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Soft drinks are industrial intermediate chemicals found in wastewater and are among the most significant environmental pollutants. Up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors are used to treat soft drink wastewater, offering high-volume loading capacity, optimal grain deposition, and the ability to bear impact loads. The use of support materials can enhance biological productivity and expedite the UASB start-up period. In this study, bone powder was utilized as a support material in a UASB reactor to remove contaminants from wastewater. During the 70-day sludge adaptation period, the treatment reactor achieved a 93% reduction in COD, while the control reactor achieved a 65% reduction. Biogas production was higher in the bone powder UASB reactor (1750 mL/d) compared to the control UASB reactor (1100 mL/d), and the bone powder UASB reactor demonstrated greater resistance to shock loading. The improvement in sludge settling, shear strength, and higher biological activity in the bone powder UASB reactor was attributed to the formation of large granular sludge. The size of the granular sludge increased further with the colonization of filamentous bacteria at the irregular levels of bone powder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A start-up study was conducted to produce biohydrogen and biomethane from Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) using a two-stage up-flow anaerobic sludge fixed-film (UASFF) bioreactor. 100% molasses was used to start the system, and POME was added at 10% increments until it reached 100% after 59 days. During this period of continuous operation, the HRT and temperature were adjusted in order to optimize the condition for biogas production. Hydrogen and methane gas production fluctuated between 53–70% and 90–95%, respectively, in the last four days of operation (days 56–59), with POME percentage being increased from 70% to 100% (30%–0% molasses). Using 100% raw POME led to a total COD removal of 83.70%, average gas production rates of 5.29 L H 2 d−1 (57.11% H 2) and 9.60 L CH 4 d−1 (94.08% CH 4), in their respective units. This output is comparable to, if not better than using 100% molasses as substrate. This work concludes that based on the relative consistency of biogas production on days 56–59, the two-stage UASFF bioreactor operating at a final HRT of 4 h and temperature of 43 °C has taken a period of two months for start-up. Image 1 • A total COD removal efficiency of 83.70% was achieved using raw POME in two-stage UASFF reactor. • Short-term and stable H 2 and CH 4 production were established in thermophilic UASFF bioreactor. • Highest H 2 percentage and HPR was 57.11% and 5.29 L d−1 using 100% raw POME. • Highest CH 4 percentage and MPR was 94.08% and 9.60 L d−1 using 100% raw POME. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]