The enhanced anaerobic degradability and kinetic parameters of pathogenic inactivation of wastewater sludge using pre- and post-thermal treatments part 2

Mejoramiento de la degradabilidad anaerobia y parámetros cinéticos de la inactivación de patógenos de lodos residuales usando pre- y post tratamiento térmico parte 2

J. Atenodoro-Alonso¹, J. E. Ruíz-Espinoza², A. Alvarado-Lassman¹, A. Martínez-Sibaja¹, S.A. Martínez-Delgadillo³ and J.M. Méndez-Contreras¹*

¹ División de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Instituto Tecnológico de Orizaba, Av. Tecnológico No. 8852, Col. E. Zapata. C.P. 94320, Orizaba, Ver. México. *Corresponding author. E-mail: jmmendez@itorizaba.edu.mx.

³ Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Metropolitana-Azcapotzalco, Av San Pablo 180, C.P. 02200, D.F., México.

Received May 1, 2014
Accepted June 11, 2015

Abstract

In Mexico, wastewater sludge is characterized by high concentrations of organic compounds and pathogenic microorganisms. This study proposes the development and comparison of the anaerobic digestion enhanced with thermal pre-treatment denominated Pre-anaerobic digestion (Pre-AD) and with thermal post-treatment denominated Post-anaerobic digestion (Post-AD) processes for treating wastewater sludge. Additionally, the results from a kinetic model that was developed for thermal inactivation were used to describe the inactivation of faecal coliforms, Salmonella spp. and helminth ova during the thermal treatment stages. In the Post-AD operational batch test, it was determined that a period of 27 d was necessary to reduce the volatile solids (VS) by 38% at an organic loading rate of 0.65 kg VS m^-3d^-1. When the Pre-AD process was evaluated, 13 d of treatment was sufficient for meeting the stabilisation criteria at an organic loading rate (ORL) of 1.25 kg VS m^-3d^-1 in the batch test. In a semicontinuous operation tests, the Pre-AD process could be operated at an OLR of 3 kg VS m^-3d^-1, while the Post-AD process could only be operated at an OLR of 1.5 kg VS m^-3 d^-1. The bacteria and helminth ova were inactivated at 70°C for 1 h and 80°C for 2 h, respectively.

Key words: anaerobic-thermal sludge digestion, thermal inactivation, thermal-anaerobic sludge digestion, pathogenic thermal inactivation, kinetic parameters.

En México, los lodos residuales son caracterizados por altas concentraciones de compuestos orgánicos y microorganismos patógenos. El presente estudio propone el desarrollo y comparación del proceso de digestión anaerobia mejorada con un pre-tratamiento térmico denominada Pre-AD y con un post-tratamiento térmico denominada Post-AD para el tratamiento de lodos residuales. Adicionalmente, son mostrados los coeficientes cinéticos de un modelo matemático desarrollado para la inactivación térmica de coliformes fecales, Salmonella spp. y huevos de helmintos. En las pruebas por lotes de Post-AD, se determinó un periodo de 27 d para la reducción del 38% de los sólidos volátiles con una carga volumétrica aplicada (CVA) de 0.65 kg SV m^-3d^-1. Cuando el proceso Pre-AD fue evaluado por lotes, 13 d de tratamiento fueron suficientes para cumplir con el criterio de estabilización, con una CVA 1.25 kg SV m^-3d^-1. En las pruebas de operación semi-continua, el proceso Pre-AD pudo ser operado con una CVA de 3 kg SV m^-3d^-1, mientras que el proceso Post-AD solo alcanzó una CVA máxima de 1.5 kg SV m^-3d^-1. Las bacterias y huevos de helmintos fueron inactivados a 70 °C durante 1 h y 80 °C a 2 h, respectivamente.

Palabras clave: digestión anaerobia - térmica de lodos, digestión térmica- anaerobia de lodos, inactivación térmica de patógenos, parámetros cinéticos.

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Acknowledgement

Juan M. Méndez-Contreras, Jesús Atenodoro-Alonso as well as the entire team of Instituto Tecnológico de Orizaba, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán and Universidad Metropolitana-Azcapotzalco acknowledge the PhD scholarship from Council of Science and Technology of Mexico (CONACyT) with number (CVU/grant holder): 172674. In addition, acknowledges the support FONDO-SEP-CONACYT CIENCIA BASICA With the project "Modelación matemática de inactivación de microorganismos patógenos en el proceso de estabilización alcalina de lodos residuales mejorada con recirculación de amoniaco." with registration number 129520.

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