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Using pig manure to promote fermentation of sugarcane molasses alcohol wastewater and its effects on microbial

Peihong Shen1, Fei Han2, Shuquan Su3

  • 1College of Life Science and Technology of Guangxi University, Nanning 530005, Guangxi, China; State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Agricultural Bioresources in the Subtropics, Nanning 530005, Guangxi, China.

Bioresource Technology
|January 28, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Co-digesting molasses alcohol wastewater (MAW) with pig manure (PM) enhances biogas production and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal. Optimal results were achieved at a PM:MAW ratio of 1.0:1.5, improving anaerobic treatment efficiency.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Microbiology
  • Biotechnology
  • Waste Management

Background:

  • Molasses alcohol wastewater (MAW) presents significant challenges for conventional biological treatment and biogas conversion.
  • Anaerobic digestion is a promising technology for treating organic waste, but MAW's recalcitrance limits its efficiency.
  • Co-digestion with readily biodegradable materials can potentially enhance the anaerobic treatment of difficult wastewaters.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of co-digesting molasses alcohol wastewater (MAW) with pig manure (PM).
  • To optimize the ratio of PM to MAW for enhanced biogas production and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal.
  • To analyze the impact of co-digestion on the microbial community structure during anaerobic treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Co-digestion experiments were conducted using MAW and PM at various ratios.
  • Biogas production and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal were monitored throughout the digestion process.
  • Bacterial community structures were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing to identify operational taxonomic units (OTUs).

Main Results:

  • The optimal ratio for co-digestion was determined to be a COD ratio of 1.0:1.5 for PM:MAW, yielding the highest COD removal and biogas yield.
  • Significant variations in the structure and composition of bacterial communities were observed between the early and late stages of fermentation across different PM:MAW ratios.
  • While the types of dominant bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) remained consistent, their relative abundance varied significantly with the co-digestion ratio and stage.

Conclusions:

  • Pig manure (PM) is a viable and effective co-substrate for the anaerobic treatment of molasses alcohol wastewater (MAW).
  • Co-digestion significantly improves the efficiency of biogas production and COD removal from MAW.
  • Understanding the shifts in microbial community dynamics is crucial for optimizing anaerobic digestion processes for challenging industrial wastewaters.
Keywords:
Bacterial communityBiogasCo-digestionMolasses alcohol wastewaterPig manure

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