Performance of and methanogenic communities involved in an innovative anaerobic process for the treatment of food wastewater in a pilot plant

Figures & data

Table 1. Characteristics of food wastewater and removal efficiency of pilot-scale AD.

Parameter		Influent (g/L)		Effluent (g/L)		Removal efficiency (%)
		Value	SD ^a	Value	SD
Temperature (°C)		11.2	0.9	35.1	0.1	–
pH		3.5	0.1	7.8	0.1	–
TS		83.7	5.8	29.0	1.9	65.1
VS		67.8	4.7	15.6	1.6	76.6
COD		115.9	8.0	29.9	7.2	74.1
SCOD		83.1	4.9	8.9	1.8	89.3
VFA	Total	26.7	3.3	0.1	0.0	99.6
	Formic acid	ND ^b	–	ND	–	–
	Lactic acid	22.3	2.6	ND	–	100.0
	Acetic acid	4.4	7.7	0.1	0.0	97.3
	Propionic acid	0.1	0.0	ND	–	100.0
LCFA		8.5	0.9	0.1	0.0	99.5

^a SD: standard deviation.

^b ND means ‘not detected’.

Fig. 1. Dual and cylindrical anaerobic digester.

Note: (a) reactor section; (b) FWW flow chart in the reactor and (c) reactor floor plan.

Table 2. Primer and probes sets used in this study.⁶⁾

Target group	Set name	Function	Sequence (5ʹ → 3ʹ)
Methanogen	ARC	F primer	ATTAG ATACC CSBGT AGTCC
		TaqMan	AGGAA TTGGC GGGGG AGCAC
		R primer	GCCAT GCACC WCCTC T
Methanobacteriales	MBT	F primer	CGWAG GGAAG CTGTT AAGT
		TaqMan	AGCAC CACAA CGCGT GGA
		R primer	TACCG TCGTC CACTC CTT
Methanomicrobiales	MMB	F primer	ATCGR TACGG GTTGT GGG
		TaqMan	TYCGA CAGTG AGGRA CGAAA GCTG
		R primer	CACCT AACGC RCATH GTTTA C
Methanosarcinales	MSL	F primer	GTAAA CGATR YTCGC TAGGT
		TaqMan	AGGGA AGCCG TGAAG CGARC C
		R primer	GGTCC CCACA GWGTA CC
Methanococcales	MCC	F primer	TAAGG GCTGG GCAAG T
		TaqMan	TAGCG GTGRA ATGYG TTGAT CC
		R primer	CACCT AGTYC GCARA GTTTA

Table 3. Profile of biogas production at steady state in pilot-scale anaerobic digesters.

Parameter		Value	SD
Productivity (m^3/d)		1522	251
Yield	m^3/m^3-FWW	63.9	10.0
	m^3/kg-VSremoved	1.3	0.2
Composition	CH4 (%)	60.0	1.0
	H2S (ppm)	2273	219

Table 4. Comparative study of biogas and methane yield, based on removed VS.

Operating condition			Gas yield		Reference
Process	Substrate	Temp.	m^3 BG/kg VSrem	m^3 CH4/kg VSrem
Two stage	FWW	35	0.46	0.33	^31^)
Two stage	FWW	37		0.41 ~ 0.42	^32^)
Two stage	FWW + WS	35	0.76	0.59	^33^)
Single	FWW	35		0.29	^34^)
Two stage	FWW	35		0.56	^35^)
Two stage	FWW	36–38	1.26	0.76	This study

Note: FWW, food wastewater; WS, waste sludge; BG, biogas; VS, volatile solids.

Fig. 2. Population of the methanogen 16S rRNA gene in AD (each trial number reflects the order of sampling performed at an interval of a month during 3-month operation period).

Yu Y, Lee C, Kim J, Hwang S. Group-specific primer and probe sets to detect methanogenic communities using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Biotechnol Bioeng. 2005;89:670–679.10.1002/(ISSN)1097-0290

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Wang JY, Zhang H, Stabnikova O, Tay JH. Comparison of lab-scale and pilot-scale hybrid anaerobic solid-liquid systems operated in batch and semi-continuous modes. Proc. Biochem. 2005;40:3580–3586.10.1016/j.procbio.2005.03.047

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Cho JK, Park SC, Chang HN. Biochemical methane potential and solid state anaerobic digestion of Korean food wastes. Bioresour. Technol. 1995;52:245–253.10.1016/0960-8524(95)00031-9

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Wang C, Zuo J, Chen X, Xing W, Xing L, Li P, Lu X, Li C. Microbial community structures in an integrated two-phase anaerobic bioreactor fed by fruit vegetable wastes and wheat straw. J. Environ. Sci. 2014;26:2484–2492.10.1016/j.jes.2014.06.035

 Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Jang HM, Kim JH, Ha JH, Park JM. Bacterial and methanogenic archaeal communities during the single-stage anaerobic digestion of high-strength food wastewater. Bioresour. Technol. 2014;165:174–182.10.1016/j.biortech.2014.02.028

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar

Ganesh R, Torrijos M, Sousbie P, Lugardon A, Steyer JP, Delgenes JP. Single-phase and two-phase anaerobic digestion of fruit and vegetable waste: comparison of start-up, reactor stability and process performance. Waste Manage. 2014;34:875–885.10.1016/j.wasman.2014.02.023

 PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar