Characterization of Pile Fabric Yeast Carriers for Treatment of Wastewater from a Plum Production Facility

Abstract

BF–T9P, a nonwoven fiber material, can be used as an effective biomass carrier for yeast (UY7 strain) in the treatment of wastewater generated during the production of seasoned salty plums. However, the cost is a major problem in small and medium scale companies. We investigated the feasibility of using a pile fabric biomass carrier that can be produced at low cost with existing equipment. The TOC removal rate of E–pile, a polyester pile fabric, was as high as that of the nonwoven material under a volumetric loading rate of 4 to 15 kg–TOC/m³/d. A packing ratio of 0.17 m³–carrier/m³–reactor was sufficient for TOC removal if the volumetric loading rate was less than 8 kg–TOC/m³/d. In a system using a biomass carrier, the decrease in TOC removal caused by a temperature drop from 25 to 5℃ was slower and the increase in TOC removal upon raising the temperature to 10℃ was faster, compared with a system without a biomass carrier. These results may be attributed to the stable retention of yeast in the reactor by entrapment inside the biomass carrier.