Acidogenic fermentation of biowaste coupled with nitrogen recovery using selective membranes to produce a VFA-rich liquid with a high C/N ratio

This research focuses on the production of a liquid stream rich in volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and low ammoniacal nitrogen content (<0.1 g N/L) from biowaste. The liquid stream was obtained by combining (i) mixed culture acidogenic fermentation to maximise VFA production and (ii) gas-permeable me...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Authors: Peña Picola, Sergi, Serra Toro, Andreu, Da Silva, C., Peces, Miriam, Jordán, Maria, Vila Grajales, Joaquim, Grifoll Ruiz, Magdalena, Valentino, Francesco, Astals Garcia, Sergi, Dosta Parras, Joan
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2024
Country:España
Institution:Universidad de Barcelona
Repository:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:dnet:ubarcelona__::03423e1387bde5b743b7d39cf40fdc4f
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/229133
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Fermentació
Nitrogen
Fermentation
Description
Summary:This research focuses on the production of a liquid stream rich in volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and low ammoniacal nitrogen content (<0.1 g N/L) from biowaste. The liquid stream was obtained by combining (i) mixed culture acidogenic fermentation to maximise VFA production and (ii) gas-permeable membrane (GPM) contactor to recover ammoniacal nitrogen. Three batch fermentation tests of biowaste collected in a full-scale mechanical-biological treatment plant provided high and stable VFA concentrations (37–39 g CODVFA/L). VFAs represented 73–81 % of the soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD) concentration, with a predominance of acetic, propionic and butyric acids. A highly specialized microbial community was observed in all batch tests, with Bacteroidota and Firmicutes as predominant phyla (>90 % of relative abundance). The GPM contactor recovered more than 99 % of the ammoniacal nitrogen in the fermentation liquid without VFA losses. The suitability of the produced fermentation liquid with a high C/N ratio for downstream applications was evaluated using biomethane potential tests (BMP) at different total ammonium nitrogen (TAN) concentrations (0.76–3.15 g N/L) and circumneutral pH. Despite achieving similar ultimate methane yields (279–314 NmL CH4/g CODfeed), lower TAN concentrations in the biowaste fermentation liquid improved anaerobic biodegradation kinetics, enhancing its potential applicability for methane production.

Similar Items