Content

What are anaerobic and aerobic processes ?

Anaerobic basics
Aerobic basics
Comparison
What are anaerobic and aerobic
processes ?
Two of four major classes of biological processes which are
used for wastewater treatment: aerobic processes, anoxic
processes, anaerobic processes and a combination of all.
 Anaerobic basics
Anaerobes growth in the complete absence of dissolved
oxygen.
They use oxygen in the combined state as in nitrate and
sulphate

Organics + NO3 CO2 + N2 + energy

Organics + SO4 CO2 + H2S + energy

Anaerobic basics
Biogas (= methane + carbon dioxide) is a product of
anaerobiosis whereas aerobic processes produce no biogas.
Anaerobic treatment is relatively cheap because of its
Low operating costs
Less sludge production
Low space requirements
High biogas production
Anaerobic basics
Anaerobic wastewater treatment is the biological treatment
without the use of air or elemental oxygen.
Many groups of anaerobic bacteria work together in the
absence of oxygen to degrade complex organic pollutants
into methane and carbon dioxide (biogas). In aerobiosis
aerobes work individually to decompose organic matter.
Anaerobic basics
Anaerobiosis involves a number of chain reactions each
being performed by a specific and specialized bacteria.
Their microbiology is more complex and delicate.
Anaerobic basics
Hydrolysis (conversion of solids into liquids), Acidogenesis
(acid production), Acetogenic (acetate building) and
Methanogenic (methane formation).
Methane bacteria use acetic acid, (H2) & (CO2) to generate
(CH4).
Anaerobic basics
Anaerobic basics
Bacteria (heterotrophic or autotrophic) based on their
source of nutrients.
Heterotrophs, sometimes referred to as saprophytes use
organic matter as both an energy and a carbon source for
synthesis.
Autotrophic bacteria oxidize inorganic compounds for
energy and use carbon dioxide as a carbon source.
Aerobic basics
These bacteria are further subdivided into aerobic,
anaerobic facultative aerobes and facultative anaerobes
based on their action toward free oxygen.
Aerobes require free dissolved oxygen in decomposing
organic matter to gain energy for growth and multiplication.
Organics + oxygen CO2 + H2O + energy
 Anaerobic and aerobic process
The individual processes are suspended-growth systems,
attached-growth systems or combinations thereof.
Suspended growth processes are the biological
treatment processes maintained by microorganisms
suspended within the liquid.
Attached-growth processes are the biological treatment
maintained by microorganisms attached to some inert
medium, such as rocks, slag or specially designed
ceramic or plastic materials.
 Advantage of anaerobic processes

1. Less energy requirement as no aeration is needed

0.5-0.75 kWh energy is needed for every 1 kg of COD removal by aerobic processes

2. Energy generation in the form of methane gas

1.16 kWh energy is produced for every 1 kg of COD fermented in anaerobic process

3. Less biomass (sludge) generation

Anaerobic process produces only 20% of sludge compared with aerobic process
CO2 + H2O
Aerobic process 0.5 kg
Soluble BOD
1 kg
New biomass
0.5 kg

CH4 gas
Anaerobic process > 0.9 kg
Biodegradable
COD
1 kg New biomass
< 0.1 kg
 Advantages of anaerobic processes

4. Less nutrients (N & P) required

Lower biomass synthesis rate also implies less nutrients requirement : 20% of aerobic

5. Application of higher organic loading rate

Organic loading rates of 5-10 times higher than that of aerobic processes are possible

6. Space saving
Higher loading rates require smaller reactor volumes thereby saving on
disposal cost

7. Ability to transform several hazardous solvents

including chloroform, trichloroethylene and trichloroethane
to an easily degradable form
Lim itations of anaerobic processes

1. Long start-up time

Because of lower biomass synthesis rate, it requires a longer start-up time
to attain a biomass concentration
2. Long recovery time
If an anaerobic system is subjected to disturbances either due to biomass
wash-out, toxic substances or shock loading, it may take longer time for the
system to return to normal operating conditions

3. Specific nutrients/trace metal requirements

Anaerobic microorganisms, especially methanogens, have specific nutrients
e.g. Fe, Ni, and Co requirement for optimum growth

4. More susceptible to changes in environmental conditions

Anaerobic microorganisms especially methanogens are prone to changes in
conditions such as temperature, pH, redox potential, etc.
Lim itations of anaerobic processes

5. Treatment of sulfate-rich wastewater

The presence of sulfate not only reduces the methane yield due to substrate
Competition, but also inhibits the methanogens due to sulfide production
6. Effluent quality of treated wastewater
The minimum substrate concentration (Smin) from which microorganisms are able
to generate energy for their growth and maintenance is much higher for
anaerobic treatment systems. Anaerobic processes may not be able to degrade
organic matter to the level to meet the discharge limits for ultimate disposal.

7. Treatment of high protein & nitrogen containing wastewater

The anaerobic degradation of proteins produces amines which are no longer be
degraded anaerobically. Similarly nitrogen remains unchanged during anaerobic
treatment. Recently, a process called ANAMMOX ( ANaerobic AMMonium OXididation)
has been developed to anaerobically oxidize NH4+ to N2 in presence of nitrite.
NH4+ + NO2- N2 + 2H2O
NH4+ + 1.32 NO2- + 0.066CO2 + 0.13H+ 1.02 N2 + 0.26NO3- + 0.066CH2O0.5N0.15
Comparison between anaerobic and aerobic processes

Anaerobic Aerobic
Organic loading rate
High loading rates:10-40 kg COD/m3-day Low loading rates:0.5-1.5 kg COD/m3-day
(for high rate reactors, e.g. AF,UASB, E/FBR) (for activated sludge process)
Biom ass yield
Low biomass yield:0.05-0.15 kg VSS/kg COD High biomass yield:0.35-0.45 kg VSS/kg COD
(biomass yield is not constant but depends (biomass yield is fairly constant irrespective
on types of substrates metabolized) of types of substrates metabolized)

Specific substrate utilization rate

High rate: 0.75-1.5 kg COD/kg VSS-day Low rate: 0.15-0.75 kg COD/kg VSS-day

Start-up tim e
Long start-up: 1-2 months for mesophilic Short start-up: 1-2 weeks
: 2-3 months for thermophilic
Comparison between anaerobic and aerobic processes

Anaerobic Aerobic
SR T
Longer SRT is essential to retain the slow SRT of 4-10 days is enough for the
growing methanogens within the reactor activated sludge process

M icrobiology
Anaerobic processes involve multi-step
chemical conversions and a diverse
group of microorganisms degrade the
organic matter in a sequential order
Aerobic process is mainly a one-
species phenomenon, except for
nutrient-removal processes

Environm ental factors

The process is highly susceptible to The process is more robust to
changes in environmental conditions changing environmental conditions