Integrating anaerobic digestion and microalgae cultivation for dairy wastewater treatment and potential biochemicals production from the harvested microalgal biomass

The aim of this study was the performance evaluation of anaerobic digestion of dairy wastewater in a multi-section horizontal flow reactor (HFAR) equipped with microwave and ultrasonic generators to stimulate biochemical processes. The effects of increasing organic loading rate (OLR) ranging from 1.0 g chemical oxygen demand (COD)/L·d to 4.0 g COD/L·d on treatment performance, biogas production, and percentage of methane yield were determined. The highest organic compounds removals (about 85% as COD and total organic carbon—TOC) were obtained at OLR of 1.0–2.0 g COD/L·d. The highest biogas yield of 0.33 ± 0.03 L/g COD removed and methane content in biogas of 68.1 ± 5.8% were recorded at OLR of 1.0 g COD/L·d, while at OLR of 2.0 g COD/L·d it was 0.31 ± 0.02 L/COD removed and 66.3 ± 5.7%, respectively. Increasing of the OLR led to a reduction in biogas productivity as well as a decrease in methane content in biogas. The best technological effects were recorded in series with an operating mode of ultrasonic generators of 2 min work/28 min break. More intensive sonication reduced the efficiency of anaerobic digestion of dairy wastewater as well as biogas production. A low nutrient removal efficiency was observed in all tested series of the experiment, which ranged from 2.04 ± 0.38 to 4.59 ± 0.68% for phosphorus and from 9.67 ± 3.36 to 20.36 ± 0.32% for nitrogen. The effects obtained in the study (referring to the efficiency of wastewater treatment, biogas production, as well as to the results of economic analysis) proved that the HFAR can be competitive to existing industrial technologies for food wastewater treatment.

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Potential of Microalgae Cultivation in Dairy Wastewater as a Step in Low-Cost Biofuel Production

Journal of Engineering ◽

10.31026/j.eng.2018.04.04 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 58

Author(s):

Basma Abbas Abdulmajeed ◽

Arwa Raad Ibrahim

Keyword(s):

Wastewater Treatment ◽

Renewable Energy ◽

Chemical Oxygen Demand ◽

Low Cost ◽

Oxygen Demand ◽

Dairy Wastewater ◽

Biofuel Production ◽

Microalgae Cultivation ◽

Chlorella Sp

The present study addresses adopting the organic and nutritious materials in dairy wastewater as media for cultivation of microalgae, which represent an important source of renewable energy. This study was carried out through cultivation of three types of microalgae; Chlorella sp., Synechococcus, and Anabaena. The results shows the success the cultivation of the Synechococcus and Chlorella Sp, while the Anabaena microalgae were in low-growth level. The highest growth was in the Synechococcus farm, followed by Chlorella and Anabaena. However, the growth of Synechococcus required 10 days to achieve this increase that represents a negative indicator of the adoption of this type of microalgae in this media to meet the desired aims. While Chlorella needs less than two days to start growing. Moreover, the data obtained from the experiment show that removal of chemical oxygen demand in Chlorella cultures was (72%) more than that obtained from cultivation of other microalgae. Thus this microalgae is more efficient in wastewater treatment than other types.

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A study of the digestion process of sewage sludge from a dairy wastewater treatment plant to determine the composition and load of reject water

Water Practice & Technology ◽

10.2166/wpt.2014.008 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 71-78 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

W. Da˛browski

Keyword(s):

Wastewater Treatment ◽

Anaerobic Digestion ◽

Sewage Sludge ◽

Wastewater Treatment Plant ◽

Research Work ◽

Treatment Plant ◽

Ammonia Nitrogen ◽

Dairy Wastewater ◽

High Concentration ◽

Reject Water

The issue of reject water has to be considered in almost every biological municipal or industrial wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) that applies aerobic or anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge. Reject water is usually returned to the beginning of the treatment process, which results in periodical disturbances in stable and efficient sewage treatment. Due to planned modernization of one of the biggest dairy WWTPs in Poland, a laboratory scale research has been carried out to determine quality characteristics of reject water. Aerobic and anaerobic digestion was applied to a mixture of two kinds of sludge: excessive and flotation. According to research performed by the author results (range value) of reject water were: 7.3 to 12.9 mg N-NH4/L after aerobic and 460.0 to 574.0 mg N-NH4/L after anaerobic digestion. The study has confirmed a higher value of organic substances in reject water after anaerobic digestion in comparison with aerobic. Due to high concentration of ammonia nitrogen in reject water obtained during co-digestion of excessive and flotation sludge, a separated system for its treatment should be applied. The results of research work presented in this paper provided a base for the project of the pilot installation with constructed wetland.

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Sludge minimization by disintegration at different wastewater treatment plants

Water Practice & Technology ◽

10.2166/wpt.2008.010 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Luchien Luning ◽

Paul Roeleveld ◽

Victor W.M. Claessen

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Wastewater Treatment ◽

Anaerobic Digestion ◽

Sewage Sludge ◽

New Technologies ◽

Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽

Treatment Plant ◽

Biological Degradation ◽

Ongoing Research ◽

Sludge Minimization

In recent years new technologies have been developed to improve the biological degradation of sewage sludge by anaerobic digestion. The paper describes the results of a demonstration of ultrasonic disintegration on the Dutch Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Land van Cuijk. The effect on the degradation of organic matter is presented, together with the effect on the dewatering characteristics. Recommendations are presented for establishing research conditions in which the effect of sludge disintegration can be determined in a more direct way that is less sensitive to changing conditions in the operation of the WWTP. These recommendations have been implemented in the ongoing research in the Netherlands supported by the National Institute for wastewater research (STOWA).

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Effect of microwave pretreatment on removal of triclosan during anaerobic digestion of wastewater treatment sludge

Proceedings of the Water Environment Federation ◽

10.2175/193864717822157847 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2017 (9) ◽

pp. 3062-3082

Author(s):

Gokce Kor-Bicakci ◽

Timothy Abbott ◽

Emine Ubay-Cokgor ◽

Cigdem Eskicioglu

Keyword(s):

Wastewater Treatment ◽

Anaerobic Digestion ◽

Microwave Pretreatment

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Perspective Biomass Carrier for Anaerobic Processing Systems of Organic Waste AIC

Elektrotekhnologii i elektrooborudovanie v APK ◽

10.22314/2658-4859-2020-67-1-148-155 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 67 (1) ◽

pp. 148-155

Author(s):

Anatoliy V. Fedotov ◽

Viktor S. Grigoriev ◽

Dmitriy A. Kovalev ◽

Andrey A. Kovalev

Keyword(s):

Wastewater Treatment ◽

Anaerobic Digestion ◽

Specific Surface ◽

Organic Waste ◽

Porous Ceramic ◽

Experimental Studies ◽

Ceramic Materials ◽

Porous Ceramics ◽

Developed Surface ◽

Highly Porous

To speed up the wastewater treatment under aerobic conditions and to optimize the processes of anaerobic wastewater treatment in digesters, immobilization technologies of microorganisms and enzymes on solid carriers are used. Ceramic carriers based on aluminosilicates and alumina are one of the promising inorganic biomass carriers. (Research purpose) To study the structure of porous ceramic biomass carriers for anaerobic processing of organic waste and evaluate the prospects for their use. (Materials and methods) The substrate for anaerobic digestion was a mixture of sediments of the primary and secondary sewage sumps of the Lyubertsy treatment facilities. K-65 cattle feed was used to ensure the constancy of the composition of organic substances in substrates as a cosubstrate. The authors used the method of low-temperature nitrogen adsorption of Bruner-Emmett-Teller to study the pore structure and specific surface of solid carriers on a specific surface analyzer Quntachrome Autosorb-1. (Results and discussion) The main characteristics (specific surface, volume of micro- and mesopores, predominant pore radius, water absorption and others) of chamotte foam lightweight and highly porous corundum ceramics were determined. It was revealed that ceramic materials with a developed surface and electrically conductive material provided an increase in biogas yield by 3.8-3.9 percent with an increase in methane content by an average of 5 percent. (Conclusions) The results of anaerobic digestion showed a positive effect of both a conductive carrier and highly porous ceramic materials on the process of anaerobic bioconversion of organic waste into biogas. It is advisable to expand experimental studies on the use of a conductive carrier with a developed surface based on highly porous ceramics.

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Utilizing the microalgal biomass of Chlorella variabilis and Scenedesmus obliquus produced from the treatment of synthetic dairy wastewater as a biofertilizer

Journal of Plant Nutrition ◽

10.1080/01904167.2020.1862191 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-12

Author(s):

Bhalamurugan Gatamaneni Loganathan ◽

Valerie Orsat ◽

Mark Lefsrud

Keyword(s):

Scenedesmus Obliquus ◽

Dairy Wastewater ◽

Microalgal Biomass ◽

Chlorella Variabilis

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A Techno-Economic case for Volatile Fatty Acid Production for Increased Sustainability in the Wastewater Treatment Industry

Environmental Science Water Research & Technology ◽

10.1039/d0ew00853b ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ganesh K Veluswamy ◽

Andy Ball ◽

Richard Dinsdale ◽

Alan Guwy ◽

Kalpit Shah

Keyword(s):

Wastewater Treatment ◽

Fatty Acid ◽

Anaerobic Digestion ◽

Acid Production ◽

Volatile Fatty Acid ◽

Fugitive Emissions ◽

Fatty Acid Production

Methane, the final product of methanogenesis during anaerobic digestion is a low value product (0.1$/m3). Concerns over fugitive emissions from methane coupled with recent reduction in costs of solar and...

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