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Updated: Aug 23, 2025

Author Spotlight: Advancing Anaerobic Microbiota Research Using a Novel Respirometry Protocol
Published on: April 26, 2024
Sewage sludge acidogenic fermentation for organic resource recovery towards carbon neutrality: An experimental survey
Antonio Mineo1, Alida Cosenza1, Giorgio Mannina1
1Engineering Department, Palermo University, Viale delle Scienze bldg. 8, 90128 Palermo, Italy.
Abstract:
Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) produced by acidogenic digestion of sewage sludge are very interesting bio-products which can contribute to carbon neutrality of wastewater treatment plants. Studies on the production of VFAs from sewage sludge from fermenters with membrane are limited. In view of above, VFAs from a fermenter pilot plant equipped with a membrane bioreactor and fed with real sewage sludge has been monitored. The effect of headspace volume (HdV) on VFA production was studied for the first time to elucidate the optimal operation conditions. Specifically, three fermenter HdV values (namely, 20, 40 and 60% of the total volume) have been investigated. Results revealed that the HdV of 20% ensured the highest sCOD production (900 mgCOD/L) and VFA/COD ratio (45.4%). High value of HdV (namely, 40 and 60%) strongly decreased the acidogenic fermentation performance in terms of VFA production.
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