This paper aimed at evaluating the effect of nitrate on anaerobic azo dye reduction by using mesophilic bioreactors, in the absence and in the presence of redox mediators. Two anaerobic bioreactors were operated in parallel with a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of ten hours; ethanol was used as co-substrate. The results showed that the bioreactors were efficient on dye reduction, and the ethanol showed to be a good electron donor to sustain it. The redox mediator AQDS increased the rates of reductive decolourisation, but its effect was not so remarkable compared to the previous experiments conducted. Contrary to the raised hypothesis that nitrate addition could decrease the colour removal efficiency and catalytic properties of the redox mediators, no effect of nitrate was observed in the bioreactors.
azo dye; redox mediators; nitrate; ethanol; anaerobic treatment
