In this paper, three anaerobic filters with 500 L volume were constructed and filled up with bamboo rings, operating with a nine hour hydraulic retention time. The aim was to determinate the start up period without using adapted sludge and reaching efficiency in a wastewater treatment, by deploying hydraulic detention time lower than the 12 hours suggested by the NBR 7229. In the system evaluation, it was used the dissolved organic carbon, chemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand, pH, and alkalinity, showing in terms of dissolved organic carbon, the need of 19 weeks to reach dynamic equilibrium in the reactors. After this period, the removal achieved 81.4 ± 6.4%. Results showed that using an alternative package in anaerobic filters made possible to have an efficacy similar to the one reached with traditional materials, even with the hydraulic detention time lower than the one suggested by the Brazilian law.
wastewater; treatment; alternative; filling material; bamboo
