A granulation model using diosgenin wastewater in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor

An enhanced start-up of an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor for diosgenin wastewater treatment was designed and experimentally tested. Gran-ular sludge was formed on day 35 in the reactor with high concentrations of chloride (4000–7000 mg/L) and COD (5000–13000 mg/L) as substrate. A new model for the granulation was proposed which divides the formation of anaerobic granules into six consecutive stages; they include semi-embryonic granule formation, embryonic granule formation, single-nucleus granule formation, multi-nuclei granule formation, granule growth and granule maturation. A model of the granule structure was also proposed based on scanning electron microscope observation. The microspores occurring on the surface and further leading into the interior of the granules were considered as the channels and the passage of the materials and the products of the microorganisms’ metabolism inside the granules.