Harnessing dark fermentative hydrogen from pretreated mixture of food waste and sewage sludge under sequencing batch mode

Food waste and sewage sludge are the most abundant and problematic organic wastes in any society. Mixture of these two wastes may provide appropriate substrate condition for dark fermentative biohydrogen production based on synergistic mutual benefits. This work evaluates continuous hydrogen production from the cosubstrate of food waste and sewage sludge to verify mechanisms of performance improvement in anaerobic sequencing batch reactors. Volatile solid concentration and mixing ratio of food waste and sludge were adjusted to 5 % and 80:20, respectively. Five different hydraulic retention times (HRT) of 36, 42, 48, 72, and 108 h were tested using anaerobic sequencing batch reactors to find out optimal operating condition. Results show that the best performance was achieved at HRT 72 h, where the hydrogen yield, the hydrogen production rate, and hydrogen content were 62.0 mL H₂/g VS, 1.0 L H₂/L/day, and ~50 %, respectively. Sufficient solid retention time (143 h) and proper loading rate (8.2 g COD/L/day as carbohydrate) at HRT 72h led to the enhanced performance with better hydrogen production showing appropriate n-butyrate/acetate (B/A) ratio of 2.6. Analytical result of terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism revealed that specific peaks associated with Clostridium sp. and Bacillus sp. were strongly related to enhanced hydrogen production from the cosubstrate of food waste and sewage sludge.     

Extent of intracellular storage in single and dual substrate systems under pulse feeding

The study investigated the effect of acetate/starch mixture on the formation of storage biopolymers as compared with the storage mechanism in systems fed with these compounds as single substrates. Experiments involved two sequencing batch reactor sets operated at steady state, at sludge ages of 8 and 2 days, respectively. Each set included three different runs, one fed with acetate, the other with starch and the last one with the acetate/starch mixture. In single substrate systems with pulse feeding, starch was fully converted to glycogen, whereas 25 % of acetate was utilized for direct microbial growth at sludge age of 8 days, together with polyhydroxybutyric acid (PHB) storage. The lower sludge age slightly increased this fraction to 30 %. Feeding of acetate/starch mixture induced a significant increase in acetate utilization for direct microbial growth; acetate fraction converted to PHB dropped down to 58 and 50 % at sludge ages of 8 and 2 days respectively, while starch remained fully converted to glycogen for both operating conditions. Parallel microbiological analyses based on FISH methodology confirmed that the biomass acclimated to the substrate mixture sustained microbial fractions capable of performing both glycogen and PHB storage.     

The contribution of selected organic substrates to the anaerobic cometabolism of sulfamethazine

Biodegradation of organic micropollutants is likely to occur due to cometabolism by particular microbial groups. In an effort to identify the stages of anaerobic digestion potentially involved in the biodegradation of the veterinary antimicrobial sulfamethazine (SMZ), the influence of selected carbon sources (sucrose, glucose, fructose, ethanol, meat extract, cellulose, soluble starch, soy oil, acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid) on SMZ removal by anaerobic sludge was evaluated in short-term batch experiments. Adsorption to the granular sludge constituted a significant removal mechanism, accounting for 39% of SMZ removal in control experiments. The presence of glucose, fructose, sucrose and meat extract exerted an inducing effect on SMZ degradation, resulting in removal efficiencies of 54, 53, 58 and 61%, respectively, indicating the occurrence of cometabolism. Time courses of sucrose and meat extract degradation revealed markedly distinct organic acid profiles but resulted in similar SMZ removals. Temporal profiles of acetic and propionic acid degradation were not associated with SMZ removal, as changes in SMZ concentration were observed even after the organic acids had been completely removed. The experimental results suggest that SMZ cometabolism is not associated to sucrose hydrolysis, acetoclastic methanogenesis and acetogenesis from propionic acid.     

厌氧序批式反应器产氢

以啤酒厂废水处理厂UASB中的厌氧污泥为种泥,葡萄糖为基质,研究了厌氧序批式反应器产氢。控制反应器内pH为4.0～4.5,温度为（36±1）℃,水力停留时间为8 h,当进水葡萄糖浓度为4 000 mg/L,容积负荷为12 kg/（m3.d）条件下,该厌氧序批式反应器实现了连续高效厌氧产氢。生物气中的氢气含量约为48%～53%,基质产氢率为1.1 mol/mol葡萄糖,COD去除率为15%～25%,最大比产氢速率为84.5 mol/（kg VSS.d）。液相末端发酵产物中乙醇和乙酸的含量占液相末端发酵产物总量的80%以上,表明该反应器内进行的是乙醇型发酵厌氧产氢。厌氧序批式反应器完全可以实现连续高效厌氧产氢,比较适用于日处理量较小的高浓度含糖废水。     

初始pH值对提油后藻渣发酵制氢的影响

提油后藻渣的利用和处理对于微藻生物柴油产业的发展具有重要意义.采用批次实验研究了初始pH值(pH值范围为5～9)对提油后藻渣发酵产氢的影响.研究结果表明,提高初始pH值引起累积产氢量和氢气产量逐渐下降.初始pH值从5增加到6.5引起氢气产生速率逐渐增加,而初始pH值从6.5增加到9时,氢气产生速率则逐渐下降.在pH 5...     

Hydrogen production by anaerobic microbial communities exposed to repeated heat treatments.

Biological hydrogen production by anaerobic mixed communities was studied in laboratory-scale bioreactors using sucrose as the substrate. A bioreactor in which a fraction of the return sludge was exposed to repeated heat treatments performed better than a control bioreactor without repeated heat treatment of return sludge and produced a yield of 2.15 moles of hydrogen per mole of sucrose, with 50% hydrogen in the biogas. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis showed that two different Clostridium groups (comprised of one or more species) were dominant during hydrogen production. The relative abundance of two other non-Clostridium groups increased during periods of decreased hydrogen production. The first group consisted of Bifidobacterium thermophilum, and the second group included one or more of Bacillus, Melissococcus, Spirochaeta, and Spiroplasma spp.     

Biological solids reduction using the Cannibal process.

A laboratory study of the Cannibal process was undertaken to determine if the Cannibal system would generate less sludge compared with a conventional activated sludge system. Side-by-side sequencing batch reactors were operated--one using the Cannibal configuration and the other as conventional activated sludge. It was found that the Cannibal process generated 60% less solids than the conventional activated sludge system, without any negative effect on the effluent quality or the settling characteristics of the activated sludge. The oxygen uptake rate for the centrate from the Cannibal bioreactor showed that readily biodegradable organic matter was released from the recycled biomass in the Cannibal bioreactor. It is proposed that the mechanism for reduced solids from the Cannibal system is that, in the Cannibal bioreactor, iron is reduced, releasing iron-bound organic material into solution. When the Cannibal biomass is recirculated back to the aeration basin, the released organic material is rapidly degraded.     

炭纤维载体固定床厌氧发酵启动运行效果实验

以开发高效率、抗冲击性能强的高浓度有机废水沼气发酵技术为目的，用传统的 UASB反应器作为对照，研究了以炭纤维为生物膜载体的固定床厌氧反应器的启动运行效果。反应器进口废水 COD 为 5 000 mg/L, 水力停留时间 (HRT) 由213 h 逐步缩短为35 h，进水有机容积负荷(OLR)由0.56 kg COD/ (m³·d)提到3.45 kg COD/(m³·d)。结果表明，固定床反应器厌氧发酵的效率比对照高，出水 pH 值也比对照稳定；运行到第 50 d 时，固定床厌氧反应器和对照的 COD去除率分别由第 7 d 的36.56%和33.58%上升到87.9%和62.6%；固定床厌氧反应器的容积比产气率最高为1.16 m³/(m³·d)，累计产气量为415.59 L，而对照的容积比产气率最高值仅为0.31 m³ /(m³·d)，累计产气量为 71.66 L，前者最高容积比产气率和累计产气量分别是后者的3.74倍和5.78倍。固定床厌氧反应器的启动速度、COD 去除率和产甲烷效率显著地高于对照反应器。     

Characteristics of granular sludge developed in an upflow anaerobic sludge fixed-film bioreactor treating palm oil mill effluent.

In the present study, characteristics of the granular sludge (including physical characteristics under stable conditions and process shocks arising from suspended solid overload, soluble organic overload, and high temperature; biological activity; and sludge kinetic evaluation in a batch experiment) developed in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket fixed-film reactor for palm oil mill effluent (POME) treatment was investigated. The main aim of this work was to provide suitable understanding of POME anaerobic digestion using such a granular sludge reactor, particularly with respect to granule structure at various operating conditions. The morphological changes in granular sludge resulting from various operational conditions was studied using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images. It was shown that the developed granules consisted of densely packed rod- (Methanosaeta-like microorganism; predominant) and cocci- (Methanosarsina) shaped microorganisms. Methanosaeta aggregates functioned as nucleation centers that initiated granule development of POME-degrading granules. Under the suspended solid overload condition, most of the granules were covered with a thin layer of fiberlike suspended solids, so that the granule color changed to brown and the sludge volume index also increased to 24.5 from 12 to 15 mL/g, which caused a large amount of sludge washout. Some of the granules were disintegrated because of an acidified environment, which originated from acidogenesis of high influent organic load (29 g chemical oxygen demand [COD]/L d). At 60 degrees C, the rate of biomass washout increased, as a result of disintegration of the outer layer of the granules. In the biological activity test, approximately 95% COD removal was achieved within 72 hours, with an initial COD removal rate of 3.5 g COD/L d. During POME digestion, 275 mg calcium carbonate/L bicarbonate alkalinity was produced per 1000 mg COD(removed)/ L. A consecutive reaction kinetic model was used to simulate the data obtained from the sludge activity in the batch experiment. The mathematical model gave a good fit with the experimental results (R2 > 0.93). The slowest step was modeled to be the acidification step, with a rate constant between 0.015 and 0.083 hours(-1), while the rate constant for the methanogenic step was obtained to be between 0.218 and 0.361 hours(-1).     

SBR处理高浓度养猪废水工艺条件

以养猪场废水作为研究对象，采用序列间歇式活性污泥法SBR，通过实验研究了供气量、pH、排泥量、原水稀释倍数、水力停留时间（HRT）对SBR出水水质的影响。结果表明，供气量为375 L/（min·m³）、pH为8.0，并添加排泥100 mL的操作，可使SBR处理效果明显提高，COD、磷和凯氏氮去除率最高分别可达96.37%、94.14%、99.38%。逐步降低进水稀释倍数有利于培养出处理高浓度有机养猪废水的活性污泥，可将平均COD、磷和凯氏氮含量高达9 161.24、33.41和1 502.77 mg/L的养猪废水处理至出水的490.11、5.35和17.84 mg/L。降低HRT对SBR去除率影响不大。     

Study on substrate metabolism process of saline waste sludge and its biological hydrogen production potential

With the increasing of high saline waste sludge production, the treatment and utilization of saline waste sludge attracted more and more attention. In this study, the biological hydrogen production from saline waste sludge after heating pretreatment was studied. The substrate metabolism process at different salinity condition was analyzed by the changes of soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD), carbohydrate and protein in extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), and dissolved organic matters (DOM). The excitation-emission matrix (EEM) with fluorescence regional integration (FRI) was also used to investigate the effect of salinity on EPS and DOM composition during hydrogen fermentation. The highest hydrogen yield of 23.6 mL H₂/g VSS and hydrogen content of 77.6% were obtained at 0.0% salinity condition. The salinity could influence the hydrogen production and substrate metabolism of waste sludge.

     

内循环厌氧反应器的启动及影响因素

采用内循环(IC)厌氧反应器,以生产淀粉和酒精的混合废水为处理对象,研究了中温条件下IC反应器的启动及影响因素。结果表明:接种厌氧消化污泥进行培养,逐渐提高进水有机负荷,运行105 d后,可实现IC反应器的启动;当进水COD浓度为11 500 mg/L,有机容积负荷为6.13 kg COD/(m3·d),COD去除率能到达95%左右;水力停留时间对启动过程没有影响,而温度和温度波动影响COD去除率;VFA比pH更能准确快速地反眏出反应器内部环境的变化,防止反应器的酸化;反应器内污泥实现颗粒化,并且具有良好的沉降性。     

Optimization of enhanced biological phosphorus removal after periods of low loading.

Enhanced biological phosphorus removal is a well-established technology for the treatment of municipal wastewater. However, increased effluent phosphorus concentrations have been reported after periods (days) of low organic loading. The purpose of this study was to evaluate different operating strategies to prevent discharge of effluent after such low-loading periods. Mechanisms leading to these operational problems have been related to the reduction of polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs) and their storage compounds (polyhydroxy alkanoates [PHA]). Increased effluent phosphorus concentrations can be the result of an imbalance between influent loading and PAOs in the system and an imbalance between phosphorus release and uptake rates. The following operating conditions were tested in their ability to prevent a reduction of PHA and of overall biomass during low organic loading conditions: (a) unchanged operation, (b) reduced aeration time, (c) reduced sludge wastage, and (d) combination of reduced aeration time and reduced sludge wastage. Experiments were performed in a laboratory-scale anaerobic-aerobic sequencing batch reactor, using acetate as the carbon source. Without operational adjustments, phosphorus-release rates decreased during low-loading periods but recovered rapidly. Phosphorus-uptake rates also decreased, and the recovery typically required several days to increase to normal levels. The combination of reduced aeration time and reduced sludge wastage allowed the maintenance of constant levels of both PHA and overall biomass. A mathematical model was used to explain the influence of the tested operating conditions on PAO and PHA concentrations. While experimental results were in general agreement with model predictions, the kinetic expression for phosphorus uptake deviated significantly for the first 24 hours after low-loading conditions. Mechanisms leading to these deviations need to be further investigated.     

Assessment of sewage sludge bioremediation at different hydraulic retention times using mixed fungal inoculation by liquid-state bioconversion

Sustainable, environmental friendly, and safe disposal of sewage treatment plant (STP) sludge is a global expectation. Bioremediation performance was examined at different hydraulic retention times (HRT) in 3–10 days and organic loading rates (OLR) at 0.66–7.81 g chemical oxygen demand (COD) per liter per day, with mixed filamentous fungal (Aspergillus niger and Penicillium corylophilum) inoculation by liquid-state bioconversion (LSB) technique as a continuous process in large-scale bioreactor. Encouraging results were monitored in treated sludge by LSB continuous process. The highest removal of total suspended solid (TSS), turbidity, and COD were achieved at 98, 99, and 93 %, respectively, at 10 days HRT compared to control. The minimum volatile suspended solid/suspended solid implies the quality of water, which was recorded 0.59 at 10 days and 0.72 at 3 days of HRT. In treated supernatant with 88 % protein removal at 10 days of HRT indicates a higher magnitude of purification of treated sludge. The specific resistance to filtration (SRF) quantifies the performance of dewaterability; it was recorded minimum 0.049 × 10¹² m kg^?1 at 10 days of HRT, which was equivalent to 97 % decrease of SRF. The lower OLR and higher HRT directly influenced the bioremediation and dewaterability of STP sludge in LSB process. The obtained findings imply encouraging message in continuing treatment of STP sludge, i.e., bioremediation of wastewater for environmental friendly disposal in near future.     

剩余污泥发酵产酸特征及基质释放规律研究

剩余污泥发酵既能实现污泥减量,又能获得污水生物脱氮除磷所需的挥发性脂肪酸VFAs等。采用序批式污泥发酵实验,在(30±1)℃的条件下,研究剩余污泥投配比对序批式污泥发酵系统污泥减量、产酸以及基质释放过程的影响,探索VFAs生成最大化的条件。实验结果表明:投加接种污泥不能明显提高序批式污泥发酵系统剩余污泥的减量效果,但可以改善污泥的产酸特性;当污泥投配比大于50%时,发酵过程中将出现2个VFAs浓度峰,且第二次峰浓度更大;较为理想的序批式污泥发酵投配比是60%~80%、发酵时间为5 d或25 d,前者VFAs表观转化率最大(约24%),后者发酵液中VFAs浓度最高(约600 mg/L);发酵过程中,NH4+-N总体呈上升趋势,磷浓度发酵5 d时达到最大值。     

Experimental assessment of bio-reduction of di-2-thylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) under aerobic thermophilic conditions

The reduction of organic contaminants in sewage sludge is of great importance for a further sludge disposal or agricultural utilization. Laboratory scale batch experiments were performed to assess the potential use of the aerobic thermophilic treatment technique to reduce the concentration of difficult to degrade organic chemicals. Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) was chosen as a model representative of these chemicals. The effect of the sludge temperature and aeration rate on the reduction of DEHP concentration as well as on the reduction of the organic dry solid (oDS) was investigated. With a specific air flow rate of 16 m3/m3.h and a thermophilic temperature of 63 degrees C it was possible to achieve up to 70% reduction of the DEHP concentration and 61% of oDS within 96 hours. The maximum degradation of the oDS matter occurred within the first 24 hours of operation whereby only little oDS was degraded afterward. During the experiments the reactor content was routinely monitored for pH, COD, along with the ammonia nitrogen and orthophosphate concentrations.     

常温下ABR处理低浓度废水性能及污泥特性

研究了常温(17~25℃)下4隔室厌氧折流板反应器(ABR)处理低浓度废水的运行效果及污泥特性。在水力停留时间(HRT)为24 h,进水COD浓度为1 500、1 000和500 mg/L左右时,平均COD去除率分别为94%、93%和87%。进水COD浓度保持在500 mg/L左右,将HRT降为12 h和8 h,COD的去除率仍达到83%以上。厌氧污泥性质测定结果表明,最后隔室中的污泥浓度、颗粒化程度及产甲烷活性与其他隔室相比明显较低,说明低浓度进水对最后隔室厌氧污泥的性质影响较大。颗粒污泥扫描电镜观察显示,各隔室颗粒污泥内部微生物组成差异较大,第1隔室颗粒污泥以产甲烷球菌为主,第2隔室颗粒污泥中没有明显的优势菌,但杆状菌比第1隔室明显较多,第3、4隔室颗粒污泥中以索氏甲烷丝菌为优势菌。     

序批式反应器用于牛场污水的处理

对序批式反应器 (SBR)用于牛场污水的处理进行了试验研究 ,主要研究了三个水力停留时间 (HRT)和有机负荷率对污染物去除率、出水水质和污泥特性的影响。试验结果表明 ,对 10 0 0 0mg/LCOD牛场污水 ,使用 1dHRT ,相应有机负荷率为 10gCOD/L·d时 ,混合出水COD、TS、VS、TKN和TN的去除率分别为 45 %、2 1.4%、34 .2 %、5 3.2 %和 2 2 .2 % ,上清液出水的分别为 80 .2 %、6 3.4%、6 6 .2 %、75 %和 38.3% ;两种出水的SCOD和NH3 N去除率相同 ,分别为 5 0 .0 %和 76 .5 %。经SBR处理后 ,污泥的沉降浓缩性能也有了比较明显的改善。     

Hybrid process for heavy metal removal from wastewater sludge.

Bioleaching processes have been demonstrated to be effective technologies in removing heavy metals from wastewater sludge, but long hydraulic retention times are typically required to operate these bioprocesses. A hybrid process (coupling biological and chemical processes) has been explored in laboratory pilot-scale experiments for heavy metals (cadmium [Cd], copper [Cu], chromium [Cr], and zinc [Zn]) removal from three types of sludge (primary sludge, secondary activated sludge, and a mixture of primary and secondary sludge). The hybrid process consisted of producing a concentrate ferric ion solution followed by chemical treatment of sludges. Ferric iron solution was produced biologically via oxidation of ferrous iron by A. ferrooxidans in a continuous-flow stirred tank (5.2 L) reactor (CSTR). Wastewater sludge filtrate (WSF) containing nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen) has been used as culture media to support the growth and activity of indigenous iron-oxidizing bacteria. Results showed that total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations of the culture media in excess of 235 mg/L were found to be inhibitory to bacterial growth. The oxidation rate increased as ferrous iron concentrations ranged from 10 to 40 g Fe2+/L. The percentage of ferrous iron (Fe2+) oxidized to ferric iron (Fe3+) increased as the hydraulic retention time (HRT) increased from 12 to 48 h. Successful and complete Fe2+ oxidation was recorded at a HRT of 48 h using 10 g Fe2+/L. Subsequently, ferric ion solution produced by A. ferrooxidans in sludge filtrate was used to solubilize heavy metals contained in wastewater sludge. The best solubilization was obtained with a mixture of primary and secondary sludge, demonstrating a removal efficiency of 63, 71, 49, and 80% for Cd, Cu, Cr, and Zn, respectively.     

Accumulation and fraction distribution of Ni(II) in activated sludge treating Ni-laden wastewater

The accumulation and fraction distribution of Ni(II) in sludge was determined, and their effect on the performance of sequencing batch reactor (SBR) systems was evaluated at laboratory scale. The results showed that the removal efficiencies of substrates decreased significantly with increasing feeding concentration of Ni(II) into SBRs. The concentration of Ni(II) fed into the SBRs was significantly positively correlated with the Ni(II) contents accumulated in the sludge, while it was negatively correlated with the biomass in the SBRs. The accumulated Ni(II) in the sludge was distributed mainly in the available fraction, accounting for 75.8–90.0 % of the total Ni(II) content. The accumulated content of Ni(II) in each sludge fraction could be predicted satisfactorily by the feeding Ni(II) concentrations in the solutions. As compared with the total contents and other chemical fractions, Ni(II) in the oxidizable fraction in sludge exhibited more important inhibition effects on sludge microorganisms in the SBRs.