Manipueira, wastewater of cassava (Manihot esculenta) processing, can be treated by anaerobic biodigestion. To study the start-up process of a plug-flow digester for manipueira treatment, this work consisted of two stages: gradual decrease of the hydraulic retention time (HRT) to the preset time of 4 days or maintaining a fixed HRT of 4 days with gradual increase of the substrate concentration. A digester of 1980 mL capacity was opperated, at constant temperature (32 ± 1º C), with substrate pH corrected between 5.5 and 6.0. The first stage had durations of 16.6; 13.6; 11.6; and 9.6 days and the organic loads were 3.1; 2.0; 2.3; and 2.9 COD L-1 d-1, (chemical oxigen demand) respectively. The second stage was characterized by a fixed HRT (4 days) and organic loads of 0.48; 0.86; 1.65; and 2.46 g COD L-1 d-1. Total solids (TS), volatile solids (VS), COD, alkalinity and volatile acidity were determined in the substrate and in the effluent. During the first stage, the HRT of 9.6 days and organic load of 2.9 g COD L-1 d-1 resulted in the best performence; reductions in COD, total and volatile solids were 60, 44 and 60%, respectively. During the second stage, with a 4-day HRT, the best results were achieved with the 0.86 g COD L-1 d-1 organic load, which provided reductions in COD, total and volatile solids of 71, 58 and 79%, respectively. The start-up of the plug-flow digester for manipueira treatment can be made by gradually by decreasing the HRT, or fixing HRT and increasing substrate concentration.
cassava; anaerobic; effluent; biodigestion