Characterization of the biomass of a hybrid anaerobic reactor (HAR) with two types of support material during the treatment of the coffee wastewater

This study investigated the microbiology of a hybrid anaerobic reactor (HAR) in the removal of pollutant loads. This reactor had the same physical structure of an UASB reactor, however with minifilters inside containing two types of support material: expanded clay and gravel. Two hydraulic retention times (HRT) of 24h and 18h were evaluated at steady-state conditions, resulting in organic loading rates (OLR) of 0.032 and 0.018 kgDBO5m-3d-1 and biological organic loading rates (BOLR) of 0,0015 and 0.001 kgDBO5kgSVT- 1d¹, respectively. The decrease in concentration of organic matter in the influent resulted an endogenous state of the biomass in the reactor. The expanded clay was the best support material for biofilm attachment.