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Medium Preparation for the Cultivation of Microorganisms under Strictly Anaerobic/Anoxic Conditions
Published on: August 15, 2019
Anaerobic lipid degradation through acidification and methanization
Ijung Kim1, Sang-Hyoun Kim, Hang-Sik Shin
1Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, Korea.
Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
|February 6, 2010
Summary
This study demonstrates a two-phase anaerobic system effectively treats dairy wastewater, removing lipids and volatile fatty acids. The system achieved stable performance without operational issues, highlighting its potential for biological wastewater treatment.
Area of Science:
- Environmental microbiology
- Biotechnology
- Wastewater treatment
Background:
- High lipid concentrations in biological wastewater treatment can inhibit microbial activity and cause biomass flotation.
- Dairy wastewater presents challenges due to its high lipid content.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a two-phase anaerobic system for treating synthetic dairy wastewater with high lipid content.
- To assess the system's efficiency in lipid degradation and overall wastewater treatment.
Main Methods:
- A two-phase anaerobic system comprising an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR) and an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor was employed.
- The system was operated for 153 days using synthetic dairy wastewater.
- Key parameters including chemical oxygen demand (COD), lipid, volatile fatty acid (VFA), and double bond removal efficiencies were monitored.
Main Results:
- The two-phase system demonstrated stable performance in lipid degradation over 153 days.
- The ASBR achieved 13% lipid and 10% double bond removal.
- The UASB reactor showed high removal efficiencies: >80% for COD, >70% for lipids, and >95% for VFAs, up to an organic loading rate of 6.5 g COD/L/day.
- No operational problems like scum formation or sludge washout were observed.
- Protein degradation was found to precede lipid degradation during acidogenesis.
Conclusions:
- The two-phase anaerobic system (ASBR + UASB) is effective for treating dairy wastewater high in lipids.
- The system offers stable operation and efficient removal of pollutants without significant operational issues.
- This approach mitigates lipid inhibition and biomass flotation problems in biological wastewater treatment.
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