 1997, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.

[45]  J. Tay,et al.  The roles of calcium in sludge granulation during UASB reactor start-up. , 2001, Water research.

[46]  B. Ahring,et al.  Granular sludge formation in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors , 2000, Biotechnology and bioengineering.

[47]  N. Kosaric,et al.  The effect of calcium on microbial aggregation during uasb reactor start up , 1987 .

[48]  R. Kolter,et al.  Genetic analyses of bacterial biofilm formation. , 1999, Current opinion in microbiology.

[49]  Joo-Hwa Tay,et al.  INFLUENCE OF SUBSTRATE CONCENTRATION ON MICROBIAL SELECTION AND GRANULATION DURING START-UP OF UPFLOW ANAEROBIC SLUDGE BLANKET REACTORS , 1996 .

[50]  T. Vicsek,et al.  Generic modelling of cooperative growth patterns in bacterial colonies , 1994, Nature.

[51]  Yves Arcand,et al.  Impact of the reactor hydrodynamics and organic loading on the size and activity of anaerobic granules , 1994 .

[52]  L. Pol The phenomenon of granulation of anaerobic sludge. , 1989 .

[53]  Malte Hermansson,et al.  Effects of Ionic Strength on Bacterial Adhesion and Stability of Flocs in a Wastewater Activated Sludge System , 1994, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[54]  Shlomo Nir,et al.  Molecular mechanisms of calcium-induced membrane fusion , 1990, Journal of bioenergetics and biomembranes.

[55]  S. Arijo,et al.  Microbial colonization of different support materials used to enhance the methanogenic process , 1994 .

[56]  Lun Shi-yi,et al.  Study on Mechanism of Anaerobic Sludge Granulation in UASB Reactors , 1993 .

[57]  M Winther-Nielsen,et al.  Effect of medium composition and sludge removal on the production, composition, and architecture of thermophilic (55 degrees C) acetate-utilizing granules from an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor , 1993, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[58]  Gatze Lettinga,et al.  The selection pressure as a driving force behind the granulation of anaerobic sludge. , 1988 .

[59]  J. J. Heijnen,et al.  Discrete-differential modelling of biofilm structure , 1999 .

[60]  Gatze Lettinga,et al.  The effect of liquid upward velocity and hydraulic retention time on granulation in UASB reactors treating wastewater with a high sulphate content , 1993 .

[61]  Serge R. Guiot,et al.  Layered structure of bacterial aggregates produced in an upflow anaerobic sludge bed and filter reactor , 1990, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[62]  J. Zeikus,et al.  Characterization of metabolic performance of methanogenic granules treating brewery wastewater: role of sulfate-reducing bacteria , 1991, Applied and environmental microbiology.

[63]  J. Zeikus,et al.  Ecoengineering high rate anaerobic digestion systems: Analysis of improved syntrophic biomethanation catalysts , 1990, Biotechnology and bioengineering.

[64]  Herbert H. P. Fang,et al.  Microbial distribution in UASB granules and its resulting effects , 2000 .

[65]  N. Kosaric,et al.  The effect of selected heavy metals (Ni, Co and Fe) on anaerobic granules and their Extracellular Polymeric Substance (EPS) , 1993 .

[66]  Adalberto Noyola,et al.  Granule production from raw waste activated sludge , 1994 .

[67]  Gatze Lettinga,et al.  Granular Anaerobic Sludge, Microbiology and Technology , 1988 .

[68]  Joo-Hwa Tay,et al.  Molecular Mechanism of Granulation. II: Proton Translocating Activity , 2000 .

[69]  J. Gurdon,et al.  Morphogen gradient interpretation , 2001, Nature.

[70]  H. J. de Lange,et al.  Desorption of Chlorobenzenes from Natural Suspended Solids and Sediments , 1993 .

[71]  Herbert Levine,et al.  Cooperative self-organization of microorganisms , 2000 .