Nazlina Haiza Mohd Yasin

Enhancement of sludge reduction and methane production by removing extracellular polymeric substances from waste activated sludge

The management of waste activated sludge (WAS) recycling is a concern that affects the development of the future low-carbon society, particularly sludge reduction and biomass utilization. In this study, we investigated the effect of removing extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), which play important roles in the adhesion and flocculation of WAS, on increased sludge disintegration, thereby enhancing sludge reduction and methane production by anaerobic digestion. EPS removal from WAS by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) significantly enhanced sludge reduction, i.e., 49 ± 5% compared with 27 ± 1% of the control at the end the digestion process. Methane production was also improved in WAS without EPS by 8881 ± 109 CH4 μmol g(-1) dry-weight of sludge. Microbial activity was determined by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and real-time polymerase chain reaction, which showed that the hydrolysis and acetogenesis stages were enhanced by pretreatment with 2% EDTA, with a larger methanogenic community and better methane production.

Enhanced reduction of waste activated sludge at a low temperature by locally isolated strains Pseudomonas sp. VNT and Aeromonas sp. VNT.

Appropriate control of waste activated sludge (WAS) is required to solve the annual increment of WAS volume. The low bacterial activity at low temperatures poses a difficulty in reducing or utilizing WAS in cold weather regions and/or during the winter season. This study reveals a practical method to enhance sludge reduction at a low temperature using isolated strains of Pseudomonas and Aeromonas species. The effect of inoculating each strain into WAS was examined at different temperatures (4°C, 10°C, 12°C, 15°C, 20°C, and 30°C) and under an aerobic condition. Sludge reduction showed 2- to 8-fold improvement at the temperature range from 4°C to 15°C. Both strains are psychrophilic and can produce protease and lipase for sludge degradation even at low temperatures. Thus, biological WAS treatment at a psychrophilic temperature can be enhanced by inoculating these promising strains.