Integration of algae-based sewage treatment with anaerobic digestion of the bacterial-algal biomass and biogas upgrading

Priscila Guenka Scarcelli; Graziele Ruas; Rebeca Lopez-Serna; Mayara Leite Serejo; Saúl Blanco; Marc Árpád Boncz; Raúl Muñoz

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2021.125552

Integration of algae-based sewage treatment with anaerobic digestion of the bacterial-algal biomass and biogas upgrading

Bioresour Technol. 2021 Nov:340:125552. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.125552. Epub 2021 Jul 16.

Authors

Priscila Guenka Scarcelli¹, Graziele Ruas¹, Rebeca Lopez-Serna², Mayara Leite Serejo³, Saúl Blanco⁴, Marc Árpád Boncz⁵, Raúl Muñoz⁶

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Sustainable Processes, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n, Valladolid 47011, Spain; Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Urbanism and Geography, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Avenida Costa e Silva s/n, 79070-900 Campo Grande, MS, Brazil; Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, School of Industrial Engineering, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina, s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain.
² Institute of Sustainable Processes, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n, Valladolid 47011, Spain; Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, School of Industrial Engineering, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina, s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain.
³ Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Mato Grosso do Sul (IFMS), Campus Aquidauana, 79200-000 Aquidauana, MS, Brazil.
⁴ University of León, Campus de Vegazana, 24071 León, Spain; Laboratory of Diatomology, Institute of Environment, Natural Resources and Biodiversity, La Serna 58, 24007 León, Spain.
⁵ Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Urbanism and Geography, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Avenida Costa e Silva s/n, 79070-900 Campo Grande, MS, Brazil.
⁶ Institute of Sustainable Processes, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n, Valladolid 47011, Spain; Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, School of Industrial Engineering, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina, s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain. Electronic address: mutora@iq.uva.es.

PMID: 34352641
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.125552

Abstract

The domestic sewage treatment performance of an integrated anoxic-aerobic photobioreactor with biomass settling and recycling, coupled with anaerobic digestion of the produced bacterial-algal biomass and biogas upgrading in the photobioreactor was investigated. Hydraulic retention time in the photobioreactor initially was 4 days (stage I and II) and then reduced to 2.5 days (stage III). The integrated system supported high total organic carbon removals of 98.9 ± 1.1% regardless of the operational stage. A high total nitrogen removal of 90.8 ± 8.0% was recorded in the integrated system during the three operational stages, while total phosphorus removals accounted for 68.4 ± 20.1%, 68.3 ± 20.8% and 53.4 ± 25.0% in stages I, II and III, respectively. Biogas upgrading in the absorption column exhibited maximum removals of CO₂ and H₂S of 74.7 ± 3.0% and 99.0 ± 2.8%, respectively. Biomass settling and recycling resulted in overall improvement of biomass settleability.

Keywords: Anoxic-aerobic photobioreactor; Biomass recycling; Domestic wastewater treatment; Nitrification-denitrification; Process integration.

MeSH terms

Anaerobiosis
Biofuels*
Biomass
Bioreactors
Nitrogen
Photobioreactors
Sewage*
Waste Disposal, Fluid

Substances

Biofuels
Sewage
Nitrogen