A combined system for asbestos-cement waste degradation by dark fermentation and resulting supernatant valorization in anaerobic digestion. (August 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Trancone, G.; Spasiano, D.; Race, M.; Luongo, V.; Petrella, A.; Pirozzi, F.; Fratino, U.; Piccinni, A.F.
• Is Part Of: Chemosphere. Volume 300(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-08
• Subjects: Dark fermentation -- Anaerobic digestion -- Chrysotile -- Biomethane -- Biohydrogen; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Atmospheric chemistry -- Periodicals; 551.511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.134500
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-6535

Abstract

Abstract: The use of biological processes for the treatment of asbestos cement waste (ACW) has gained interest in recent years. Nevertheless, this methodology is not yet consolidated because of the incomplete ACW conversion during the biological treatment and the consequent need for further treatments that generally require a high amount of energy and chemicals. In this study, the efficiency of both mesophilic and thermophilic dark fermentation (DF) fed with glucose in fed-batch conditions was assessed for ACW biological treatment. Both thermophilic and mesophilic DF of glucose resulted in a partial conversion of glucose into organic acids that successfully degraded all the asbestos fibers contained in an ACW sample. A hydrogen-rich biogas was produced as well: at the end of the mesophilic DF treatment 0.14 LH2 gglucose −1 were obtained. In addition, the anaerobic digestion (AD) of the DF supernatants led to the production of 0.38 LCH4 gCOD −1 . Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: ACW sample (5 g/L) was treated exclusively with anaerobic biological treatments. The dark fermentation (DF) process destroyed all the chrysotile fibers of the ACW. DF is an effective ACW treatment in both mesophilic and thermophilic conditions. DF effluents can be treated with the anaerobic digestion process. The whole process could lead to the production of both bio-H2 and bio-CH4 .