Anaerobic degradation of two types of whey in UASB reactors

The aim of this study was evaluated the anaerobic degradation of acid whey and the whey obtainedfrom the elaboration of cottage cheese, for the methane production with UASB reactors operatedto 1 day of HRT. Two reactors of 2,5 L were inoculated with sludge from a wastewater treatment plantof a cheeses factory. The reactors were operated during 84 days (whey of cottage cheese) and 95days (acid whey), to a concentration of 1.0 and 2,5 g COD/L. The reactors fed with whey of cottagecheese and acid whey to 1 g COD/L had an average removal efficiency of 76,0 and 77,3 % andmaximum of 90,7 and 100 %, with an average methane production of 0,30 and 0,43 L/day,respectively. To 2,5 g COD/L the average removal efficiencies were of 33,7 and 56,0 %, with amaximum of 44 y 69 %, respectively, and it not showed an increase of methane production. In a thirdstage, the reactors were operated to the initial conditions and presented removal efficiencies lower(59,0 and 62,0 %) than the reached in the first conditions. It was found that the inoculum and thetemperature had influence marked in the degradation process.