Suitable modification of bentonite as media in anaerobic digestion for treated wastewater with high ammonia concentration

Anaerobic digestion is favorable process for high ammonia nitrogen wastewater. Additionally bentonite as media potency eliminate toxic material in wastewater. Bentonite was applied in two conditions with and without chemical activation, however thermal activation was added before chemical activation for both conditions. Dairy milk simulated wastewater was anaerobically treated in 1L of volume in lab scale. This research using 4 types of reactors, i.e. reactor without bentonite; reactor with bentonite was activated with acid; reactor with bentonite was activated by alkaline and reactor was added with bentonite without activation. H3P04 was used to activated bentonite in alkalinity condition and KOH was used for alkaline activation. Better performance for TAN removal was reactor added with bentonite without chemical activation. It reached optimum condition in 40% and stable around 40-47% in 15 d observation time. All reactor showed similar performance in COD removal around 45-60%. However, reactor without activation bentonite has good performance in COD removal until 60%. Biogas production in reactor with bentonite without chemical activation also showed highest biogas production.