Treatment of synthetic glucose media by an integrated process of anaerobic digestion and reverse osmosis.

: A bio-kinetic study was conducted on a laboratory scale to evaluate the performance of an indigenously fabricated fixed film anaerobic reactor operated in upward flow mode for the treatment of synthetic glucose medium. The feasibility of using a combination of anaerobic treatment and reverse osmosis (RO) for generation of recyclable water from the effluent formed the basis of the study. The reactor was operated under different organic loading rates (OLR) and hydraulic residence times (HRT) at a constant feed pH of 7.0. The chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total alkalinity, pH and total volatile acids (TVA) were monitored in the samples drawn from different sampling ports provided in the reactor. Pilot-scale experiments using a spiral-wound thin-film composite (TFC) polyamide commercial membrane were carried out to investigate the potential of RO for processing the composite effluent emanating from the anaerobic process. Separation performance was evaluated at varying feed pressure (11-41 bar) and found to improve with increasing pressure. High rejection of dissolved solids (approximately 98%), COD, BOD and almost complete removal of color were achieved with reasonable flux and water recovery.