L. Guerrero

Performance evaluation of a two-phase anaerobic digestion process of synthetic domestic wastewater at ambient temperature.

A two-phase anaerobic digestion process of synthetic domestic wastewater was studied at ambient temperature in mild to cold climates. The hydrolytic stage was carried out in a continuous stirred tank reactor with an effective volume of 1.2 L. The hydrolytic reactor operated at hydraulic retention times (HRTs) in the range of 1.3 to 2.7 h, which allowed for optimum HRT to be obtained in order to achieve a maximum amount of soluble COD. For the methanogenic stage, an up-flow anaerobic filter with a volume of 1.35 L and corrugated plastic rings as biomass immobilization support were used. During the investigation, the ambient temperature ranged between 21°C and 24°C. Synthetic domestic wastewater with a COD of 700 mg/L was used as substrate. The study was performed at total organic loading rates (OLR T ) of 2.0–4.3 g COD/L· d, with a global HRT (including both hydrolytic and methanogenic stages) of 2.8–5.8 hours. A maximum percentage of organic matter removed of 88% was achieved at a global HRT of 5.8 hours. Under these operating conditions, the production of biogas was 97% higher than that obtained in the one-phase anaerobic digestion process. Additionally, the kinetics involved in the hydrolytic stage was determined using the Contois kinetic model, which adequately predicted the experimental results.The effect of malathion [diethyl(dimethoxythiophosphorylthio)succinate] at sublethal concentration (0.006 ppm) on hematological parameters of the cricket frog (Fejervarya limnocharis) was studied for 24 hrs to 240 hrs of exposure and remarkable hematological alterations were observed. The study on hematological parameters revealed a highly significant decrease (P < 0.01) in the total erythrocytes count in malathion-exposed animals from 24 hours to 96 hrs of exposure as compared to control. Significant decreases (P < 0.01) of hemoglobin and packed cell volume were also observed from 48 hrs to 240 hrs. A significant increase (P < 0.01) in leucocytes count was noted throughout the exposure period. Elevated numbers of lymphocytes and eosinophils as found in the present study revealed lymphocytosis as well as eosinophilia, suggesting that this was a result of direct stimulation of the immunological defense due to the presence of a toxic substance or may be associated with tissue damage. The cytomorphological and cytopathological study of erythrocytes and leucocytes in malathion-exposed frogs at 0.006 ppm concentration revealed various cytotoxic effects at different exposure times. It was noted that the size and the shape of the erythrocytes were subjected to variation in different blood disorders.

Treatment of wastewater from red and tropical fruit wine production by zeolite anaerobic fluidized bed reactor

A study of the anaerobic treatment of wastewaters derived from red (RWWW) and tropical fruit wine (TFWWW) production was carried out in four laboratory-scale fluidized bed reactors with natural zeolite as bacterial support. These reactors operated at mesophilic temperature (35°C). Reactors R1 and R2 contained Chilean natural zeolite, while reactors R3 and R4 used Cuban natural zeolite as microorganism support. In addition, reactors R1 and R3 processed RWWW, while reactors R2 and R4 used TFWWW as substrate. The biomass concentration attached to zeolites in the four reactors studied was found to be in the range of 44–46 g volatile solids (VS)/L after 90 days of operation time. Both types of zeolites can be used indistinctly in the fluidized bed reactors achieving more than 80%–86% chemical oxygen demand (COD) removals for organic loading rates (OLR) of up to at least 20 g COD/L d. pH values remained within the optimal range for anaerobic microorganisms for OLR values of up to 20 and 22 g COD/L d for RWWW and TFWWW, respectively. Toxicity and inhibition levels were observed at an OLR of 20 g COD/L d in reactors R1 and R3 while processing RWWW, whereas the aforementioned inhibitory phenomena were not observed at an OLR of 24 g COD/L d in R2 and R4, treating TFWWW as a consequence of the lower phenolic compound content present in this substrate. The volatile fatty acid (VFA) levels were always lower in reactors processing TFWWW (R2 and R4) and these values (< 400 mg/L, as acetic acid) were lower than the suggested limits for digester failure. The specific methanogenic activity (SMA) was twice as high in reactors R2 and R4 than in R1 and R3 after 120 days of operation when all reactors operated at an OLR of 20 g COD/L d.

Influence of the type and source of inoculum on the start-up of anammox sequencing batch reactors (SBRs)

Anammox (anaerobic ammonium oxidation) is an attractive option for the treatment of wastewaters with a low carbon/nitrogen ratio. This is due to its low operating costs when compared to the classical nitrification-denitrification processes. However, one of the main disadvantages of the Anammox process is slow biomass growth, meaning a relatively slow reactor start-up. This becomes even more complicated when Anammox microorganisms are not present in the inoculum. Four inocula were studied for the start-up of Anammox sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) 2 L in volume agitated at 100 rpm, one of them using zeolite as a microbial support. Two inocula were taken from UASB reactors and two from aerobic reactors (activated sludge and SBR). The Anammox SBRs studied were operated at 36 ± 0.5°C. The results showed that the only inoculum that enabled the enrichment of the Anammox biomass came from an activated sludge plant treating wastewaters from a poultry slaughterhouse. This plant was designed for organic matter degradation and nitrogen removal (nitrification). This could explain the presence of Anammox microorganisms. This SBR operated without zeolite and achieved nitrite and ammonium removals of 96.3% and 68.4% respectively, at a nitrogen loading rate (NLR) of 0.1 kg N/m3/d in both cases. The lower ammonium removal was due to the fact that a sub-stoichiometric amount of nitrite (1 molar ratio) was fed. The specific Anammox activity (SAA) achieved was 0.18 g N/g VSS/d.

Autotrophic and heterotrophic denitrification for simultaneous removal of nitrogen, sulfur and organic matter

ABSTRACT The aim of this investigation was to assess the startup and operation of a laboratory-scale hybrid UASB-Anaerobic Filter Reactor (UASFB) of 1 L volume, kept at 30°C, in order to carry out a simultaneous autotrophic and heterotrophic denitrification process. First, the heterotrophic and autotrophic populations were separately enriched, with specific cultures and subsequently the UASFB was inoculated with 2 g L−1 of volatile suspended solids (VSS), with a ratio of 1.5:1 (autotrophs: heterotrophs). The influent or synthetic wastewater used was composed of: Na2S2O3·5H2O, CH3COOK, NaNO3, NaHCO3, K2HPO4, NH4Cl and saline solution. The concentrations varied depending on the organic loading rate (OLR), nitrogen loading rate (NLR) and sulfur loading rate (SLR) applied. In the UASFB reactor, two experimental conditions were tested and assessed: (i) COD/N ratio of 3.6 and SLR of 0.75 kg S m−3 d−1; and (ii) COD/N ratio of 5.8 and SLR of 0.25 kg S m−3 d−1. The results obtained demonstrated that an inoculum coming from an anaerobic reactor was able to carry out the process, obtaining a maximum nitrate removal of 85.3% in the first stage of operation and 99.5% in the second stage. The recovery of sulfur in form of sulfate in the effluent did not present a tendency to stabilize during the measured time, with a maximum thiosulfate removal of 32.5%, when the SLR was lowered to 0.25 kg S m−3 d−1. The maximum organic matter elimination, measured as COD, was 75.8%, which indicates the relatively good performance and behavior of the heterotrophic microorganisms.

Assessing the effect of pretreatments on the structure and functionality of microbial communities for the bioconversion of microalgae to biogas

Microalgae biomethanization is driven by anaerobic sludge associated microorganisms and is generally limited by the incomplete hydrolysis of the microalgae cell wall, which results in a low availability of microalgal biomass for the methanogenic community. The application of enzymatic pretreatments, e.g., with hydrolytic enzymes, is among the strategies used to work around the incomplete hydrolysis of the microalgae cell wall. Despite the proven efficacy of these pretreatments in increasing biomethanization, the changes that a given pretreatment may cause to the anaerobic sludge associated microorganisms during biomethanization are still unknown. This study evaluated the changes in the expression of the metatranscriptome of anaerobic sludge associated microorganisms during Chlorella sorokiniana biomethanization without pretreatment (WP) (control) and pretreated with commercial cellulase in order to increase the solubilization of the microalgal organic matter. Pretreated microalgal biomass experienced significant increases in biogas the production. The metatranscriptomic analysis of control samples showed functionally active microalgae cells, a bacterial community dominated by γ- and δ-proteobacteria, and a methanogenic community dominated by Methanospirillum hungatei. In contrast, pretreated samples were characterized by the absence of active microalgae cells and a bacteria population dominated by species of the Clostridia class. These differences are also related to the differential activation of metabolic pathways e.g., those associated with the degradation of organic matter during its biomethanization.