Control of C/N ratio for butyric acid production from textile wastewater sludge by anaerobic digestion

Water Sci Technol. 2012;65(5):883-9. doi: 10.2166/wst.2012.919.

Abstract

Increasing textile wastewaters and their biotreatment byproduct-waste activated sludge are serious pollution problems. Butyric acid production from textile wastewater sludge by anaerobic digestion at different C/N ratios was investigated. Adding starch to textile wastewater sludge with a C/N ratio of 30 increased the butyric acid concentration and percentage accounting for total volatile fatty acids (TVFAs) to 21.42 g/L and 81.5%, respectively, as compared with 21.42 g/L and 10.6% of textile wastewater sludge alone. The maximum butyric acid yield (0.45 g/g VS), conversion rate (0.74 g/g VS(digest)) and production rate (2.25 g/L d) was achieved at a C/N ratio of 30. The biological toxicity of textile wastewater sludge also significantly decreased after the anaerobic digestion. The study indicated that the anaerobic co-digestion of textile wastewater sludge and carbohydrate-rich waste with appropriate C/N ratio is possible for butyric acid production.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anaerobiosis
  • Biodegradation, Environmental
  • Biofuels / analysis
  • Butyric Acid / metabolism*
  • Carbon / analysis*
  • Chlorophyll / analysis
  • Fatty Acids, Volatile / analysis
  • Industrial Waste / analysis*
  • Nitrogen / analysis*
  • Sewage / chemistry*
  • Textiles*
  • Volatilization
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid
  • Water Purification / methods*

Substances

  • Biofuels
  • Fatty Acids, Volatile
  • Industrial Waste
  • Sewage
  • Butyric Acid
  • Chlorophyll
  • Carbon
  • Nitrogen