Enhancement of Dairy Wastewater Treatment in a Combined Anaerobic Baffled and Biofilm Reactor with Magneto-Active Packing Media

In this study, a new reactor concept was designed for combining the advantages of anaerobic baffled reactors and biofilm reactors for treating dairy wastewater. The magneto-active microporous packing media manufactured by extrusion technology and modified by the addition of relevant amounts of metal catalysts and magnetic activation were used. The effects of active packing media placing in the different functional areas (hydrolysis or methanogenic) on the reactor performance (organic matter and nutrients removal, biogas production) were studied. The highest biogas production of 337 L/d and biogas yield of 415 mL/g COD_removed were achieved when the packing media with magnetic properties were placed in the methanogenic tanks. A stimulatory effect of placing the active packing media in methanogenic tanks on the organic matter removal (86% as COD) and suspended solids elimination from wastewater were noted; however, the magnetic properties did not contribute towards higher organic matter and nutrients removal. Incorporation of metals into the plastic packing media enhanced the phosphorus removal (85–87%).