Performance Evaluation of Hybrid UASB Reactor for Treatment of

Pharma Industry Wastewater

Ritvij D. Trivedi
Civil Department, BVM Engineering College, Vallabh Vidhyanagar, Anand, Gujarat.
Email: [email protected]
Ronak B. Patel
Civil Department, BVM Engineering College, Vallabh Vidhyanagar, Anand, Gujarat.
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Dipak S. Vyas
Professor, Civil Department, BVM Engineering College, Vallabh Vidhyanagar, Anand, Gujarat.
Email: [email protected]
Sejal M. Patel
Unistar Environment and Research Lab PVT. LTD., Vapi, Gujarat.
Email: [email protected]

Abstract— India has huge development in manufacture of most basic drugs and their derivatives as
pharmaceutical industry. The lots of MNCs are there, and listed here
the Vapi is one the pharmaceutical hub of Gujarat.
• Formulation
Anaerobic technology is an advance and it has lots of
• Extraction
benefits the UASB (Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket)
• Fermentation
technology is the one of them in attached growth system.
Here the reactor was design of 1210 mm height, 152.4 Common pharmaceutical dosage forms are: Aerosols,
mm diameter and sparkling system for inlet. The 5 capsules, creams, emulsions, gels, implants, inhalations,
sampling point are placed with 180 mm height difference injections, irrigations, ointments, pastes, powders,
the height of inlet tank is 1500 mm. At the top of reactor solutions, suspensions, tablets. Approximately 70% of the
there is a gas valve and sludge drain at the bottom. Here drugs consumed are solid oral dosage form (tablets and
also microbial examination was done using anaerobic jar capsules).
and gram staining.
A. Pharma Wastewater: Generation and Standards
With the successful start-up using waste of
Megafine Pharmaceutical’s wastewater the result are TABLE I Wastewater generation in pharma industry
taken in COD, BOD, TSS, VSS, and alkalinity. The COD
Range of
was maximum 71% and in the range of 6% to 71% and Source of
Sr. average Effluent in
BOD is also as same TSS and VSS are in the range of 300 wastewater
No characteristics mg/I
to 12000 it is increase due to microbial activity. The Generation
except pH
reaction is acidic so, that the pH is decreasing and 1 Sterile BOD 50 to 100
alkalinity is decreasing these are in the range of 7.9 to 6.8 products TSS 20 to 260
and 35000 to 1000 mg/L. So it can be concluded that the 2 Syrup COD 150 to 2500
reactor has efficiency of 70 %. preparation Cl- 20 to 150
3 Malt BOD 300 to 2,000
Keywords—Pharmaceutical wastewater; Hybrid UASB preparation So4- 20 to 200
4 BOD 2,000 to 2,500
I. INTRODUCTION Pastilles Heavy metals 1 to 20
Drugs and Pharmaceutical manufacturing industry preparation TSS 100 to 300
plays a key-role to the Society as a whole. The foundation pH 4.0 to 8.0
of Modern Indian Drugs and Pharmaceutical Industry in B. The UASB Technology
the country was laid in the beginning of this century. The Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB)
Pharmaceutical products refer to a group of chemicals reactor is the most important anaerobic treatment
used for diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of diseases technology which was developed in the late 1970s in The
and/or health conditions. Pharmaceutical manufacturing Netherlands by Lettinga and his co-workers. The hybrid
industries generally employ batch operations for Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (HUASB) reactor is a

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new concept which is the hybridized version of an UASB II. MATERIALS AND METHOD
reactor with a random packing medial support media at
The effluent was collected from a Pharma
the top of the reactor. HUASB reactor has several
Industry Named Megafine Pharma, Vapi, Gujarat, India.
advantages over UASB reactor such as:
The industry is it’s kind of in India for the manufacture of
1. Higher efficiency in the treatment of a variety of pharma based products and pharma intermediates.
waste waters including high strength waste
The reactor was inoculated with active biomass
water at high OLR and lesser HRT
obtained from the anaerobic digester of Emami Healthcare
2. Increased retention of granular sludge and
Ltd., Vapi, Gujarat which is in operation in the existing
prevention of washout of microbial population
treatment facilities located at the industry ETP. A small
etc.
quantity of jaggery was added to the reactor with water as
The UASB process consists of an Upflow of nutrient. The explained set-up consisted of hybrid UASB
wastewater through a dense sludge bed with high reactor, made of a PVC material with a cylindrical column
microbial activity. In the reactor, the solids profile varies of 152.4 internal diameter; 1210 mm height total volume
from very dense and granular particles with good of 0.021 m3; effective volume of 0.018 m3. The selected
settleability close to the bottom (sludge bed), to more packing material was located at the top one-third of the
dispersed and light sludge particles close to the top reactor. The reactors were fed from the influent tank
(sludge blanket). The UASB reactor can be divided into through PVC tube by means of a gravitational flow. A
four components: the sludge bed, the sludge blanket, the brass check valve of 25 mm size was fixed at the bottom
gas-solids-liquid separator (i.e. 3-phase separator) and the of the reactor to facilitate the sludge withdrawal. Five
secondary settling compartment above the separator. The sampling ports were installed along the height of the
sludge bed is situated in the bottom of the reactor and reactor at different zones viz., sludge bed zone, sludge
consists of a dense sludge with exceptional settling blanket zone and settling zone. The influent tank was
characteristics; it is therefore kept in the reactor. Above provided of 20 litres. This outlet was connected through a
the sludge bed is the sludge blanket, with solids silicon tube to a wet gas meter. Support Media
presenting lower concentrations and settling velocities.
In this study, locally available PVC support
The sludge blanket consists of sludge particles in a
media is used. The PVC spiral packing media comprises
mixture with the biogas formed, and is thus held in
of numerous windings (or) S-shaped portions.
suspension. It is in these two compartments, the sludge
bed and the sludge blanket, that the incoming wastewater Table II Dimensions of The lab scale rector
is biologically degraded.
Physical Parameter Size

Height Total Height 1210 mm

Effective Height 1020 mm

Packing Material Height 90 mm
Diameter Inner Diameter 152.4 mm

Outer Diameter 153.1 mm

Volume Total Volume 0.021 m3

Effective Volume 0.018 m3

Sampling 1- Sludge Bed Zone 200 mm
port Height
(From Base) 2 – Sludge Blanket Zone 380 mm
3 - Sludge Blanket Zone 560 mm
4 – Settling Zone 740 mm
5 – Settling Zone 920 mm

Fig 1 UASB reactor

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 satisfactory and consistent immobilization of anaerobic
organisms. Start-up regime of the above reactor can be
considered as the second influential part of the
continuous-mode of operation, the first one being the
acclimatization in the batch-mode of operation. A usually
low volumetric loading rate is recommended for the
primary start-up of HUASB reactor.
The HUASB reactor was seeded from acclimatized seed
sludge got from the batch-mode operation. Initially about
30-40% of the reactor volume was filled up with active
sludge.
III. RESULTS & DISCUSSION

A. Microbial Analysis
Table IV Result growth of Microorganism

Batch Source of Type of

Result
No Culture medium
Supernatant N-Broth - ve
1st
of Emami N-Broth + ve
Batch
sludge N-Broth + ve
Fig 2. The sketch of lab scale hybrid UASB Reactor 2nd From 1st N-Broth + ve
A. Characteristic of the waste water Batch Batch
N-Broth + ve
Table III Characteristic of water N - Agar slant - ve
From 1st N - Agar slant + ve
Parameter (mg/L) Result Batch
N - Agar slant + ve
pH 11.55 3rd N - Agar slant + ve
Ammonical Nitrogen 138.5 Batch From 2nd
N - Agar slant - ve
Batch
BOD 18328 N - Agar slant + ve
COD 54821.4 From 1st
N - Agar Plate + ve
Chloride as Cl -
488.9 Batch
Oil & Grease 8.1 From the laboratory analysis of the sludge of the reactor
Phenolic Compound 1.4 using standard analytical techniques the low volume
Sulphate SO4- 70 sample has negative result and all other are in positive.
Alkalinity as Methyl Orange 33312.5 TABLE V Result of 1st and 2nd recycle
Total Dissolved Solid 1992
Total Suspended Solid 2
COD % BOD TSS Gas
pH
B. Characterization of Microorganisms mg/L Removal mg/L mg/l m3/d
Culturing anaerobes
57612 6.18 19780 7.89 362 0.002
Bacteria will only grow in an environment that
47112 23.28 15590 7.78 1789 0.008
contains an appropriate concentration of oxygen. For
example, obligate aerobes grow only in the presence of 39324.2 35.96 13275.2 7.56 2764 0.012
oxygen, whereas obligate anaerobes grow only in an 31739 7.65 3713 0.017
48.31 10601.4
oxygen-free environment. Culturing of bacteria therefore
26585.6 56.70 9050 7.33 4358 0.019
requires cultivation under an atmosphere that supports
their growth. 56060 8.70 19132 7.85 669 0.003
1. Anaerobic container 46874.6 7.69 1819 0.008
23.66 15905
2. Shake culture technique.
37328 39.21 12785 7.55 3014 0.013
3. Chemical reducing agents.
C. Start Up 25210.8 58.94 8615.2 7.23 4530 0.020
The main objective to be achieved in the start-up 20496 6.98 5120 0.023
66.62 6985.7
of any high rate anaerobic reactor is to accomplish a

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 TABLE V Result of 1st Continuous System 70.00
COD % BOD TSS Gas 60.00
pH
mg/L Removal mg/L mg/l m3/d

21578 64.86 7375.8 7.12 4985 0.022 50.00

% COD removal
21456 65.06 7305.09 7.45 5000 0.022 40.00
22645 63.12 7785.92 7.3 4851 0.022
21815.3 64.47 7400 7.01 4955 0.022 30.00
20476.2 66.65 6905 6.98 5123 0.023
20.00
20112 67.25 6875 7.2 5168 0.023
19548.2 68.17 6649 7.15 5239 0.023 10.00
20145.5 67.19 6875.17 7.03 5164 0.023
0.00
18478 69.91 6208 7.08 5373 0.024 0 2 4 6
18541.1 69.81 6310.8 7.06 5365 0.024 Day
TABLE V Result of 1st Continuous System

COD % BOD TSS Gas

pH Fig. 3 Reduction of COD in 1st & 2nd recycle
mg/L Removal mg/L mg/l m3/d

18595 69.72 6330 6.99 5358 0.024 70.00

17995 70.69 3125 6.85 5433 0.024
69.00
17585.3 71.36 5975 6.82 5485 0.025
18566 69.76 6330 6.78 5362 0.024 68.00
% COD removal

18783.3 69.41 6380 6.66 5335 0.024 67.00

19225 68.69 6542 6.72 5279 0.024
18124.2 70.48 6158 6.8 5417 0.024 66.00
18535 69.82 6305.7 6.75 5366 0.024 65.00
18825.2 69.34 64010 6.7 5330 0.024
64.00
18956.6 69.13 6420 6.72 5313 0.024
B. pH 63.00
pH values gently increase with decrease in time of 0 5 10 15
Day
operation and found to be in the range of 7.89- 6.7 is
shown in graph given below.
Fig. 4 Reduction of COD in 1st Continuous system
C. Alkalinity
72.50
Alkalinity concentration is decreases with time in 1st
nd 72.00
& 2 recycling but there is variation in continuous flow
system. The values are in range of 11519-35008.5 which 71.50
% COD removal

is shown in the graphs given below. 71.00

D. TSS and VSS 70.50
Suspended solid concentration is increasing 70.00
absolutely with time period because of biomass activity. 69.50
The value of TSS and VSS of effluent is 300 mg/L and 69.00
362 mg/L which is increased to 5355 mg/L and 4444
68.50
mg/L at maximum reduction
E. COD removal 68.00
COD removal percentage also increases with time of 0 5 10 15
operation and is in the range of 6.18 % to 71.99% and the Day
maximum efficiency of 71.99% is obtained which can be
expressed in graphs as given below. Fig. 5 Reduction of COD in 2nd Continuous system

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 IV. CONCLUSION Genentech Environment System, New Delhi, 2002.

Anaerobic degradation of the pharmaceutical industry

waste water is carried out in the hybrid UASB reactor. On [6] Uldal M, “Effect of Hydraulic Loading Variation
the basis of the results we can conclude that the UASB on a Pilot Scale UASB Reactor Treating Domestic
reactor and the modification done in the reactor can be Wastewater at Vapi CETP, India”, Water and
used for the pharmaceutical industry waste water. Here Environmental Engineering, Indian Institute of
the reactor also produces sufficient amount of the methane Technology, Kanpur. 2008
gas which can be used as fuel, which is potential source of Metcalf & Eddy, “Waste Water Engineering
the energy. It also gives high efficiency for the reactor so [7] Treatment and Reuse”, Fourth Edition, Tata
it can be used for the treatment. McGraw-Hill.
[8] Christian RA & Karia GL, “Wastewater Treatment
The maximum COD removal efficiency is 71.99 % with
Concepts and design approach”, Eastern Economy
average effluent COD concentration as 62000 mg/l. The
Edition, PHI publication.
average BOD removal efficiency in 1st and 2nd recycling
[9] Hammer & Hammer, “Water and wastewater
system it is 37.23%. and it is 71.9% maximum in both
technology”, sixth edition, Pearson publication
continuous systems. It is decreased maximum to 5975
[10] Pelczar MJ, Chan ECS & Krieg NR,
mg/L from average in fluent BOD 19000 mg/L. Alkalinity
“Microbiology”, Tata McGraw-Hill.
of the effluent water is decreased to 35000 mg/l average to
[11] S. Govindaradjane, "studies on the performance
10935 at maximum. Here TSS and VSS is increasing from
and Kinetics of UASB and HUASB reactors for
300 mg/L and 362 mg/L to 5355 mg/L and 4444 mg/ L at
treating tapioca-based Starch Industrial waste
maximum level. The initial pH of the influent was average
stream", Ph.D. Thesis in civil engineering of the
8.5, and the final effluent pH was decreased to 6.9. There
Pondicherry university
was a very favourable change of the pH after the
biological reaction

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I would like thank Dr. Dipak Vyas, my guide and PG

coordinator of our college. I am thankful to Dr. F.S
Umrigar, our principal and Dr. L.B. Zala Head of Civil
Engineering Department. I am also thankful to Mrs Sejal
Patel and Unistar Environmental consultancy for
providing me laboratory facility.

REFERENCES

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Pharmaceutical manufacturing and formulation
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Unwanted Pharmaceuticals”, Department of Earth
and Environmental Engineering Columbia
University, 2005.
[3] Gupta SK, “Morphological study of the granules in
UASB and hybrid reactors”, Clean Techno
Environ Policy , 203–212 DOI 10.1007, 2005
[4] Luostarinen SA and Rintala JA, "Anaerobic on-
site treatment of black water and dairy parlour
wastewater in UASB-septic tanks at low
temperatures", Water Research 39, 436–448, 2005.
[5] Tare V and Nema A, “UASB Technology
Expectation and Reality”, Foundation of