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Li Z, You Z, Zhang L, Chen H. Effect of total solids content on anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge enhanced by high-temperature thermal hydrolysis. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 359:120980. [PMID: 38669887 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Total solids (TS) content may provide a regulatory strategy for optimizing anaerobic digestion enhanced by high-temperature thermal hydrolysis, but the role of TS content is not yet clear. In this study, the effect of TS content on the high-temperature thermal hydrolysis and anaerobic digestion of sludge and its mechanism were investigated. The results showed that increasing the TS content from 2% to 8% increased the sludge solubility and methane production potential, reaching peak values of 26.6% and 336 ± 6 mL/g volatile solids (VS), respectively. With a further increase in TS content to 12%, the strong Maillard reaction increased the aromaticity and structural stability of extracellular polymer substances, decreasing sludge solubility to 18.6%. Furthermore, the decrease in sludge biodegradability and the formation of inhibitory by-products resulted in a reduction in methane production to 272 ± 4 mL/g VS. This article provides a new perspective to understand the role of TS content in the thermal hydrolysis of sludge and a novel approach to regulate the Maillard reaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyu Li
- College of Environment and Resources, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, 411105, China
| | - Zhimin You
- College of Environment and Resources, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, 411105, China.
| | - Liuqing Zhang
- College of Environment and Resources, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, 411105, China
| | - Hongbo Chen
- College of Environment and Resources, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, 411105, China.
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2
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Mirsoleimani Azizi SM, Zakaria BS, Dhar BR. Low-temperature thermal hydrolysis for enhancing sludge anaerobic digestion and antibiotic resistance management: Significance of digester solids retention time. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 917:170392. [PMID: 38281633 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Recently, there has been a growing inclination towards utilizing primary sludge (PS) fermentation prior to anaerobic digestion (AD) in water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs), where sludge liquor containing volatile fatty acids is used for biological nutrient removal. Nevertheless, using a low-temperature thermal hydrolysis process (THP) to improve AD in WRRFs adopting PS fermentation remains an area that has received limited research attention. Here, we studied the impact of THP (90 °C, 90 min) on anaerobic co-digestion of thickened waste activated sludge (TWAS) and fermented primary sludge (FPS) under varying solids retention times (SRTs) in semi-continuous mode. The study involved two THP schemes: scheme 1, where THP was done for both TWAS and FPS, and scheme 2, where THP was applied to TWAS only. The results demonstrated that reducing SRT from 20 to 15 and 10 d leads to decreased methane yield in both schemes. However, THP significantly enhances methane production, showing improvements of up to 37.9 % (scheme 1) and 31.2 % (scheme 2) under a 15-d SRT. Furthermore, while decreasing SRT increased the proliferation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), thermal hydrolysis could effectively reduce most ARGs, indicating its potential to mitigate antibiotic resistance in the AD process. Overall, these results provide useful perceptions regarding the potential adoption of low-temperature THP in WRRFs with PS fermentation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Basem S Zakaria
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, 116 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States
| | - Bipro Ranjan Dhar
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, 116 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada.
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3
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Zhang Y, Tao J, Bai Y, Wang F, Xie B. Incomplete degradation of aromatic-aliphatic copolymer leads to proliferation of microplastics and antibiotic resistance genes. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 181:108291. [PMID: 37907056 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Biodegradable plastics (BDPs) have attracted extensive attention as an alternative to conventional plastics. BDPs could be mineralized by composting, while the quality of compost affected by the presence of BDPs and the residual microplastics (MPs) has not been well evaluated. This study aimed to explore the MPs release potential and environmental implications of commercial BDPs (aromatic-aliphatic copolymer) films in uncontrolled composting. Results showed that the molecular weight of BDPs decreased by >60% within 60 d. However, the non-extracted organic matter and wet-sieving measurements indicated that MPs continuously released and accumulated during regular composting. The average MPs release potential (0.1-5 mm) was 134.6 ± 18.1 particles/mg (BDPs), which resulted in 103-104 particles/g dw in compost. The plastisphere of MPs showed a significantly higher (0.95-16.76 times) abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), which resulted in the rising (1.34-2.24 times) of ARGs in compost heaps, in comparison to the control groups. Overall, BDPs promote the spread of ARGs through the selective enrichment of bacteria and horizontal transfer from released MPs. These findings confirmed that BDPs could enhance the release potential of MPs and the dissemination of ARGs, which would promote the holistic understanding and environmental risk of BDPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuchen Zhang
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation on Organic Solid Waste, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Jianping Tao
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation on Organic Solid Waste, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Yudan Bai
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation on Organic Solid Waste, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Feng Wang
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation on Organic Solid Waste, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Bing Xie
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation on Organic Solid Waste, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, China.
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4
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Zhang H, Zhao J, Fu Z, Wang Y, Guan D, Xie J, Zhang Q, Liu Q, Wang D, Sun Y. Metagenomic approach reveals the mechanism of calcium oxide improving kitchen waste dry anaerobic digestion. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2023; 387:129647. [PMID: 37567350 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.129647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
In light of the characteristics of excessive acidification and low biogas yield during kitchen waste (KW) dry digestion, the impact of the calcium oxide (CaO) on KW mesophilic dry digestion was investigated, and the enhanced mechanism was revealed through metagenomic approach. The results showed that CaO increased the biogas production, when the CaO dosage was 0.07 g/g (based on total solid), the biogas production reached 656.84 mL/g suspended solids (VS), approximately 8.38 times of that in the control. CaO promoted the leaching and hydrolysis of key organic matter in KW. CaO effectively promoted the conversion of volatile fatty acid (VFA) and mitigated over-acidification. Macrogenome analysis revealed that CaO increased the microbial diversity in KW dry digestion and upregulated the abundance of genes related to amino acid and carbohydrates metabolism. This study provides an effective strategy with potential economic benefits to improve the bioconversion efficiency of organic matter in KW.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongying Zhang
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, PR China
| | - Jianwei Zhao
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, PR China.
| | - Zhou Fu
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, PR China
| | - Yuxin Wang
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, PR China
| | - Dezheng Guan
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, PR China
| | - Jingliang Xie
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, PR China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Qingdao Jiebao Ecological Technology Co., Ltd., Qingdao 266000, PR China
| | - Qingxin Liu
- Qingdao Jiebao Ecological Technology Co., Ltd., Qingdao 266000, PR China
| | - Dongbo Wang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, PR China
| | - Yingjie Sun
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, PR China
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5
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Hatinoglu D, Lee J, Fortner J, Apul O. Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as Additives for Microwave-Based Sludge Prehydrolysis: A Perspective. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:12191-12200. [PMID: 37550081 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c00673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants are critical for environmental pollution control. The role that they play in protecting the environment and public health is unquestionable; however, they produce massive quantities of excess sludge as a byproduct. One pragmatic approach to utilizing excess sludge is generating methane via anaerobic digestion. For this, a prehydrolysis step can significantly improve digestion by increasing biogas quality and quantity while decreasing final sludge volumes. One of the many prehydrolysis approaches is to deliver heat into sludge via microwave irradiation. Microwave-absorbing additives can be used to further enhance thermal degradation processes. However, the implications of such an approach include potential release of said additive materials into the environment via digested sludge. In this perspective, we present and discuss the potential of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) as recoverable, hyperreactive microwave absorbers for sludge prehydrolysis. Due to their size and characteristics, SPIONs pack spin electrons within a single domain that can respond to the magnetic field without remanence magnetism. SPIONs have properties of both paramagnetic and ferromagnetic materials with little to no magnetic hysteresis, which can enable their rapid recovery from slurries, even in complicated reactor installations. Further, SPIONs are excellent microwave absorbers, which result in high local heat gradients. This perspective introduces the vision that SPION properties can be tuned for desirable dielectric heating and magnetic responses while maintaining material integrity to accomplish repeated use for microwave-enhanced pretreatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilara Hatinoglu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, Maine 04469, United States
| | - Junseok Lee
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - John Fortner
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Onur Apul
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, Maine 04469, United States
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6
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Fernández-Domínguez D, Yekta SS, Hedenström M, Patureau D, Jimenez J. Deciphering the contribution of microbial biomass to the properties of dissolved and particulate organic matter in anaerobic digestates. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 877:162882. [PMID: 36934942 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The recalcitrant structures either from substrate or microbial biomass contained in digestates after anaerobic digestion (AD) highly influence digestate valorization. To properly assess the microbial biomass contribution to the digested organic matter (OM), a combination of characterization methods and the use of various substrate types in anaerobic continuous reactors was required. The use of totally biodegradable substrates allowed detecting soluble microbial products via fluorescence spectroscopy at emission wavelengths of 420 and 460 nm while the protein-like signature was enhanced by the whey protein. During reactors' operation, a transfer of complex compounds to the dissolved OM from the particulate OM was observed through fluorescence applied on biochemical fractionation. Consequently, the fluorescence complexity index of the dissolved OM increased from 0.59-0.60 to 1.06-1.07, whereas it decreased inversely for the extractable soluble from the particulate OM from 1.16-1.19 to 0.42-0.54. Accordingly, fluorescence regional integration showed differences among reactors based on visual inspection and orthogonal partial latent structures (OPLS) analysis. Similarly, the impact of the substrate type and operation time on the particulate OM was revealed by 13C nuclear magnetic resonance using OPLS, providing a good model (R2X = 0.93 and Q2 = 0.8) with a clear time-trend. A high signal resonated at ∼30 ppm attributed to CH2-groups in the aliphatic chain of lipid-like structure besides carbohydrates intensities at 60-110 ppm distinguished the reactor fed with whey protein from the other, which was mostly biomass related. Indeed, this latter displayed a higher presence of peptidoglycan (δH/C: 1.6-2.0/20-25 ppm) derived from microbial biomass by 1H-13C heteronuclear single-quantum coherence (HSQC) nuclear magnetic resonance. Interestingly, the sample distribution obtained by non-metric multidimensional scaling of bacterial communities resembled the attained using 13C NMR properties, opening new research perspectives. Overall, this study discloses the microbial biomass contribution to digestates composition to improve the OM transformation mechanism knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sepehr Shakeri Yekta
- Department of Thematic Studies-Environmental Change and Biogas Research Center, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden
| | | | - Dominique Patureau
- INRAE, Univ. Montpellier, LBE, 102 Avenue des étangs, 11100 Narbonne, France
| | - Julie Jimenez
- INRAE, Univ. Montpellier, LBE, 102 Avenue des étangs, 11100 Narbonne, France
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7
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Sun Y, Zhang M, Song T, Xu S, Luo L, Wong J, Zhu X, Liu H. Moderate potassium ferrate dosage enhances methane production from the anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge. ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY 2022:1-10. [PMID: 36420943 DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2022.2152389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The annual increase of waste activated sludge (WAS) has become an urgent problem to be solved in sewage plants worldwide. Anaerobic digestion (AD) of WAS is an attractive choice to maximize the resource utilization rate. Nevertheless, the disintegration of sludge complex polymers is difficult, resulting in a low bioconversion rate. Potassium ferrate (PF), as a green oxidant with strong oxidizing property, has attracted great attention in WAS pretreatment recently. The effects of PF pretreatment on WAS hydrolysis and its dosage-response on methane production were investigated in the present study. Results show that as PF dosage raise from 0 to 50 g-K2FeO4/ kg-TS (total solids), the methane yield enhanced significantly by 40.3% from 0.083 to 0.12 L/g-VSadded (volatile solids). Nevertheless, the further increase in PF dosage resulted in decreased methane production. Especially with the PF dosage of 500 g-K2FeO4/ kg-TS, methane production is even slightly lower than the control reactor without PF oxidation. The mechanism analysis showed that although the dissolution of polysaccharides and proteins was enhanced with the high dosage of PF, the accompanying released humic-like substances and high concentration of ferric ions should be the main reasons inhibiting methane production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongqi Sun
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengyu Zhang
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Ting Song
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Suyun Xu
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Liwen Luo
- Institute of Bioresource and Agriculture, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China
| | - Jonathan Wong
- Institute of Bioresource and Agriculture, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuefeng Zhu
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongbo Liu
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
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8
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Comparison of ultrasonic treatment of primary and secondary sludges: Physical properties and Chemical properties. Sep Purif Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2022.122892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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9
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Chen Y, Ping Q, Li D, Dai X, Li Y. Comprehensive insights into the impact of pretreatment on anaerobic digestion of waste active sludge from perspectives of organic matter composition, thermodynamics, and multi-omics. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 226:119240. [PMID: 36272197 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Although various pretreatments have been applied to promote the anaerobic digestion of waste active sludge (WAS), the mechanisms regarding the impact of pretreatment on anaerobic digestion have not been well addressed. In this study, the effects of acid, alkali, and thermal pretreatments on anaerobic digestion of WAS were comprehensively investigated from the perspectives of organic matter composition, thermodynamics, and multi-omics. Results showed acid, alkali, and thermal pretreatments increased the methane production potential of WAS by 53.7%, 98.2%, and 101.8%, respectively, compared with the control. The protein secondary structure was disrupted after pretreatment, with a shift from α-helix and β-sheet to random coil and antiparallel β-sheet/aggregated strands. Thermodynamically, the WAS flocculation process was controlled by the short-range interfacial interactions described by the extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) theory, which was positively correlated (R = 0.97, p < 0.05) with the organic matter solubilization of the WAS. After pretreatment, the flocculation energy barrier of pretreated WAS was 4.1 (acid), 7.0 (alkali) and 7.1 (thermal) times higher than that of the control group, respectively. Multi-omics analysis confirmed that pretreatment promoted amino acids (tryptophan, tyrosine, phenylalanine, aspartate, glutamate) metabolism, energy metabolism (ABC transporters) and vitamin metabolism. Moreover, the comparison of upregulated differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) revealed that for amino acid metabolism, thermal treatment had the best promotion effect; for carbohydrate metabolism, alkali treatment had the best promotion effect; and for lipid metabolism, acid treatment was more advantageous, resulting in different anaerobic digestion efficiencies. This study provides an in-depth understanding of the impact of different pretreatments on WAS anaerobic digestion and has practical implication for the choice of proper pretreatment technology for biosolids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifeng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Qian Ping
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Dunjie Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Xiaohu Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Yongmei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, PR China.
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10
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Dilara Hatinoglu M, Dilek Sanin F. Fate and effects of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics during anaerobic digestion of alkaline-thermal pretreated sludge. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2022; 153:376-385. [PMID: 36194914 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2022.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Plastics are resilient, hard to degrade materials that can persist in nature for centuries. Microplastics (MPs) exhibit similar tough character and hold the potential to harm marine and terrestrial ecosystems upon their release into the environment. Most modern wastewater treatment plants remove MPs from wastewater with over 90% efficiency but unfortunately concentrate them in sludge. Recent studies have reported MPs' impact on the performance of sludge treatment systems, including anaerobic digesters. Despite its resilience, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has inherent weaknesses against alkaline and thermal conditions and becomes more prone to further degradation if exposed to such stress conditions. Sludge pretreatment practices aiming to increase biogas production by disrupting floc structure show great similarity with the stress factors mentioned. Thus, this study aims to integrate pretreatment with anaerobic digestion and investigate the fate and effects of PET MPs during these processes. For this purpose, waste activated sludge samples spiked with different doses of PET (0, 1, 3, 6 mg/g TS) in sizes of 250-500 µm were pretreated by 0.5 M alkali for two days and then thermally hydrolyzed at 127 °C for 120 min. Pretreated and unpretreated sludges were digested in a 60-day biochemical methane potential test. The results showed that the spiking of PET MPs into sludge posed a positive impact on the methane yield of unpretreated reactors at statistically significant levels. Integrating pretreatment increased the methane yield by 22.0% and made the impact of MPs on digester efficiency no longer observable. Also, PET exposed to pretreatment and 60-day digestion experienced remarkable changes in surface morphology, crystallinity and carbonyl index, which can further impact their fate and effects on the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Dilara Hatinoglu
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Middle East Technical University, 06800 Ankara, Turkey
| | - F Dilek Sanin
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Middle East Technical University, 06800 Ankara, Turkey.
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11
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Qiao Z, Xu S, Zhang W, Shi S, Zhang W, Liu H. Potassium ferrate pretreatment promotes short chain fatty acids yield and antibiotics reduction in acidogenic fermentation of sewage sludge. J Environ Sci (China) 2022; 120:41-52. [PMID: 35623771 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2022.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
During the acidogenic fermentation converting waste activated sludge (WAS) into short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), hydrolysis of complex organic polymers is a limiting step and the transformation of harmful substances (such as antibiotics) during acidogenic fermentation is unknown. In this study, potassium ferrate (K2FeO4) oxidation was used as a pretreatment strategy for WAS acidogenic fermentation to increase the hydrolysis of sludge and destruct the harmful antibiotics. Pretreatment with K2FeO4 can effectively increase the SCFA production during acidogenic fermentation and change the distribution of SCFA components. With the dosage of 0.2 g/g TS, the maximum SCFA yield was 4823 mg COD/L, which is 28.3 times that of the control group; acetic acid accounts for more than 90% of the total SCFA. The higher dosage (0.5 g/g TS) can further increase the proportion of acetic acid, but inhibit the overall performance of SCFA production. Apart from the promotion of hydrolysis and acidogenesis, K2FeO4 pretreatment can also simultaneously oxidizes and degrades part of the antibiotics in the sludge. When the dosage is 0.5 g/g TS, the degradation efficacy of antibiotics is the most significant, and the contents of ofloxacin, azithromycin, and tetracycline in the sludge are reduced by 69%, 42%, and 50%, respectively. In addition, K2FeO4 pretreatment can also promote the release of antibiotics from sludge flocs, which is conducive to the simultaneous degradation of antibiotics in the subsequent biological treatment process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihao Qiao
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Suyun Xu
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China.
| | - Wanqiu Zhang
- Centillion Resource Recycling (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Wuxi 214000, China
| | - Shuyin Shi
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Hongbo Liu
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China.
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12
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Haroun B, Bahreini G, Zaman M, Jang E, Okoye F, Elbeshbishy E, Santoro D, Walton J, Al-Omari A, Muller C, Bell K, Nakhla G. Vacuum-enhanced anaerobic fermentation: Achieving process intensification, thickening and improved hydrolysis and VFA yields in a single treatment step. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 220:118719. [PMID: 35704979 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This study assessed the feasibility of a novel vacuum-enhanced anaerobic digestion technology, referred to as IntensiCarbTM (IC), under mild vacuum pressure (110 mbar), compared to a control (conventional fermenter), and evaluated the impact of the vacuum on the activities of various microbial groups. Both fermenters (test and control) were operated with mixed (50% v/v) municipal sludge at solids concentrations of 2-2.5%, pH of 7.8-8.1, 40-45 °C, a theoretical solids retention time (SRT) of 3 days with different hydraulic retention times (HRT). The intensification factor (IF) of the IC, defined as SRT/HRT, was controlled at 1.3 and 2.0. Simultaneous thickening and fermentation intensification were achieved. Compared with the control, the IC, despite the shorter HRTs, achieved 29.5 to 90.2% increase in the VFA yield (79 to 116 mg ΔVFA/ g VSS vs 61 mg ΔVFA/ g VSS), and 16.2% to 56.4% increase (280 to 377 mg ΔsCOD/ g VSS vs 241 mg ΔsCOD/ g VSS), in the hydrolysis yield. Fermentate from the IC exhibited comparable specific denitrification rates to acetate. Further, the solids-free condensate contained low nutrient concentrations, and thus was far superior to a typical centrates from dewatering as a carbon source. No adverse effects of vacuum on the activity of fermentative bacteria and methanogens were observed. This study demonstrated that the IC can be deployed as an intensification technology for both fermentation and anaerobic digestion of biosolids with the additional significant advantage, i.e. elimination of sidestream ammonia treatment requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basem Haroun
- Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, University of Western Ontario, Canada; Water Pollution Research Department, National Research Center, 33 El Bohoth St., P.O.12622, Dokki, Giza, Egypt
| | | | - Masuduz Zaman
- Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, University of Western Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Frances Okoye
- Civil Engineering Department, Ryerson University, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - George Nakhla
- Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, University of Western Ontario, Canada; Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Western Ontario, Canada.
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13
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Qu Y, Li Y, Zhu H. Methane production improvement in an osmotic membrane bioreactor for sludge anaerobic digestion: pretreatment optimization and long-term performance. WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : A JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION ON WATER POLLUTION RESEARCH 2022; 85:2786-2796. [PMID: 35576269 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2022.146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Hydrolysis is the first step and also rate-limiting step of anaerobic digestion which recovers energy from waste sludge. In order to accelerate the reaction rate of the hydrolysis, many pretreatment conditions had been taken into account. In this study, thermal pretreatment and alkaline pretreatment were combined with each other, serving as a thermal-alkaline pretreatment approach. Firstly, an orthogonal designed batch experiment was conducted to evaluate the pretreatment conditions, and then the optimal conditions were applied to an osmotic membrane bioreactor for a long-term investigation. Based on batch experiments, sludge treated by NaOH at pH 9 or 10 showed a better effect in cell solubilization. Sludge treated by Ca(OH)2 at pH 9, and sludge treated by NaOH at pH 9 or 10 showed advantages in methane production. Ultimately, sludge treated by NaOH at pH 9 and then heated at 90 °C for 60 min was selected as the optimal pretreatment condition. During the long-term operation of osmotic membrane bioreactor for sludge anaerobic digestion, the volume methane production of the sludge treated by thermal-alkaline was maintained at around 200-300 mL/L/d, which was 2-3 times of the sludge treated by ultrasound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuetong Qu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China E-mail:
| | - Yunqian Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China E-mail:
| | - Hongtao Zhu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China E-mail:
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14
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Tian Y, Tian Z, He Y, Sun G, Zhang Y, Yang M. Removal of denatured protein particles enhanced UASB treatment of oxytetracycline production wastewater. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 816:151549. [PMID: 34774634 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Enhanced hydrolysis, which can selectively destroy antibiotic potency, has been previously demonstrated to be an effective pretreatment technology for the biological treatment of antibiotic production wastewater. However, full-scale application of enhanced hydrolysis to the treatment of real oxytetracycline production wastewater showed that the up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors treating the pretreated wastewater could only be stable under a low organic loading rate (OLR) of 1.8 ± 0.4 g·COD/L/d. Deterioration of UASB was also confirmed in treating the same wastewater using a bench-scale reactor (R1) at an OLR of 4.4 ± 0.3 g·COD/L/d. Assuming that the particles formed due to the denaturation of soluble proteins under the hydrolysis temperature (110 °C), resulting in the significant increase of suspended solids (SS) in oxytetracycline production wastewater from less than 200 mg/L to 1200 ± 500 mg/L, were responsible for the deterioration of UASB, the pretreated wastewater was filtered using polypropylene cotton fiber and ultrafiltration membrane, and then fed into two parallel bench-scale UASB reactors (R2 and R3). Both reactors maintained a stable COD removal (53.2% ~ 61.1%) even at an OLR as high as 8.0 g·COD/L/d. When the feed of R3 was switched to unfiltered wastewater, however, deterioration of the reactor occurred again. Microscopic observation showed that the granules in R3 were fully covered by protein particles after the switch of the feed. It was possible that the tight layer of the denatured protein particles blocked the inner pores of the granules, resulting in the obstruction of substrate transfer and biogas emission, while removing the protein particles could abate such blockage problem. This study provides a scientific basis for the efficient treatment of antibiotic production wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Science, Post Office Box 2871, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhe Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Science, Post Office Box 2871, Beijing 100085, China; National Engineering Research Center of Industrial Wastewater Detoxication and Resource Recovery, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Yupeng He
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Science, Post Office Box 2871, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Guangxi Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Science, Post Office Box 2871, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Science, Post Office Box 2871, Beijing 100085, China; National Engineering Research Center of Industrial Wastewater Detoxication and Resource Recovery, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Min Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Science, Post Office Box 2871, Beijing 100085, China; National Engineering Research Center of Industrial Wastewater Detoxication and Resource Recovery, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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15
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ZHAO H, ZHENG Z, ZHANG M, WANG Y, ZHANG M, YANG Z. Fermentation optimization of rennet-producing Bacillus amyloliquefaciens GSBa-1 for high-density culture and its kinetic model. FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1590/fst.40122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hua ZHAO
- Beijing Technology and Business University, P. R. China
| | - Zhe ZHENG
- Beijing Technology and Business University, P. R. China
| | - Man ZHANG
- Beijing Technology and Business University, P. R. China
| | - Yihui WANG
- Beijing Technology and Business University, P. R. China
| | - Min ZHANG
- Beijing Technology and Business University, P. R. China
| | - Zhennai YANG
- Beijing Technology and Business University, P. R. China
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16
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Fernández-Domínguez D, Patureau D, Houot S, Sertillanges N, Zennaro B, Jimenez J. Prediction of organic matter accessibility and complexity in anaerobic digestates. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2021; 136:132-142. [PMID: 34666295 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2021.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Further characterization to properly assess the fate of organic matter quality during anaerobic digestion and organic carbon mineralization in soils is required. Organic matter quality based on its accessibility and complexity was employed to successfully classify 28 substrate/digestate pairs through principal components and hierarchical clustering analysis. The two first components explained 58.02% of the variability and four main groups were separated according to the feedstock type. A decrease in the accessibility (16-66%) and an increase in the complexity (34-98%) of the most accessible fractions was noticed. Besides, an increase of non-biodegradable compounds (17-66%) was globally observed after anaerobic digestion. The observed trends in the conversion of organic matter during anaerobic digestion have allowed to fill the gap in the modeling of the anaerobic digestion process chain. Indeed, partial least squares regressions have accurately predicted the organic matter quality of digestates from their inputs (R2 = 0.831, Q2 = 0.593) although the digester operational conditions (temperature and hydraulic retention time) were non-explicative enough. As a novel approach, the predicted digestate quality was used to feed a partial least squares regression model previously developed to predict organic carbon mineralization in soil. The combined models have predicted experimental organic carbon mineralization in soil (R2 = 0.697) with a model quality similar to the model for organic carbon mineralization in soil (R2 = 0.894). This is the first study that has successfully conceived an additional step in the prediction of organic matter fate from raw substrate before anaerobic digestion to soil carbon mineralization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dominique Patureau
- INRAE, Univ. Montpellier, LBE, 102 Avenue des étangs, 11100 Narbonne, France
| | - Sabine Houot
- UMR ECOSYS, AgroParisTech, INRAE, Université Paris-Saclay, 78850 Thiverval-Grignon, France
| | | | - Bastien Zennaro
- INRAE, Univ. Montpellier, LBE, 102 Avenue des étangs, 11100 Narbonne, France
| | - Julie Jimenez
- INRAE, Univ. Montpellier, LBE, 102 Avenue des étangs, 11100 Narbonne, France
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17
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Al-Samet MA, Goto M, Mubarak NM, Al-Muraisy SA. Evaluating the biomethane potential from the anaerobic co-digestion of palm oil mill effluent, food waste, and sewage sludge in Malaysia. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:67632-67645. [PMID: 34255262 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-15287-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The ever-increasing organic waste generation in Malaysia is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, organic wastes can be utilized to produce biogas by anaerobic digestion, which is a promising option for both energy and material recovery from organic wastes with high moisture content. Therefore, this study was formulated to investigate the feasibility of anaerobic co-digestion of three types of organic wastes generated in significantly huge quantities in Malaysia, namely palm oil mill effluent (POME), food waste (FW), and sewage sludge (SWS). The biomethane potential (BMP) test was used to evaluate the biomethane potential from these organic wastes under mesophilic conditions to establish a stable and balanced microbial community, which may lack in mono-digestion, to improve biogas production. Comparative performance was made at different food to microorganism (F/M) ratios to investigate methane production in three groups of assays, namely A, B, and C. In groups A and B, the effect of F/M ratio variation on methane production was investigated, while in group C, the effect of varying the co-substrate mixture on methane yield was examined. The findings showed that the highest methane yields achieved for mono-digestion of POME and SWS in group A were 164.44 mL-CH4/g-CODadded and 65.34 mL-CH4/g-CODadded, respectively, at an F/M ratio of 0.8 and 197.90 mL-CH4/g-CODadded for FW in group B at an F/M ratio of 0.5. In addition, the highest methane yield achieved from the anaerobic co-digestion was at 151.47 mL-CH4/g-CODadded from the co-digestion of the POME and SWS (50:50) at an F/M ratio of 1.7 in group A. Both AD and AcoD were tested to fit into two kinetic models: the modified Gompertz and the transfer function models. The results showed that the modified Gompertz model had a better fit and was more adjusted to the experimental results for both AD and AcoD. The importance of this research lies in the economics of anaerobically co-digesting these abundance feedstocks and the variations in their characteristics which were found to increase their methane yield and process efficiency in anaerobic co-digestion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Abdulrahman Al-Samet
- Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra, 54100, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - Masafumi Goto
- Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra, 54100, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nabisab Mujawar Mubarak
- Department of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Curtin University, 98009, Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia.
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18
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Liu H, Wang X, Qin S, Lai W, Yang X, Xu S, Lichtfouse E. Comprehensive role of thermal combined ultrasonic pre-treatment in sewage sludge disposal. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 789:147862. [PMID: 34052489 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Thermal/ultrasonic pre-treatment of sludge has been proven to break the hydrolysis barriers of sewage sludge (SS) and improve the performance of anaerobic digestion (AD). In this study, the objective was to investigate whether the combination of two pre-treatment methods can achieve better results on the AD of SS. The results indicated that, compared with the control group and separate pre-treatment groups, the thermal combined ultrasonic pre-treatment presented more obvious solubilization of soluble proteins, polysaccharides, and other organic matters in SS. The combined method promoted the dissolution of protein-like substances more effectively, with biogas production increased by 19% and the volatile solid (VS) removal rate improved to above 50% compared with the control group. The capillary suction time is reduced by about 85%, which greatly improved the dewatering performance of SS. In addition, the combined method has advantages in degrading sulfonamide antibiotics, roxithromycin and tetracycline. Particularly, by analyzing the interaction between the degradation of different antibiotics and the composition of dissolved organic matters (DOMs), it was found that the composition of DOMs could affect the degradability of different antibiotics. Among them, the high content of tyrosine-like and tryptophan-like was conducive to the degradation of sulfamethoxazole, and the high content of fulvic acid-like and humic acid-like was conducive to the degradation of roxithromycin and tetracycline. This work evaluated the comprehensive effect of thermal combined ultrasonic pre-treatment on SS disposal and provided useful information for its engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongbo Liu
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, 516 Jungong Road, 200093 Shanghai, China.
| | - Xingkang Wang
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, 516 Jungong Road, 200093 Shanghai, China
| | - Song Qin
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, 516 Jungong Road, 200093 Shanghai, China
| | - Wenjia Lai
- Chongqing New World Environment Detection Technology Co.LTD, 22 Jinyudadao, 401122 Chongqing, China
| | - Xin Yang
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, 516 Jungong Road, 200093 Shanghai, China
| | - Suyun Xu
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, 516 Jungong Road, 200093 Shanghai, China.
| | - Eric Lichtfouse
- Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, IRD, INRA, Coll France, CEREGE, 13100 Aix en Provence, France
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19
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Wang H, Liu J, Zhang Z, Li J, Zhang H, Zhan Y. Alkaline thermal pretreatment of waste activated sludge for enhanced hydrogen production in microbial electrolysis cells. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 294:113000. [PMID: 34130135 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Resource utilization of waste activated sludge (WAS) has become a mainstream development direction. Alkaline thermal pretreatment (TPT) was found to greatly promote the bioaccessibility and biodegradability of the sludge. The organic matter including soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD), soluble carbohydrate, soluble protein and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) after low temperature (90 °C) pretreatment was 4.8%-65.9% higher than that after high temperature (180 °C) pretreatment. These increasements could be contributed by the alkaline treatment condition and the longer treatment time. The alkaline condition reduced the resistance of cell wall to the temperature. The pretreatment time at 90 °C was two times of that at 180 °C, allowing more organic matter to be released. But the total energy consumption of low temperature pretreatment (2580.7 kJ/L) was 30.5% lower than that of high temperature pretreatment (3711.8 kJ/L). The sludge fermentation liquid (SFL) was then employed as the substrate in microbial electrolysis cells (MECs), and the utilization efficiency of acetic acid was the highest (74.9%-83.2%). The hydrogen yield using low temperature pretreated sludge was 0.44 m3/(m3·d), which was higher than that of using high temperature pretreated sludge (0.31 m3/(m3·d)). These results suggested that alkaline TPT at 90 °C was an effective way to hydrolyze sludge and further enhance hydrogen production in MECs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heming Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, Beijing Key Lab of Oil & Gas Pollution Control, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, 102249, China; College of Chemical Engineering and Environment, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, 102249, China.
| | - Jidong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, Beijing Key Lab of Oil & Gas Pollution Control, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, 102249, China; College of Chemical Engineering and Environment, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, 102249, China
| | - Zizhen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, Beijing Key Lab of Oil & Gas Pollution Control, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, 102249, China; College of Chemical Engineering and Environment, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, 102249, China
| | - Juanjuan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, Beijing Key Lab of Oil & Gas Pollution Control, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, 102249, China; College of Chemical Engineering and Environment, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, 102249, China
| | - Huihui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, Beijing Key Lab of Oil & Gas Pollution Control, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, 102249, China; College of Chemical Engineering and Environment, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, 102249, China
| | - Yali Zhan
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, Beijing Key Lab of Oil & Gas Pollution Control, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, 102249, China; College of Chemical Engineering and Environment, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, 102249, China.
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20
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Toutian V, Barjenbruch M, Loderer C, Remy C. Impact of process parameters of thermal alkaline pretreatment on biogas yield and dewaterability of waste activated sludge. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 202:117465. [PMID: 34358907 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Thermal alkaline pretreatment (TAP) of waste activated sludge (WAS) before anaerobic digestion (AD) was reviewed. Focus of the review was on impact of TAP process parameters on biomethane yield (BY) and kinetics of AD and downstream dewatering. With higher initial biodegradability of untreated WAS, effect of TAP on BY decreases. Depending on initial biodegradability, BY increase of 22-97% is expected. Treatment temperatures below 100 °C showed to be as effective as temperatures higher than 100 °C in terms of BY increase. Alkali dosage and resulting initial pH have a significant effect on BY increase and showed to have an optimum range of 40-60 mg NaOH per g total solids (TS) of sludge. It is advised that alkali is dosed based on solids content in WAS and monitored by pH. Treatment time of 1.5-5 h is sufficient for an effective low temperature TAP (T < 100 °C), with longer treatment times showing no positive impact on BY increase. Load of sludge liquor with organics and nutrients increases with more intensive TAP conditions. Despite kinetic enhancement of hydrolysis step in AD, more research is needed to clarify if TAP improves kinetics of entire AD process which determines required digester volume. Impact of TAP on dewaterability of digestate is ambiguous and needs more investigation using standardized methods, also with regards to potential effects on polymer demand. Findings of experimental studies were reflected against available data from commercialized TAP process of Pondus®, throughout review. Finally, important process design parameters of TAP such as input TS and point of alkali dosage are discussed and recommendations for future research are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vahid Toutian
- Department of Urban Water Management, Technical University of Berlin, Gustav-Meyer-Allee 25, 13355 Berlin, Germany; Berlin Centre of Competence for Water, Cicerostrasse 24, 10709 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Matthias Barjenbruch
- Department of Urban Water Management, Technical University of Berlin, Gustav-Meyer-Allee 25, 13355 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Loderer
- Steinbacher + Steinbacher ZT GmbH, Isbaryg. 20/II/10, 1140 Vienna, Austria
| | - Christian Remy
- Berlin Centre of Competence for Water, Cicerostrasse 24, 10709 Berlin, Germany
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21
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Effect of Different Pretreatments on Sludge Solubilization and Estimation of Bioenergy Potential. Processes (Basel) 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/pr9081382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Most of the conventional treatments of waste-activated sludge (WAS) are devoted to their minimization and destruction. On the other hand, the biomass contained in WAS can be utilized as a valuable source of renewable carbon. In this study, the influence of different pretreatments (ultrasonication, chemical, thermal, and combined pretreatments) was explored for sludge solubilization. Effects of the pretreatments were investigated as a function of the solubilization of total solids (TS), volatile solids (VS), and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Concentrations of soluble carbohydrates and total nitrogen were also measured. The most effective pretreatment to hydrolyze sludge was found to be the combined alkali–thermal (pH 12, 75 °C) pretreatment method, leading to TS and vs. solubilization of 9.6% and 17.2%, respectively. Soluble COD, carbohydrates, total nitrogen, and proteins estimated in the liquid phase were 5235 mg/L, 732 mg/L, 430 mg/L, and 2688 mg/L, respectively. Thus, the alkali–thermal method could be used for efficient valorization of WAS. Moreover, the solid fraction from all pretreated samples was further subjected to thermogravimetric analysis to estimate its potential for bioenergy from its higher heating value (HHV), which was found to be in the range of 10–11.82 MJ/kg. This study can provide better insight into the efficient valorization of liquid and solid phases of sludge after pretreatment.
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22
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Ghimire N, Bakke R, Bergland WH. Liquefaction of lignocellulosic biomass for methane production: A review. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2021; 332:125068. [PMID: 33849751 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.125068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Hydrothermal pretreatment (HTP) (Hot water extraction (HWE) and steam pretreatment) and pyrolysis have the potential to liquefy lignocellulosic biomass. HTP produces hydrolysate, consisting mainly of solubilized hemicellulose, while pyrolysis produces aqueous pyrolysis liquid (APL). The liquid products, either as main products or by-product, can be used as anaerobic digestion (AD) feeds, overcoming shortcomings of solid-state AD (SS-AD). This paper reviews HWE, steam pretreatment, and pyrolysis pretreatment methods used to liquefy lignocellulosic biomass, AD of liquefied products, effects of inhibition from intermediate by-products such as furan and phenolic compounds, and pretreatment tuning to increase methane yield. HTP, focusing on methane production, produces less inhibitory compounds when carried out at moderate temperatures. APL is a challenging feed for AD due to its complexity, including various inhibitory substances. Pre-treatment of biomass before pyrolysis, adaptation of microorganism to inhibitors, and additives, such as biochar, may help the AD cultures cope with inhibitors in APL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nirmal Ghimire
- Department of Process, Energy and Environmental Technology, University of South-Eastern Norway, Kjølnes Ring 56, NO-3918 Porsgrunn, Norway.
| | - Rune Bakke
- Department of Process, Energy and Environmental Technology, University of South-Eastern Norway, Kjølnes Ring 56, NO-3918 Porsgrunn, Norway
| | - Wenche Hennie Bergland
- Department of Process, Energy and Environmental Technology, University of South-Eastern Norway, Kjølnes Ring 56, NO-3918 Porsgrunn, Norway
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23
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Gomes LA, Santos AF, Lopes RJA, Góis JC, Quina MJ. Isothermal drying kinetics of sewage sludge using weathered coal fly ash as adjuvant for agronomic application. ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY 2021; 42:2267-2277. [PMID: 31791200 DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2019.1700311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to evaluate the effect of weathered coal fly ash (CFA) as a drying adjuvant of sewage sludge (SS) to produce a soil amendment. The high amount of SS and CFA creates a complex waste management problem in many countries, requiring more research efforts. Towards a circular economy, CFA can be viewed as an anthropogenic inorganic by-product with valuable nutrients (e.g. K), which can be recovered in combination with SS (rich in organic matter, N, and P). Different temperatures (70, 85, 100, 115, and 130 °C) are tested to dry small SS cylinders, without and with 0.15 g CFA g-1 of SSwet basis (wb). By fitting appropriate models to the experimental drying curves, it is possible to observe an improvement of 1-17% in the diffusion coefficient and 7-19% in the kinetic constants, using CFA. The best drying conditions are achieved with CFA as an adjuvant at 130 °C, where the drying rate is 31.61 gH2O kg-1 SSwb min-1. Phytotoxicity and growth assays are performed to evaluate the effect of the produced materials in the soil. The product with SS and CFA shows the potential to improve soil condition due to (i) the organic matter, N, P, and K content, (ii) the lower phytotoxic effect when compared to raw SS; (iii) the soil pH correction. Thus, not only the addition of weathered CFA facilitates the drying of SS but also the final product has benefits to soil conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciano A Gomes
- CIEPQPF - Centre of Chemical Processes Engineering and Forest Products, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Rua Sílvio Lima, Portugal
- IFB - Federal Institute of Education, Science, and Technology of Brasília - IFB, Campus Ceilândia Brasília - Federal District, Brazil
| | - Andreia F Santos
- CIEPQPF - Centre of Chemical Processes Engineering and Forest Products, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Rua Sílvio Lima, Portugal
| | - Rui J A Lopes
- CIEPQPF - Centre of Chemical Processes Engineering and Forest Products, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Rua Sílvio Lima, Portugal
| | - José C Góis
- Association for the Development of Industrial Aerodynamics, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Margarida J Quina
- CIEPQPF - Centre of Chemical Processes Engineering and Forest Products, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Rua Sílvio Lima, Portugal
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24
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Zhou P, Meshref MNA, Dhar BR. Optimization of thermal hydrolysis process for enhancing anaerobic digestion in a wastewater treatment plant with existing primary sludge fermentation. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2021; 321:124498. [PMID: 33316702 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.124498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Many wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) adopted primary sludge fermentation to produce sludge liquor for the biological denitrification process. The fermented primary sludge (FPS) is usually co-digested with thickened waste activated sludge (TWAS) in the anaerobic digestion (AD) process. To date, there has been limited information on how the sludge thermal hydrolysis process (THP) could be retrofitted for enhancing AD in WWTPs with the existing primary sludge fermentation process. This study assessed two THP retrofitting schemes, (FPS + TWAS and TWAS alone) combining different exposure times (15, 30, and 60 min) and temperatures (140, 160, and 180 °C). The results suggested that temperature had more impact on sludge solubilization than exposure times. Notably, 180 °C was the most effective for sludge solubilization under both schemes. However, a higher degree of solubilization did not necessarily lead to higher methane yields. The THP of FPS + TWAS attained considerably higher methane yield than the pretreatment of TWAS alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peijun Zhou
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Mohamed N A Meshref
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada; Public Works Department, Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University, 1 El Sarayat St., Abbassia, Cairo 11517, Egypt
| | - Bipro Ranjan Dhar
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada.
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25
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Xu S, Wang C, Duan Y, Wong JWC. Impact of pyrochar and hydrochar derived from digestate on the co-digestion of sewage sludge and swine manure. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2020; 314:123730. [PMID: 32615446 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.123730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Four kinds of biochar were obtained by pyrolysis carbonization and hydrothermal carbonization from swine manure digestate, i.e. pyrochar (HC, HC-Fe) and hydrochar (HTC, HTC-Fe). Batch fermentation was conducted to compare their effects on the co-digestion of sewage sludge and swine manure. Both pyrochar and hydrochar present positive effect on methane production, nevertheless the higher methane yields were obtained in HTC and HTC-Fe digesters. No advantage was observed for the iron impregnation. The maximum methane yield was 308.4 mL/g VS in HTC digester, which was 27% and 49% higher than HC and Control, respectively. The surface functional groups of hydrochar are more abundant than pyrochar, which is favorable for promoting the syntrophic anaerobic metabolism, as revealed by the promoted substrate hydrolysis and VFAs consumption rate. Thus, it is proposed to convert swine manure digestate to hydrochar, which can be recirculated back to the AD reactor to increase the digestion efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suyun Xu
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, 200093, China
| | - Chongyang Wang
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, 200093, China
| | - Yuting Duan
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, 200093, China
| | - Jonathan Woon-Chung Wong
- Institute of Bioresource and Agriculture and Sino-Forest Applied Research Centre for Pearl River Delta Environment, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong; Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
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26
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Xu S, Wang C, Sun Y, Luo L, Wong JWC. Assessing the stability of co-digesting sewage sludge with pig manure under different mixing ratios. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2020; 114:299-306. [PMID: 32683245 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2020.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2019] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This study assessed the digester stability and overall methane production of co-digestion of sewage sludge (SS) and pig manure (PM). Four different ratios of PM were mixed with SS to reach different final concentrations of total solids (TS), i.e. 4%, 6%, 8% and 10%. Volatile solids (VS) reduction rate decreased along with an increase in TS%, and the maximum cumulative methane yield of 342 mL/g VSrem was obtained in treatment with TS of 6%. When TS was ≥ 8%, accumulation of volatile fatty acids (VFAs), free ammonium nitrogen (FAN) and total ammonium nitrogen (TAN) were observed. At a TS content of 10%, VFAs accumulated to > 20000 mg/L and the highest FAN was 481 mg/L. The suppression of methanogenesis was negatively correlated with FAN and VFA/TIC (P < 0.05). Co-digestion demonstrated to be an effective way to improve the methane yield from SS due to the enriched biodegradable organic substance and more balanced C/N ratio by incorporating PM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suyun Xu
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China.
| | - Chongyang Wang
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Yangyang Sun
- School of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Liwen Luo
- Institute of Bioresource and Agriculture and Sino-Forest Applied Research Centre for Pearl River Delta Environment, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China; Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Jonathan Woon-Chung Wong
- Institute of Bioresource and Agriculture and Sino-Forest Applied Research Centre for Pearl River Delta Environment, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China; Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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27
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Gao J, Wang Y, Yan Y, Li Z, Chen M. Protein extraction from excess sludge by alkali-thermal hydrolysis. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:8628-8637. [PMID: 31904100 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-07188-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The protein in excess sludge can be extracted effectively by the alkali-thermal method, and the extracted protein can be used as a foaming agent and in other industrial raw materials to realize its resource utilization. In this paper, the factors influencing sludge protein extraction by the alkali-thermal method were optimized based on the protein extraction rate and the polypeptide content, which determine the foaming performance of the extracted protein. The results showed that the optimal conditions were a pH of 12, a temperature of 120 °C, a reaction time of 4 h, and a sludge moisture content of 92%. Under these optimized conditions, the extraction rate of protein and the concentration of polypeptides were 88.3% and 6599 mg/L, respectively. Additionally, the foaming performance of the extracted protein solution was tested, and the foamability and foam stability were close to 450% and 88.8%, respectively. Therefore, the sludge protein extracted by the alkali-thermal method can meet the relevant standards of foam extinguishing agents and concrete foaming agents in China. In addition, the dewatering performance of the hydrolyzed sludge was improved by 93.1%, which provided favorable conditions for the subsequent separation of the protein solution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianlei Gao
- School of Water Conservancy Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Yingchun Wang
- School of Water Conservancy Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Yixin Yan
- School of Water Conservancy Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.
| | - Zheng Li
- Zhengzhou University Multi-Functional Design and Research Academy Co, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Manli Chen
- Zhengzhou University Multi-Functional Design and Research Academy Co, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
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28
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Pečar D, Pohleven F, Goršek A. Kinetics of methane production during anaerobic fermentation of chicken manure with sawdust and fungi pre-treated wheat straw. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2020; 102:170-178. [PMID: 31678803 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2019.10.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Revised: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The goal of this study was to determine the kinetic parameters of methane production during anaerobic fermentation of mixtures of chicken manure with sawdust and wheat straw overgrown with fungi. Pre-treatment of wheat straw was carried out with Pleurotus ostreatus and Trametes versicolor white-rot fungi. Mixtures of chicken manure with sawdust and wheat straw overgrown with fungi at different mass ratios (50:50, 60:40 and 80:20) were used as a substrate for anaerobic fermentation. For the control, ordinary wheat straw was used. Anaerobic fermentations were performed at (35, 40 and 45) °C. An individual process of anaerobic fermentation was maintained at constant temperature for 21 days. During the process, the volume and concentration of biogas produced were monitored. The most biogas produced was recorded for the straw overgrown with Pleurotus ostreatus fungi (ratio 50:50) at 45 °C, and the least in the case of straw overgrown with Trametes versicolor fungi (ratio 80:20) at 35 °C. At the beginning of anaerobic fermentation, the methane concentration increased faster at a higher temperature, while after 21 days, it was between 53 and 56% regardless of temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darja Pečar
- University of Maribor, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Smetanova 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia.
| | - Franc Pohleven
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Wood Science and Technology, Rožna dolina Cesta VIII/34, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Andreja Goršek
- University of Maribor, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Smetanova 17, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
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