In this work, it was evaluated the efficiency of two stage up flow anaerobic sludge blanquet (UASB) reactors, in bench scale, treating a liquid effluent from the coffee pulping, submitted to hydraulic detention time (HDT) of 4.0; 5.2 and 6.2 days, resulting in organic loading rate (OLR) of 5.8; 3.6 and 3.0 g COD (L d)-1 in the first reactor (R1) and HDT of 2.0; 2.6 and 3.1 days with OLR of 5.8; 0.5 and 0.4 g DQO total (L d)-1 in the second reactor (R2). The medium values of total COD affluent varied from 15,440 to 23,040 mg O2 L-1. The medium values of removal efficiencies of total COD and TSS varied from 66 to 98% and 93 to 97%, respectively, in the system of treatment with the UASB reactors in two stages. The content of methane in the biogas varied from 69 to 89% in the R1 and from 52 to 73% in the R2. The maximum volumetric methane production of 0.708 L CH4 (L reactor d)-1 was obtained with OLR of 3.6 g total COD (Lreactor d)-1 and HDT of 6.2 days in the R1. Average pH values ranged from 4.7 to 7.7 and 4.9 to 8.0 in the effluents of R1 and R2, respectively. Total volatile acids concentrations was kept below 100 mg L-1 with HDT of 5.2 and 6.2 days in the R1 and HDT of 2.6 and 3.1 days in the R2. The medium values of total phenols of affluent ranged from 80 to 97 mg L-1 and the average removal efficiencies ranged from 72 to 90% in the UASB reactors in two stages.
anaerobic digestion; phenols; coffee wastewater; organic loading rate
