Behavior of the mesophilic and termophilic anaerobic digestion in the stabilization of municipal wastewater sludge (Part 1)

Comportamiento de la digestión anaerobia mesofílica y termofílica en la estabilización de lodos residuales municipales (Parte 1)

J.M. Méndez–Contreras¹*, J.A. Rendón–Sagardi¹, J.E. Ruiz–Espinoza², A. Alvarado–Lassman¹ and S.A. Martínez–Delgadillo²

¹ Instituto Tecnológico de Orizaba 852, Tecnológico, Zapata 94320, División de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Orizaba Veracruz, México. * Corresponding author. E–mail: jmmendez@itorizaba.edu.mx Fax: 01–272–72–57056

² Departamento de Ciencias básicas, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana —Azcapotzalco. Av. San Pablo 180. Azcapotzalco. 02200. México D.F.

Received 13 of May 2009
Accepted 18 of September 2009

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of the mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic digestion process as an alternative for the biosolids production. Biological sludge from a municipal and industrial (brewery and pulp and paper) wastewater treatment plant using a UASB reactor was used. During the operation of the mesophilic batch system, the volatile solids (VS) were reduced from 60.3% (15.67 g/L) up to 37.5% (9.67 g/L) with 31 d of treatment time. The mesophilic process presented a stable operation reducing 38% of VS with 1.76 Kg VS m^–3 d^–1 of organic load feed fulfilling with the criterion of vectors attraction reduction. However, in mesophilic conditions, the digested sludge must be post–treated with a process of pathogenic microorganism inactivation because only remove low concentrations of pathogenic microorganism. The obtained results demonstrated that the process in thermophilic conditions (55°C) is capable to stabilize 3.9 Kg VS m^–3 d^–1 and to inactive the totality of fecal coliforms, Salmonella spp. and helminth ova fulfilling with the permissible limits for class A biosolids.

Keywords: mesophilic anaerobic digestion, thermophilic anaerobic digestion, municipal wastewater sludge.

Resumen

El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el desempeño del proceso de digestión anaerobia mesofílica y termofílica como una alternativa para la producción de biosólidos. Se utilizó lodo biológico de un reactor UASB de una planta que trata aguas industriales (industria cervecera y papelera) y municipales. Para el sistema mesofílico por lote, la materia orgánica (SV) fue reducida de 60.3% (15.67 g/L) hasta 37.5% (9.67 g/L) con un tiempo de tratamiento de 31 días. El proceso mesofilico presentó una estabilidad en la operación reduciendo el 38% SV con 1.76 Kg SV m³d^–1 de la carga orgánica suministrada cumpliendo con el criterio de la reducción de atracción de vectores. Sin embargo, en condiciones mesofílicas, el lodo digerido debe ser post–tratado con un proceso de inactivación de microorganismos patógenos. Los resultados obtenidos demostraron que el proceso en condiciones termofílicas (55° C) es capaz de estabilizar una carga orgánica de 3.9 Kg SV m³d^–1 inactivando el total de coliformes fecales, Salmonella spp. y huevos de helmintos cumpliendo con los límites máximos permisibles para biosólidos clase A.

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Acknowledgements

This work was done under the frame of DEPI/DGEST UR513 P project.

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