Two-stage anaerobic membrane bioreactor for co-treatment of food waste and kitchen wastewater for biogas production and nutrients recovery. (December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Le, Thanh-Son; Nguyen, Phuoc-Dan; Ngo, Huu Hao; Bui, Xuan-Thanh; Dang, Bao-Trong; Diels, Ludo; Bui, Hong-Ha; Nguyen, Minh-Trung; Le Quang, Do-Thanh
• Is Part Of: Chemosphere. Volume 309:Part 1(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-12
• Subjects: Two-stage anaerobic membrane bioreactor -- Co-digestion -- Hydrolysate -- Digestate -- Nutrient recovery; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Atmospheric chemistry -- Periodicals; 551.511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136537
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-6535

Abstract

Abstract: Co-digestion of organic waste and wastewater is receiving increased attention as a plausible waste management approach toward energy recovery. However, traditional anaerobic processes for co-digestion are particularly susceptible to severe organic loading rates (OLRs) under long-term treatment. To enhance technological feasibility, this work presented a two-stage Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactor (2 S-AnMBR) composed of a hydrolysis reactor (HR) followed by an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) for long-term co-digestion of food waste and kitchen wastewater. The OLRs were expanded from 4.5, 5.6, and 6.9 kg COD m −3 d −1 to optimize biogas yield, nitrogen recovery, and membrane fouling at ambient temperatures of 25–32 °C. Results showed that specific methane production of UASB was 249 ± 7 L CH4 kg −1 CODremoved at the OLR of 6.9 kg TCOD m −3 d −1 . Total Chemical Oxygen Demand (TCOD) loss by hydrolysis was 21.6% of the input TCOD load at the hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 2 days. However, low total volatile fatty acid concentrations were found in the AnMBR, indicating that a sufficiently high hydrolysis efficiency could be accomplished with a short HRT. Furthermore, using AnMBR structure consisting of an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor (UASB) followed by a side-stream ultrafiltration membrane alleviated cake membrane fouling. The wasted digestate from the AnMBR comprised 42–47% Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN) and 57–68% total phosphorous loading, making it suitable for use in soil amendments or fertilizers. Finally, the predominance of fine particles (D10 = 0.8 μm) in the ultrafiltration membrane housing (UFMH) could lead to a faster increase in trans -membrane pressure during the filtration process. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Co-digestion of wastewater and kitchen waste using 2 S-AnMBR were surveyed Hydrolysis and acetogenesis stages enhanced the performance of methanogenesis stage Short SRT of the 2nd stage reduced digestate solid accumulation in AnMBR Predominance of colloids (<1 μm) was a challenge for membrane fouling control