Anaerobic Degradation of Dairy Wastewater in Intermittent UASB Reactors: Influence of Effluent Recirculation

This work studied the influence of effluent recirculation upon the kinetics of anaerobic degradation of dairy wastewater in intermittent UASB (Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Bed) reactors. Several laboratory-scale tests were performed with different organic loads in a UASB reactor inoculated with flocculent sludge from an industrial wastewater treatment plant. The data obtained were used for determination of specific substrate removal rates and specific methane production rates and adjusted to kinetic models. A high initial substrate removal was observed in all tests due to adsorption of organic matter onto the anaerobic biomass which was not accompanied by biological substrate degradation as measured by methane production. Initial methane production was about 45% of initial soluble and colloidal substrate removal rate. This discrepancy was observed mainly in the first day of all experiments and was attenuated in the second day. Effluent recirculation raised significantly the rate of removal of soluble and colloidal substrate and methane productivity as compared to literature results for batch assays without recirculation.

Anaerobic Degradation of Dairy Wastewater in Intermittent UASB Reactors: Influence of Effluent Recirculation

This work studied the influence of effluent recirculation upon the kinetics of anaerobic degradation of dairy wastewater in intermittent UASB (Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Bed) reactors. Several laboratory-scale tests were performed with different organic loads in a UASB reactor inoculated with flocculent sludge from an industrial wastewater treatment plant. The data obtained were used for determination of specific substrate removal rates and specific methane production rates and adjusted to kinetic models. A high initial substrate removal was observed in all tests due to adsorption of organic matter onto the anaerobic biomass which was not accompanied by biological substrate degradation as measured by methane production. Initial methane production was about 45% of initial soluble and colloidal substrate removal rate. This discrepancy was observed mainly in the first day of all experiments and was attenuated in the second day. Effluent recirculation raised significantly the rate of removal of soluble and colloidal substrate and methane productivity as compared to literature results for batch assays without recirculation.

Effluent solids recirculation to municipal sludge digesters enhances long-chain fatty acids degradation capacity

Background Slow degradation kinetics of long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) and their accumulation in anaerobic digesters disrupt methanogenic activity and biogas production at high loads of waste lipids. In this study, we evaluated the effect of effluent solids recirculation on microbial LCFA (oleate) degradation capacity in continuous stirred-tank sludge digesters, with the overall aim of providing operating conditions for efficient co-digestion of waste lipids. Furthermore, the impacts of LCFA feeding frequency and sulfide on process performance and microbial community dynamics were investigated, as parameters that were previously shown to be influential on LCFA conversion to biogas. Results Effluent solids recirculation to municipal sludge digesters enabled biogas production of up to 78% of the theoretical potential from 1.0 g oleate l−1 day−1. In digesters without effluent recirculation, comparable conversion efficiency could only be reached at oleate loading rates up to 0.5 g l−1 day−1. Pulse feeding of oleate (supplementation of 2.0 g oleate l−1 every second day instead of 1.0 g oleate l−1 every day) did not have a substantial impact on the degree of oleate conversion to biogas in the digesters that operated with effluent recirculation, while it marginally enhanced oleate conversion to biogas in the digesters without effluent recirculation. Next-generation sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons of bacteria and archaea revealed that pulse feeding resulted in prevalence of fatty acid-degrading Smithella when effluent recirculation was applied, whereas Candidatus Cloacimonas prevailed after pulse feeding of oleate in the digesters without effluent recirculation. Combined oleate pulse feeding and elevated sulfide level contributed to increased relative abundance of LCFA-degrading Syntrophomonas and enhanced conversion efficiency of oleate, but only in the digesters without effluent recirculation. Conclusions Effluent solids recirculation improves microbial LCFA degradation capacity, providing possibilities for co-digestion of larger amounts of waste lipids with municipal sludge.