Y.V. Swamy

Acidogenic fermentation of food waste for volatile fatty acid production with co-generation of biohydrogen.

Fermentation experiments were designed to elucidate the functional role of the redox microenvironment on volatile fatty acid (VFA, short chain carboxylic acid) production and co-generation of biohydrogen (H2). Higher VFA productivity was observed at pH 10 operation (6.3g/l) followed by pH 9, pH 6, pH 5, pH 7, pH 8 and pH 11 (3.5 g/l). High degree of acidification, good system buffering capacity along with co-generation of higher H2 production from food waste was also noticed at alkaline condition. Experiments illustrated the role of initial pH on carboxylic acids synthesis. Alkaline redox conditions assist solubilization of carbohydrates, protein and fats and also suppress the growth of methanogens. Among the carboxylic acids, acetate fraction was higher at alkaline condition than corresponding neutral or acidic operations. Integrated process of VFA production from waste with co-generation of H2 can be considered as a green and sustainable platform for value-addition.

Regulatory function of organic carbon supplementation on biodiesel production during growth and nutrient stress phases of mixotrophic microalgae cultivation.

Critical role of organic carbon supplementation on the lipid synthesis during growth and nutrient deprived stress phase was investigated in present study. Mixotrophic cultivation showed relatively higher biomass productivity at lower carbon loading condition (500mgCOD/l). Nutrient deprivation induced physiological stress and glucose supplementation with 2000mgCOD/l supported higher lipid accumulation (26%). Glucose supplementation in mixotrophic growth phase showed distinct influence on biomass growth whereas glucose supplementation in nutrient starvation resulted in higher lipid storage. Compositional variation in FAME profile was observed with respect to saturated fatty acids when operated with increasing glucose concentrations. Mixotrophic mode of cultivation showed remarkable benefits of nutrient removal and organic carbon supplementation influenced greatly on biodiesel production which can be easily scaled up to pilot plant and large scale production facilities.

Pseudomonas otitidis as a potential biocatalyst for polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) synthesis using synthetic wastewater and acidogenic effluents

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production using Pseudomonas otitidis, a newly isolated strain from PHA producing bioreactor was investigated using synthetic acids (SA) and acidogenic effluents (AE) from biohydrogen reactor at different organic loading rates (OLRs). P. otitidis showed ability to grow and accumulate PHA, with simultaneous waste remediation. AE showed less PHA production (54%, OLR3), than SA (58%, OLR2). PHA composition showed co-polymer, poly-3(hydroxy butyrate-co-hydroxy valerate), P3(HB-co-HV). Bioprocess evaluation and enzymatic activities showed good correlation with PHA production. Kinetic studies on the growth of bacteria using different models at varying OLR were substantiated with PHA production. High substrate removal was registered at OLR1 (SA, 87%; AE, 82%). AE could be used as an alternative for pure substrates keeping in view of their high cost.

Temperature induced stress influence on biodiesel productivity during mixotrophic microalgae cultivation with wastewater

The role of operating temperature as a physical stress factor for enhancing lipid induction during microalgae cultivation with domestic wastewater was evaluated. Experiments were designed with dual mode microalgae cultivation viz., growth phase (GP) and temperature induced stress phase (25 °C, 30 °C and 35 °C). GP showed enhancement in biomass growth and carbohydrate accumulation while stress phase (SP) operation at 30 °C showed noticeable improvement in lipid productivities (total/neutral lipid, 24.5/10.2%). Maximum carbohydrate utilization was observed during SP at 30 °C operation (57.8%) compared to 25 °C (50.6%) and 35 °C (26.9%) correlating well with the lipid synthesis. Interestingly the neutral lipid content documented five-fold increment illustrating feasibility towards good biodiesel properties. Biodiesel profile at 30 °C temperature is well supported by higher saturated fatty acids (SFA) to unsaturated fatty acids (USFA) ratio. GP operation showed good COD and nutrient removal concomitant to the biomass growth.

Nutritional mode influences lipid accumulation in microalgae with the function of carbon sequestration and nutrient supplementation.

Effect of nutritional mode viz., photoautotrophic, photoheterotrophic and photomixotrophic on the biomass growth and lipid productivity of microalgae was studied. Experiments were designed and operated in biphasic mode i.e., growth phase (GP) followed by stress induced starvation phase (SP). Nutritional mode documented marked influence on biomass growth and subsequent lipid productivity. Mixotrophic mode of operation showed higher biomass growth (4.45 mg/ml) during growth phase while higher lipid productivity was observed with nitrogen deprived autotrophic mode (28.2%) followed by heterotrophic (26.1%) and mixotrophic (19.6%) operations. Relative increments in lipid productivities were noticed in SP operation from GP in mixotrophic operation (2.45) followed by autotrophic (2.2) and heterotrophic (2.14) mode of operations. Higher concentrations of chlorophyll b and presence of lipid accumulating species supported the lipid biosynthesis. Algal fatty acid composition varied with function of nutritional modes and depicted eighteen types of saturated (SFA) and unsaturated fatty acids (USFA) with wide fuel and food characteristics.

Integrating sequencing batch reactor with bio-electrochemical treatment for augmenting remediation efficiency of complex petrochemical wastewater

The present study evaluates the sequential integration of two advanced biological treatment methods viz., sequencing batch reactor (SBR) and bioelectrochemical treatment systems (BET) for the treatment of real-field petrochemical wastewater (PCW). Initially two SBR reactors were operated in aerobic (SBR(Ae)) and anoxic (SBR(Ax)) microenvironments with an organic loading rate (OLR) of 9.68 kg COD/m(3)-day. Relatively, SBR(Ax) showed higher substrate degradation (3.34 kg COD/m(3)-day) compared to SBR(Ae) (2.9 kg COD/m(3)-day). To further improve treatment efficiency, the effluents from SBR process were fed to BET reactors. BET(Ax) depicted higher SDR (1.92 kg COD/m(3)-day) with simultaneous power generation (17.12 mW/m(2)) followed by BET(Ae) (1.80 kg COD/m(3)-day; 14.25 mW/m(2)). Integrating both the processes documented significant improvement in COD removal efficiency due to the flexibility of combining multiple microenvironments sequentially. Results were supported with GC-MS and FTIR, which confirmed the increment in biodegradability of wastewater.

Gas phase bio-filter for the removal of triethylamine (TEA) from air: microbial diversity analysis with reference to design parameters.

Biotic (packed bio-filter; PBF) and abiotic (packed filter; PF) studies were carried out on two similar 2L gas phase filters for the removal of triethylamine (TEA) at inlet concentration in the range of 250-280 ppmV. Removal efficiency (RE) of PBF remained in the range of 90-99% during the stable period of operation (170 days) whereas RE of PF dropped gradually to 10% in a span of 90 days. Five different bacterial species viz; Aeromonas sp., Alcaligenes sp., Arthrobacter sp., Klebsiella sp., and Pseudomonas sp., were identified in PBF. It was observed that diethyl amine, ethylamine and nitrate were formed as metabolites during the degradation pathway. Empty bed residence time of 20s, mass loading rate of 202.26 g/m(3)/h, space velocity of 178.82 m(3)/m(3)/h and elimination capacity of 201.52 g/m(3)/h were found to be optimum design parameters for PBF to get RE in the range of 90-99%.

Decentralized application of anaerobic digesters in small poultry farms: Performance analysis of high rate self mixed anaerobic digester and conventional fixed dome anaerobic digester

Biomethanation of poultry litter was studied in conventional fixed dome anaerobic digester (CFDAD) and high rate self mixed anaerobic digester (SMAD) for possible decentralized application in poultry farms generating litter in the range of 500 kg/day. The performance of CFDAD and SMAD was compared. The study revealed that optimized hydraulic residence time (HRT), volatile solids (VS) loading rate, VS reduction, methane yield was 24 days, 4.0 kg VS/m(3)/day, 64%, 0.15 m(3)/(kg VS fed) and 40 days, 2.15 kg/m(3)/day, 42%, 0.083 m(3)/(kg VS fed) for SMAD and CFDAD, respectively. Better results with SMAD could be attributed to specific design features and intermittent mixing of the digester contents due to self-mixing mechanism. Preliminary cost estimates revealed that installation of SMAD would be remunerative for the farmer in terms of biogas and bio-manure.

Mass transfer dynamics of ammonia in high rate biomethanation of poultry litter leachate

In the present study possibility of coupling biofilter to arrest ammonia (NH(3)) emission to the atmosphere from the integrated UASB and stripper (UASB+ST) system treating poultry litter leachate was studied. UASB+ST with biofilter (UASB+ST+BF) exhibited removal efficiency (RE) of NH(3) in the range of 98-99% (below 28 ppmV (parts per million by volume)) with low cost agricultural residue as a bedding material. Mass transfer dynamics of TAN in the system revealed that TAN loss to atmosphere was below 1% in UASB+ST+BF where as it was in the range of 70-90% in UASB+ST. Cost estimates revealed that financial implications due to the addition of biofilter were below 10% of total capital cost. TAN retained in the bedding material of biofilter could also be utilized as soil conditioner upon saturation.

Generation of bioethanol and VFA through anaerobic acidogenic fermentation route with press mud obtained from sugar mill as a feedstock

Acidogenic anaerobic fermentation route was explored for the production of bioethanol and volatile fatty acids (VFA) from the press mud (PM) obtained from sugar mill. Slurry was prepared from PM having 10% of total solids and the same was hydrolyzed under acidic thermal conditions. Both press mud slurry (PMS) and pre-treated press mud slurry (PTPMS) was used as feedstock with mixed microbial consortia (MMC) and enriched mixed microbial consortia (EMMC). Mix of bioethanol and VFA were obtained in all the four cases (PMS-MMC, PMS-EMMC, PTPMS-EMC and PTPMS-EMMC), but, bioethanol and VFA yield of 0.04 g/g and 0.27 g/g, respectively obtained from PTPMS with EMMC was found to be comparatively higher. Control experiments carried out with glucose yielded bioethanol and VFA of 0.042 g/g and 0.28 g/g, respectively demonstrating that the organism was using reducible sugars in the feedstock for the generation of bioethanol by simultaneously producing the VFA from COD.