Fluidized Bed Reactor characterization in the presence of 4-Nonylphenol

Nonylphenol Ethoxylate is a nonionic surfactant widely applied in domestic and industrial uses and its degradation generates the endocrine disruptor 4-nonylphenol (4-NP). Effects of this hazardous compound on biological sewage treatment are uncertain, especially in anaerobic systems. So, the aim of this study was to evaluate the 4-NP removal and degradation in anaerobic Fluidized Bed Reactor (AFBR) in increased scale (20L) and characterize the microbial community established in support material by massive sequencing of 16S RNAr gene at Illumina-Miseq® platform. The AFBR was filled with sand as support material, operated with Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) of 18 hours and fed with synthetic sewage plus 4-NP. Organic matter removal remained stable at 94% for both influent load of 920 and 568 mg COD L-1. Highest 4-NP removal was 78% for influent concentrations of 376.1 ± 35.8 µg 4-NP L-1, which did not affect COD removal efficiency and promoted selection of the microorganisms strongly related to aromatic compounds and surfactants degradations such as Geothrix, Holophaga, Aeromonas, Pelobacter, Pseudomonas, Delftia.