Water resource recovery coupling microalgae wastewater treatment and sludge co-digestion for bio-wastes valorisation at industrial pilot-scale

This case study is part of a circular bioeconomy project for a winery company aiming to integrate a microalgae-based system within the existing facilities of the winery WWTP, promoting nutrient recovery and transformation into valuable products and bioenergy. Microalgae were used for wastewater trea...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Avila, Romina|||0000-0003-4472-1224, Justo, Álvaro, Carrero, Elvira, Crivillés, Eudald, Vicent i Huguet, Teresa|||0000-0002-6547-7358, Blánquez Cano, Paqui|||0000-0003-2443-9977
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2022
País:España
Institución:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:323940
Acceso en línea:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/323940
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2021.126080
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Algae
Waste activated sludge
Biogas
Biofertilizer
Circular bioeconomy
Descripción
Sumario:This case study is part of a circular bioeconomy project for a winery company aiming to integrate a microalgae-based system within the existing facilities of the winery WWTP, promoting nutrient recovery and transformation into valuable products and bioenergy. Microalgae were used for wastewater treatment, removing N-NH+4 (97%) and P-PO-3 4 (93%). A pilot anaerobic reactor was used for batch anaerobic mono-digestion of secondary sludge (WAS) and for co-digestion of WAS and algal biomass. The methane yield using WAS from two different wine production seasons was 155.4 and 132.9 NL CH4 kg VS-1. Co-digestion led to the highest methane yield (225.8 NL CH4 kg VS-1). The application of the bio-wastes for fertilization was assessed through plant growth bioassays: mono- and co-digestion digestates and dry algal biomass enhanced plant biomass accumulation (growth indexes of 163%, 155% and 121% relative to those of the control - commercial amendment, respectively), demonstrating a lack of phytotoxicity.