Improvement of the anaerobic treatment of potato processing wastewater in a UASB reactor by co-digestion with glycerol

Biotechnol Lett. 2008 May;30(5):861-7. doi: 10.1007/s10529-007-9617-x. Epub 2007 Dec 5.

Abstract

The effect of three different types of glycerol on the performance of up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors treating potato processing wastewater was investigated. High COD removal efficiencies were obtained in both control and supplemented UASB reactors (around 85%). By adding 2 ml glycerol product per liter of raw wastewater, the biogas production could be increased by 0.74 l biogas ml(-1) glycerol product, which leads to energy values in the range of 810-1270 kWh(electric) per m(3) product. Moreover, a better in-reactor biomass yield was observed for the supplemented UASB reactor (0.012 g VSS g(-1) COD(removed)) compared to the UASB control (0.002 g VSS g(-1) COD(removed)), which suggests a positive effect of glycerol on the sludge blanket growth.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anaerobiosis
  • Bioreactors*
  • Fatty Acids, Volatile / metabolism
  • Fermentation
  • Food Handling*
  • Glycerol / metabolism*
  • Methane / metabolism
  • Oxygen / metabolism
  • Solanum tuberosum / metabolism
  • Time Factors
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid / methods*

Substances

  • Fatty Acids, Volatile
  • Methane
  • Glycerol
  • Oxygen