Full-Scale Low-temperature Anaerobic Wastewater Treatment

Here, we demonstrate for the first time, direct, high-rate, low-temperature AD of low-strength municipal wastewater at full-scale. An 88 m3 hybrid EGSB reactor equipped with a pumice-stone fixed-film filter was installed at the municipal wastewater treatment plant in Builth Wells, UK and operated for 290 days. Ambient temperatures ranged from 2-18C, but remained below 15C for >100 days. Influent BOD fluctuated between 2-200 mg L-1. Regardless of these extreme conditions, we report successful, robust treatment of BOD with removal often reaching >90%. 16S rRNA sequencing of DNA from the biomass revealed a highly adaptable core microbiome supporting the process.