Selection of suitable fertilizer draw solute for a novel fertilizer-drawn forward osmosis-anaerobic membrane bioreactor hybrid system

Youngjin Kim; Laura Chekli; Wang-Geun Shim; Sherub Phuntsho; Sheng Li; Noreddine Ghaffour; TorOve Leiknes; Ho Kyong Shon

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2016.02.019

Selection of suitable fertilizer draw solute for a novel fertilizer-drawn forward osmosis-anaerobic membrane bioreactor hybrid system

Bioresour Technol. 2016 Jun:210:26-34. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2016.02.019. Epub 2016 Feb 9.

Authors

Youngjin Kim¹, Laura Chekli², Wang-Geun Shim², Sherub Phuntsho², Sheng Li³, Noreddine Ghaffour³, TorOve Leiknes³, Ho Kyong Shon⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), Post Box 129, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia; School of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, Korea University, 1-5 Ga, Anam-Dong, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul 136-713, Republic of Korea.
² School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), Post Box 129, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia.
³ King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Biological & Enviromental Science & Engineering Division (BESE), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), Post Box 129, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia. Electronic address: Hokyong.Shon-1@uts.edu.au.

PMID: 26898159
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2016.02.019

Abstract

In this study, a protocol for selecting suitable fertilizer draw solute for anaerobic fertilizer-drawn forward osmosis membrane bioreactor (AnFDFOMBR) was proposed. Among eleven commercial fertilizer candidates, six fertilizers were screened further for their FO performance tests and evaluated in terms of water flux and reverse salt flux. Using selected fertilizers, bio-methane potential experiments were conducted to examine the effect of fertilizers on anaerobic activity due to reverse diffusion. Mono-ammonium phosphate (MAP) showed the highest biogas production while other fertilizers exhibited an inhibition effect on anaerobic activity with solute accumulation. Salt accumulation in the bioreactor was also simulated using mass balance simulation models. Results showed that ammonium sulfate and MAP were the most appropriate for AnFDFOMBR since they demonstrated less salt accumulation, relatively higher water flux, and higher dilution capacity of draw solution. Given toxicity of sulfate to anaerobic microorganisms, MAP appears to be the most suitable draw solution for AnFDFOMBR.

Keywords: Anaerobic osmotic membrane bioreactor; Bio-methane potential; Draw solution selection; Fertilizer-drawn forward osmosis; OMBR simulation.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Anaerobiosis
Biofuels / analysis
Bioreactors*
Fertilizers / analysis*
Membranes, Artificial*
Methane / analysis
Osmosis*
Sodium Chloride / analysis
Solutions
Wastewater / chemistry
Water Purification / methods

Substances

Biofuels
Fertilizers
Membranes, Artificial
Solutions
Waste Water
Sodium Chloride
Methane