ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the feasibility of using soft packing media contact oxidation process in treating high strength brewery wastewaters and develops the design parameters for the soft packing media contact oxidation process. The brewery plants produce a large quantity of wastewaters, which contain high concentration of organic pollutants, low concentration of nutrients, and have large variation in these parameters. The biooxidation of organic substances took place in the first and the second contact oxidation tanks, which used the soft packing media contact oxidation process for biological treatment. Soft packing media showed no sign of deterioration in the 18 months of pilot plant operation. Soft packing media contact oxidation process could effectively remove organic pollutants from brewery wastewaters with a Biochemical oxygen demand removal efficiency of 92% and Chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency of 74%. Presence of protozoa, rotifers, and ciliates on or near the biofilm serves as a biological indicator for excellent treatment performance and presence of active biofilm.
