Determining the distribution of granule diameter from biological sludge.

Anaerobic granule sizes from various types of anaerobic biological wastewater treatments were investigated in order to understand the influence of this characteristic on the performance of the treatment system. To date, there is no standardised methodology in the current literature, which provides details of a process to obtain data, such as a suitable sample volume, a description of the precision and limitations of the techniques used. Therefore, the aim of this protocol is to standardise the granulometry assay that can measure granule sizes accurately and quickly.

Granules characteristics in the vertical profile of a full-scale upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor treating poultry slaughterhouse wastewater.

The performance and the granules characteristics of a 450 m(3) -UASB reactor operating for 1228 days, treating poultry slaughterhouse wastewater with an average COD reduction of 85% was examined. Granules were sampled in three different positions along the vertical central line of the reactor, revealing variations in the concentration of volatile total solids. Although the reactor had been in operation for an extended period of time, granule sizes of 0.