Zero valent iron enhances methane production from primary sludge in anaerobic digestion

The rate-limiting step during anaerobic digestion is the hydrolysis of the particulate organic matter and methanogenesis. Certain elements, such as iron, nickel and cobalt and some growth factors such as coenzymes are needed for the adequate growth of the organisms. The main objective of this research was to enhance anaerobic digestion of primary sludge combining thermal and alkaline pre-treatment with stimulation of the methanogenic activity by adding yeast extract. Primary sludge was exposed, separately, to alkaline and thermal pre-treatment procedures. After this pre-treatment, different amounts of yeast extract were added to the sludge. The best COD, TSS and VSS removal rates were observed without pre-treatment and with the addition of 0.1% in weight of yeast extract. The highest specific methane production was obtained with thermal pre-treatment and 0.1% yeast addition. A second experimental stage was run for a closer analysis of the preliminary results. Thermal pre-treatment and 0.1% yeast addition was tested. The best results regarding both COD, TSS and VSS removal rates and methane production were obtained without thermal pre-treatment and with addition of yeast extract. The calculated F-values for the ANOVA-test show that the main influencing factor was the addition of yeast extract where the Biochemical Methane Production was doubled compared with the blank. The highest values for the hydrolysis constants were obtained at hydraulic retention times of six days after adding 0.1% of yeast extract.

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Improving methane production from algal sludge based anaerobic digestion by co-pretreatment with ultrasound and zero-valent iron

Journal of Cleaner Production ◽

10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120214 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 255 ◽

pp. 120214 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Lu Li ◽

Zhouyang Li ◽

Kang Song ◽

Yilu Gu ◽

Xiaofeng Gao

Keyword(s):

Anaerobic Digestion ◽

Methane Production ◽

Zero Valent Iron

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Enhanced Mesophilic Anaerobic Digestion of Primary Sewage Sludge

Water ◽

10.3390/w13030348 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 348

Author(s):

Foteini Sakaveli ◽

Maria Petala ◽

Vasilios Tsiridis ◽

Efthymios Darakas

Keyword(s):

Anaerobic Digestion ◽

Methane Production ◽

Sewage Treatment ◽

Cationic Polyelectrolyte ◽

Hydrolysis Rate ◽

Primary Sludge ◽

Secondary Sludge ◽

Adequate Quality ◽

Production Capacities ◽

Efficiency And Productivity

Processing of the produced primary and secondary sludge during sewage treatment is demanding and requires considerable resources. Most common practices suggest the cotreatment of primary and secondary sludge starting with thickening and anaerobic digestion. The aim of this study is to investigate the anaerobic digestion of the primary sludge only and estimate its impact on sludge treatment and energy recovery. Within this context, the performance of the anaerobic digestion of primary sludge is explored and focused on practices to further enhance the methane production by using additives, e.g., a cationic polyelectrolyte and attapulgite. The results showed that the overall yield in methane production during anaerobic digestion of primary sludge alone was higher than that obtained by the anaerobic digestion of mixed primary and secondary sludge (up to 40%), while the addition of both organic polyelectrolyte and attapulgite enhanced further the production of methane (up to 170%). Attapulgite increased the hydrolysis rate of biosolids and produced relatively stabilized digestate, though of lower dewaterability. Moreover, the results suggest that single digestion of primary sludge may accomplish higher methane production capacities at lower digestors’ volume increasing their overall efficiency and productivity, while the produced digestates are of adequate quality for further utilization mainly in agricultural or energy sectors.

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Anaerobic Digestion of Primary Sludge Containing Iron Phosphate

Water Quality Research Journal ◽

10.2166/wqrj.1973.008 ◽

1973 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 91-109 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

M.E. Jack ◽

G.J. Farquhar ◽

G.M. Cornwall

Keyword(s):

Anaerobic Digestion ◽

Phosphorus Removal ◽

Municipal Wastewater ◽

Iron Phosphate ◽

Chemical Precipitation ◽

Task Group ◽

Iron Compounds ◽

Primary Sludge ◽

Group Report ◽

Aluminum Compounds

Abstract The importance of phosphorus as a nutrient in the eutrophication of lakes and rivers has been well established (Fruh 1967). It has been shown in addition that a significant amount of this phosphorus arises from the discharge of treated and untreated municipal wastewater (Task Group Report 1967). Consequently, measures are being taken, notably in the Province of Ontario, for removal of phosphorus from wastewater by means of chemical precipitation. Chemicals exhibiting satisfactory phosphorus removal include lime, iron compounds and aluminum compounds (Leckie and Stumm 1970; Schmid 1968; Wuhrman 1968).

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Enhancing methane production from the invasive macroalga Rugulopteryx okamurae through anaerobic co-digestion with olive mill solid waste: process performance and kinetic analysis

Journal of Applied Phycology ◽

10.1007/s10811-021-02548-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

D. de la Lama-Calvente ◽

M. J. Fernández-Rodríguez ◽

J. Llanos ◽

J. M. Mancilla-Leytón ◽

R. Borja

Keyword(s):

Anaerobic Digestion ◽

Solid Waste ◽

Methane Production ◽

Methane Yield ◽

Specific Rate ◽

Order Kinetic ◽

Two Phase ◽

First Order ◽

Olive Mill Solid Waste ◽

Olive Mill

AbstractThe biomass valorisation of the invasive brown alga Rugulopteryx okamurae (Dictyotales, Phaeophyceae) is key to curbing the expansion of this invasive macroalga which is generating tonnes of biomass on southern Spain beaches. As a feasible alternative for the biomass management, anaerobic co-digestion is proposed in this study. Although the anaerobic digestion of macroalgae barely produced 177 mL of CH4 g−1 VS, the co-digestion with a C-rich substrate, such as the olive mill solid waste (OMSW, the main waste derived from the two-phase olive oil manufacturing process), improved the anaerobic digestion process. The mixture improved not only the methane yield, but also its biodegradability. The highest biodegradability was found in the mixture 1 R. okamurae—1 OMSW, which improved the biodegradability of the macroalgae by 12.9% and 38.1% for the OMSW. The highest methane yield was observed for the mixture 1 R. okamurae—3 OMSW, improving the methane production of macroalgae alone by 157% and the OMSW methane production by 8.6%. Two mathematical models were used to fit the experimental data of methane production time with the aim of assessing the processes and obtaining the kinetic constants of the anaerobic co-digestion of different combination of R. okamurae and OMSW and both substrates independently. First-order kinetic and the transference function models allowed for appropriately fitting the experimental results of methane production with digestion time. The specific rate constant, k (first-order model) for the mixture 1 R. okamurae- 1.5 OMSW, was 5.1 and 1.3 times higher than that obtained for the mono-digestion of single OMSW and the macroalga, respectively. In the same way, the transference function model revealed that the maximum methane production rate (Rmax) was also found for the mixture 1 R. okamurae—1.5 OMSW (30.4 mL CH4 g−1 VS day−1), which was 1.6 and 2.2 times higher than the corresponding to the mono-digestions of the single OMSW and sole R. okamurae (18.9 and 13.6 mL CH4 g−1 VS day−1), respectively.

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