Abstract:
The objective of this research was to investigate the effects of different types of organic substrates (Acetic acid and Oleic acid) and ratio of anaerobic time to reaction time on Polyhydroxyalkanoate; PHA synthesis from anaerobic-aerobic activated sludge process. Four anaerobic-aerobic sequencing batch reactors, fed with COD of 500 mg/l, labeled as A and AA use acetic acid as carbon source, SRT 10 days, anaerobic time were 2.5 hrs and 1.5 hrs, respectively. Reactor O and OO use oleic acid, SRT 20 days, anaerobic time were 2.5 hrs and 1.5 hrs, respectively. The results suggested that at the end of anaerobic period the average MLSS in reactors which use acetic acid contained almost 2 times MLSS more than which fed with oleic acid and it was found that the shorter anaerobic time, the higher MLSS concentration. Observed Yield (Yobs) of A, AA, O and OO were 0.304, 0.365, 0.081 and 0.094 mg MLSS/ mg COD respectively. The orthophosphate concentration in A and AA increased to maximum at the end of anaerobic period like Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal; EBPR and much more than that released in O and OO, however all reactors can removed COD more than 90 per cent. The main compositions of PHA accumulated in A and AA were PHB (83-88 per cent) while O an OO were PHV (78-84 per cent). The amount of PHB and PHV accumulated at the end of anaerobic period of A, AA, O and OO were 0.104, 0.08, 0.105 and 0.073 mg as C/mg cell, respectively. Total accumulated PHAs was calculated by substraction of glycogen carbon from the different accumulated carbon in cell during anaerobic period (?TOCcell-gly), which were 0.106, 0.084, 0.173 and 0.112 mg as C/mg cell, in A, AA, O and OO respectively. It was showed that the sludge acclimated to oleic acid accumulated other PHAs monomer that may consist of longer side-chain than PHB and PHV giving better mechanical properties. However higher productivity of PHA was obtained when substrate was acetic acid, ?PHA/?acetic of A and AA were 2.99 and 2.80 mg C/mg COD, respectively, while in O and OO were 2.78 and 2.33 mg C/mg COD, respectively.