Co-fermentation of waste activated sludge with food waste for short-chain fatty acids production: effect of pH at ambient temperature

doi:10.1007/s11783-011-0334-2

Front Envir Sci Eng Chin

2011, Vol. 5

Issue (4) : 623-632 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-011-0334-2

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Co-fermentation of waste activated sludge with food waste for short-chain fatty acids production: effect of pH at ambient temperature

Leiyu FENG, Yuanyuan YAN, Yinguang CHEN(

)

State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China

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Abstract

Effect of pH ranging from 4.0 to 11.0 on co-fermentation of waste activated sludge (WAS) with food waste for short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production at ambient temperature was investigated in this study. Experimental results showed that the addition of food waste significantly improved the performance of WAS fermentation system, which resulted in the increases of SCFAs production and substrate reduction. The SCFAs production at pH 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, and 9.0 and fermentation time of 4 d was respectively 5022.7, 6540.5, 8236.6, and 7911.7 mg COD·L^-1, whereas in the blank tests (no pH adjustment, pH 8.0 (blank test 1), no food waste addition, pH 8.0 (blank test 2), and no WAS addition (blank test 3)) it was only 1006.9, 971.1, and 1468.5 mg COD·L^-1, respectively. The composition of SCFAs at pH from 6.0 to 9.0 was also different from other conditions and propionic acid was the most prevalent SCFA, which was followed by acetic and n-butyric acids, while acetic acid was the top product under other conditions. At pH 8.0 a higher volatile suspended solids (VSS) reduction of 16.6% for the mixture of WAS and food waste than the sole WAS indicated a synergistic effect existing in fermentation system with WAS and food waste. The influence of pH on the variations of nutrient content was also studied during anaerobic fermentation of the mixture of WAS and food waste at different pH conditions. The release of NH4+-N increased with fermentation time at all pH values investigated except 4.0, 5.0 and in blank test one. The concentrations of soluble phosphorus at acidic pHs and in the blank test one were higher than those obtained at alkaline pHs. Ammonia and phosphorus need to be removed before the SCFAs-enriched fermentation liquid from WAS and food waste was used as the carbon source.

Keywords waste activated sludge (WAS) food waste co-fermentation short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) pH synergistic effect

Corresponding Author(s): CHEN Yinguang,Email:yinguangchen@yahoo.com

Issue Date: 05 December 2011

Cite this article:

Leiyu FENG,Yuanyuan YAN,Yinguang CHEN. Co-fermentation of waste activated sludge with food waste for short-chain fatty acids production: effect of pH at ambient temperature[J]. Front Envir Sci Eng Chin, 2011, 5(4): 623-632.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/10.1007/s11783-011-0334-2
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/Y2011/V5/I4/623

Tab.1 Characteristics of fermentation substrate

Fig.1 Effect of pH on the observed concentration of soluble protein

Fig.2 Effect of pH on the observed concentration of soluble carbohydrate

Fig.3 Variations of total SCFAs concentration at different pH

Tab.2 Composition of SCFAs at different pH conditions within fermentation time of 4 d

Fig.4 Variations of total ethanol concentration at different pH conditions

Tab.3 Initial and final VSS concentration in fermentation substrate

Fig.5 Effect of pH on the release of ammonia nitrogen

Fig.6 Effect of pH on soluble phosphorus release

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