Potential for anaerobic treatment of polluted sediment

Due to the anaerobic nature of aquatic sediments, the anaerobic treatment of sediments utilizing already present microflora represents an interesting treatment option. Contaminated sediment can contain a variety of organic contaminants, with easily degradable organics usually present in the higher amounts, along with traces of specific organic pollutants (total petroleum hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). This study applies a comprehensive approach to contaminated sediment treatment which covers all the organic contaminants present in the sediment. The aim of this study was to (1) evaluate the anaerobic treatment of aquatic sediment highly loaded with easily degradable organics via determination of potential biogas and methane production, and (2) assess possibilities of using anaerobic treatment for the degradation of specific organic pollutants in order to reduce the risks posed by the sediment. In order to promote the methanogenic conditions of the indigenous microflora in the sediment, the addition of co-substrates acetate and glucose was investigated. The results, expressed as mL biogas produced per volatile solids content in sediment (VS_added) indicate that the addition of the co-substrate has a significant impact on biogas production potential (58.7 and 55.1 mL/g VS_added for acetate and glucose co-substrate addition respectively, and 14.6 mL/g VS_added for the treatment without co-substrate addition). Theoretical biochemical methane potential was assessed by Gompertz model and Chemical oxygen demand model. The Gompertz model fit better for all the applied treatments, and was capable of predicting the final productivity of biogas and methane in the first 30 days with a relative error of less than 14%. From the aspects of specific organic pollutants, total petroleum hydrocarbon degradation was promoted by co-substrate addition (degradations of 75% and 60% achieved by acetate and glucose co-substrate addition, compared to 45% for the treatment without co-substrate addition). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were reduced by significant amounts (84-87%) in all the applied treatments, but the addition of co-substrate did not further improve their degradation.