Specific methanogenic activity test for anaerobic degradation of influents

The success of the newly developed “Specific Methanogenic Activity Test” (SMA-test) in measuring the potential of anaerobic sludge to convert soluble substrate into CH4 and CO2 (James et al., 1990) made this test potentially useful for a variety of investigations. The SMA-test was originally developed for assessment of specific methanogenic activity of anaerobic sludge, but the reliability of the method in detecting even very small changes of sludge activity has drawn attention to its use for many different purposes, especially to evaluate the behaviour of anaerobic sludge when subjected to potentially inhibitory compounds. Recent investigations into the potentially inhibitory effects of the Lithium ion on anaerobic sludge were successfully carried out employing the SMA-test. The test proved to be very sensitive for this type of experiment and the results clearly showed a relationship between the degree of inhibition and the concentration of Lithium (Anderson et al., 1991). This paper describes the methodology for measuring the specific methanogenic activity of anaerobic sludges and discusses how the SMA-test can be used for different purposes.

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Sludge accumulation and methanogenic activity in an anaerobic lagoon

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2000.0654 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 42 (10-11) ◽

pp. 247-255 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

J. Paing ◽

B. Picot ◽

J. P. Sambuco ◽

A. Rambaud

Keyword(s):

Anaerobic Digestion ◽

Methane Production ◽

Anaerobic Degradation ◽

Volatile Fatty Acids ◽

Anaerobic Fermentation ◽

Methanogenic Activity ◽

Start Up ◽

Anaerobic Lagoon ◽

Methane Production Rate ◽

Sludge Accumulation

Sludge accumulation and the characteristics of anaerobic digestion in sludge had been investigated in a primary anaerobic lagoon. Methanogenic potential of sludge was evaluated by an anaerobic digestion test which measured the methane production rate. Sludge was sampled at several points in the lagoon to determine spatial variations and with a monthly frequency from the start-up of the lagoon to observe the development of anaerobic degradation. Maximum amounts of sludge accumulated near the inlet. The mean methane production of sludge was 2.9 ml gVS–1 d–1. Sludge near the outlet presented a greater methanogenic activity and a lesser concentration of volatile fatty acids than near the inlet. The different stages of anaerobic degradation were spatially separated, acidogenesis near the inlet and methanogenesis near the outlet. This staged distribution seemed to increase efficiency of anaerobic fermentation compared with septic tanks. Methane release at the surface of the lagoon was estimated to be very heterogeneous with a mean of 25 l m–2 d–1. The development of performance and sludge characteristics showed the rapid beginning of methanogenesis, three months after the start-up of the anaerobic lagoon. Considering the volume of accumulated sludge, it could however be expected that methanogenic activity would further increase.

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Improving Biomethanation of Chicken Manure by Co-Digestion with Ethanol Plant Effluent

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16245023 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (24) ◽

pp. 5023 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Dae-Yeol Cheong ◽

Jeffrey Todd Harvey ◽

Jinsu Kim ◽

Changsoo Lee

Keyword(s):

Loading Rate ◽

Chicken Manure ◽

Continuous Reactor ◽

Organic Loading Rate ◽

Organic Loading ◽

Methanogenic Activity ◽

Volatile Solids ◽

Methane Production Rate ◽

Specific Methanogenic Activity ◽

Ethanol Plant

As the global production of chicken manure has steadily increased, its proper management has become a challenging issue. This study examined process effluent from a bioethanol plant as a co-substrate for efficient anaerobic digestion of chicken manure. An anaerobic continuous reactor was operated in mono- and co-digestion modes by adding increasing amounts of the ethanol plant effluent (0%, 10%, and 20% (v/v) of chicken manure). Methanogenic performance improved significantly in terms of both methane production rate and yield (by up to 66% and 36%, respectively), with an increase in organic loading rate over the experimental phases. Correspondingly, the specific methanogenic activity was significantly higher in the co-digestion sludge than in the mono-digestion sludge. The reactor did not suffer any apparent process imbalance, ammonia inhibition, or nutrient limitation throughout the experiment, with the removal of volatile solids being stably maintained (56.3–58.9%). The amount of ethanol plant effluent appears to directly affect the rate of acidification, and its addition at ≥20% (v/v) to chicken manure needs to be avoided to maintain a stable pH. The overall results suggest that anerobic co-digestion with ethanol plant effluent may provide a practical means for the stable treatment and valorization of chicken manure.

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Specific methanogenic activity (SMA) of industrial sludge from the aerobic and anaerobic biological treatment

Ambiente e Agua - An Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Science ◽

10.4136/ambi-agua.1098 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Joel Dias da Silva ◽

Danieli Schneiders ◽

Aline Till ◽

Katt Regina Lapa ◽

Adilson Pinheiro

Keyword(s):

Biological Treatment ◽

Industrial Sludge ◽

Methanogenic Activity ◽

Specific Methanogenic Activity ◽

Aerobic And Anaerobic

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Influence of the origin of the inoculum on the anaerobic biodegradability test

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2004.0017 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 49 (1) ◽

pp. 53-59 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

I. Moreno-Andrade ◽

G. Buitrón

Keyword(s):

Most Probable Number ◽

Microbial Composition ◽

Probable Number ◽

Methanogenic Activity ◽

Sulfate Reducing ◽

Anaerobic Biodegradability ◽

Specific Methanogenic Activity ◽

Solids Content ◽

Different Sources ◽

Selection Of

Five different sources of inocula were studied to determine its influence on biodegradability tests. Inocula were characterized determining granulometry, specific methanogenic activity, solids content, and volumetric sludge index. Also, the fermentative, aceticlastic, hydrogenophilic, OPHA, and sulfate-reducing groups were determined by the most probable number technique. Anaerobic biodegradability tests were conducted with two different substrates, one easy to degrade (glucose) and a toxic one (phenol). The best performance, in terms of percent of biodegradation and lag time, for both substrates, was obtained with the inoculum from a brewery industry UASB. The results can be explained in terms of the initial activity of the inoculum. The influence of the significant variations found in the specific methanogenic activity of the five inocula studied is discussed, in terms of the microbial composition of the samples. The results emphasized the importance of the selection of an appropriate source of inoculum in order to obtain reliable results.

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