Effects of Biowaste-Derived Hydrochar on Anaerobic Digestion:Insights into Hydrochar Characteristics

Hydrochar prepared with four typical biowastes,pine wood,food waste,digested sewage sludge,and Chlorella were applied for the promotion of anaerobic digestion.The gas production and substrate composition were analyzed associated with the hydrochar characteristics.The results suggested that Chlorella hydrochar(C-C)showed the highest cumulative yield of methane(approximately 345 mL)with high total organic carbon(TOC)removal efficiency and low volatile fatty acids(VAFs)concentration.Especially,food waste hydrochar(F-C)showed a poor effect on anaerobic digestion and aroused 1.4–1.6 g/L accumulation of VAFs,in which the toxic components may account for the low efficiency.The C-C and sludge hydrochar(S-C)may develop direct interspecific electron transport(DIET)to facilitate the generation of methane by both surface groups and conductivity of the body structure,unlike pinewood hydrochar(P-C),which mainly depended on the aromatic matrix structure of hydrochar body.This work suggested that C-C can be the best candidate for the facilitation of anaerobic digestion,and N-containing biowaste like algae and lignocellulose like pine wood may establish different DIET pathways based on the physicochemical characteristics of hydrochar.

Improvement of Methane Production from Corn Stalk for Whole Slurry Anaerobic Co-digestion Under Hydrothermal Wastewater Pretreatment

Corn stalk hydrothermal wastewater(CSHW)was used as a pretreatment for whole-slurry anaerobic co-digestion instead of conventional acid pretreatment.CSHW pretreatment was conducted at 20℃,35℃and 50℃for 3,6 and 9 h,after which all experimental groups were digested at 35℃for 24 days.This pretreatment method efficiently broke the lignocellulose structure of the corn stalk.Different from the volatile fatty acids(VFAs)content,the pH and RS contents were relatively higher than those of the control during the pretreatment process.Furthermore,the highest methane production[185.03 mL•g-1 VS(volatile solid)]was achieved at 55.46%under 35℃in 6 h,which was higher than that of the normal corn stalk anaerobic digestion.The VFAs contents and pH increased compared to CK upon the addition of NaOH to adjust pH,and the RS content also increased slightly due to the degradability of lignocellulose during the whole-slurry anaerobic co-digestion.This work provided a potential method to sustainably treat wastewater and improve fermentation performance.

Density Functional Theory Study of Marine Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in Anaerobic Degradation

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers(PBDEs)are a kind of serious pollutants in the ocean.Biodegradation is considered as an economical and safe way for PBDEs removal and reductive debromination dominates the initial pathway of anaerobic degradation.On the basis of experimental study,Octa-BDE 197,Hepta-BDE 183,Hexa-BDE 153,Penta-BDE 99 and Tetra-BDE 47 were selected as the initial degradation objects,and their debromination degradation were studied using density functional theory.The structures were optimized by Gaussian 09 program.Furthermore,the molecular orbitals and charge distribution were analyzed.All C-Br bond dissociation energies at different positions including ortho,meta and para bromine atoms were calculated and the sequence of debromination was obtained.There is a close relationship between molecular structure,charge,molecular orbital and C-Br bond.All PBDEs exhibited similar debromination pathways with preferential removal of meta and para bromines.

Effects of Potassium Ferrate and Low-Temperature Thermal Hydrolysis Co-Pretreatment on the Hydrolysis and Anaerobic Digestion Process of Waste Activated Sludge

This study evaluated the effect of potassium ferrate(PF)and low-temperature thermal hydrolysis co-pretreatment on the promotion of sludge hydrolysis process and the impact on acid production in the subsequent anaerobic digestion process.The analytical investigations showed that co-pretreatment significantly facilitated the hydrolysis process of the sludge and contributed to the accumulation of short-chain fatty acids(SCFAs).The pretreatment conditions under the optimal leaching of organic matter from sludge were hydrothermal temperature of 75℃,hydrothermal treatment time of 12 h,and PF dosage of 0.25 g g^(−1)TSS(total suspended solids),according to the results of orthogonal experiments.By pretreatment under proper conditions,the removal rate of soluble chemical oxygen demand(SCOD)achieved 71.8%at the end of fermentation and the removal rate of total phosphorus(TP)was 69.1%.The maximum yield of SCFAs was 750.3 mg L^(−1),7.45 times greater than that of the blank group.Based on the analysis of the anaerobic digestion mechanism,it was indicated that the co-pretreatment could destroy the floc structure on the sludge surface and improve organic matter dissolving,resulting in more soluble organic substances for the acidification process.Furthermore,microbial community research revealed that the main cause of enhanced SCFAs generation was an increase in acidogenic bacteria and a reduction of methanogenic bacteria.

Relation between anthropometric variations and resting energy expenditure,VO_(2) max and anaerobic capacity of young,healthy individuals-an update

Anthropometric variations can affect resting energy expenditure,VO_(2) max and anaerobic capacity of young,healthy individuals.Studies have shown that body fat percentage,weight,and height can all affect the three measures.The study aimed to study VO_(2) max and 24-hour thermogenesis measures in predominantly sedentary individuals and weight changes afterwards.VO_(2) max-associated research shows that taller individuals tend to have higher VO_(2) max levels compared to shorter individuals.This could be because taller individuals have a larger lung capacity and greater oxygen delivery to the muscles.Weight can also affect VO_(2) max,as heavier individuals tend to have higher VO_(2) max levels than lighter individuals.Weight is also associated with resting energy expenditure,as heavier individuals tend to have a higher resting energy expenditure than lighter individuals.The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the existing literature related to resting energy expenditure and metabolic effects of VO_(2) max,and anaerobic capacity in sedentary active adults of anthropometric variations.Several studies have recently examined the possibility of improving aerobic and metabolic functions ensuring cardiorespiratory fitness within the population of anthropometric variations.Everyday physical activity and heredity ability influenced mainly the gold standard measuring tool for cardiorespiratory fitness,VO_(2) max,predicting mortality and morbidity.Weight gain has also been shown to be associated with lower cardiorespiratory fitness,regardless of physical activity levels.The VO_(2) max may have a different effect on energy balance apart from physical activity’s energy expenditure(EE),possibly by affecting the resting metabolic rate(RMR)or triggering a common mechanism associated with diet-induced thermogenesis.Weight change is predicted by sedentary energy expenditure,but directly measured VO_(2) max does not appear to be correlated with weight change.The relationship between resting energy expenditure,VO_(2) max,and anaerobic capacity in individuals is complex.Resting energy expenditure is directly related to anaerobic capacity,as it is an indicator of the body’s ability to work anaerobically.VO_(2) max is also related to anaerobic capacity,as it reflects the body’s maximal aerobic power.However,the strength of this relationship is not known.Overall,both resting energy expenditure and VO_(2) max are important determinants of anaerobic capacity in individuals and are worth considering when evaluating an individual’s anaerobic potential.

Characteristics of high-sulfate wastewater treatment by two-phase anaerobic digestion process with Jet-loop anaerobic fluidized bed

A new anaerobic reactor, Jet-loop anaerobic fluidized bed （JLAFB）, was designed for treating high-sulfate wastewater. The treatment characteristics, including the effect of influent COD/SO42 ratio and alkalinity and sulfide inhibition in reactors, were discussed for a JLAFB and a general anaerobic fiuidized bed （AFB） reactor used as sulfate-reducing phase and methane-producing phase, respectively, in two-phase anaerobic digestion process. The formation of granules in the two reactors was also examined. The results indicated that COD and sulfate removal had different demand of influent COD/SO4^2- ratios. When total COD removal was up to 85%, the ratio was only required up to 1.2, whereas, total sulfate removal up to 95% required it exceeding 3.0. The alkalinity in the two reactors increased linearly with the growth of influent alkalinity. Moreover, the change of influent alkalinity had no significant effect on pH and volatile fatty acids （VFA） in the two reactors. Influent alkalinity kept at 400-500 mg/L could meet the requirement of the treating process. The JLAFB reactor had great advantage in avoiding sulfide and free-H2S accumulation and toxicity inhibition on microorganisms. When sulfate loading rate was up to 8. 1 kg/（m^3.d）, the sulfide and free-H2S concentrations in JLAFB reactor were 58.6 and 49.7 mg/L, respectively. Furthermore, the granules, with offwhite color, ellipse shape and diameters of 1.0-3.0 mm, could be developed in JLAFB reactor. In granules, different groups of bacteria were distributed in different layers, and some inorganic metal compounds such as Fe, Ca, Mg etc. were found.

Start-up performances of dry anaerobic mesophilic and thermophilic digestions of organic solid wastes

Two dry anaerobic digestions of organic solid wastes were conducted for 6 weeks in a lab-scale batch experiment for investigating the start-up performances under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions. The enzymatic activities, i.e., β-glucosidase, N-α-benzoyl-Largininamide （BAA）-hydrolysing protease, urease and phosphatase activities were analysed. The BAA-hydrolysing protease activity during the first 2-3 weeks was low with low pH, but was enhanced later with the pH increase. β-Glucosidase activity showed the lowest values in weeks 1-2, and recovered with the increase of BAA-hydrolysing protease activity. Acetic acid dominated most of the total VFAs in thermophilic digestion, while propionate and butyrate dominated in mesophilic digestion. Thermophilic digestion was confirmed more feasible for achieving better performance against misbalance, especially during the start-up period in a dry anaerobic digestion process.

Effects of ultrasonic pretreatment on sludge dewaterability and extracellular polymeric substances distribution in mesophilic anaerobic digestion

Effect of ultrasonic pretreatment on sludge dewaterability was determined and the fate of extracellular polymeric substances （EPS） matrix in mesophilic anaerobic digestion after ultrasonic pretreatment was studied. Characteristics of proteins （PN）, polysaccharides （PS）, excitation-emission matrix （EEM） fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular weight （MW） distribution of dissolved organic matters （DOM） in different EPS fractions were evaluated. The results showed that after ultrasonic pretreatment, the normalized capillary suction time （CST） decreased from 44.4 to 11.1 （sec·L）/g total suspended solids （TSS） during anaerobic digestion, indicating that sludge dewaterability was greatly improved. The normalized CST was significantly correlated with PN concentration （R2 = 0.92, p 〈 0.01） and the PN/PS ratio （R2 = 0.84, p 〈 0.01） in the loosely bound EPS （LB-EPS） fraction. Meanwhile, the average MW of DOM in the LB- EPS and tightly bound EPS （TB-EPS） fractions also had a good correlation with the normalized CST （R2 〉 0.66, p 〈 0.01）. According to EEM fluorescence spectroscopy, tryptophan-like substances intensities in the slime, LB-EPS and TB-EPS fractions were correlated with the normalized CST. The organic matters in the EPS matrix played an important role in influencing sludge dewaterability.

Influence of lactic acid on the two-phase anaerobic digestion of kitchen wastes

To evaluate the influence of lactic acid on the methanogenesis, anaerobic digestion of kitchen wastes was firstly conducted in a two-phase anaerobic digestion process, and performance of two digesters fed with lactic acid and glucose was subsequently compared. The results showed that the lactic acid was the main fermentation products of hydrolysis-acidification stage in the two-phase anaerobic digestion process for kitchen wastes. The lactic acid concentration constituted approximately 50% of the chemical oxygen demand （COD） concentration in the hydrolysis-acidification liquid. The maximum organic loading rate was lower in the digester fed with lactic acid than that fed with glucose. Volatile fatty acids （VFAs） and COD removal were deteriorated in the methanogenic reactor fed with lactic acid compared to that fed with glucose. The specific methanogenic activity （SMA） declined to 0.343 g COD/（gVSS-d） when the COD loading were designated as 18.8 g/（L-d） in the digester fed with lactic acid. The propionic acid accumulation occurred due to the high concentration of lactic acid fed. It could be concluded that avoiding the presence of the lactic acid is necessary in the hydrolysis-acidification process for the improvement of the two-phase anaerobic digestion process of kitchen wastes.

Hydrodynamic characteristics of a four-compartment periodic anaerobic baffled reactor

Periodic anaerobic baffled reactor （PABR） is a novel reactor based on the design concept of anaerobic baffled reactor （ABR）. Residence time distribution （RTD） studies on both clean and working reactors at the same hydraulic residence time （HRT） of 2 d were carded out to investigate the dead spaces and mixing patterns in PABRs at different organic loading rates （OLRs） in various switching manners and frequencies. The results showed that the fraction of dead space in PABR was similar to that in ABR, which was low in comparison with other reactor designs. Dead space may be divided into two categories, hydraulic and biological. In RTD studies without biomass, the hydraulic dead space in the PABR run in an ＂every second＂ switching manner with T = 2 d was the lowest whereas that in the PABR run in a T = ∞ （ABR） switching manner was the highest. The same trend was obtained with the total dead space in RTD studies with biomass no matter what the OLR was. Biological dead space was the major contributor to dead space but affected decreasingly at higher OLR whichever switching manner the PABR run in. The flow patterns within the PABRs were intermediate between plug-flow and perfectly mixed under all the conditions tested,

Effect of inorganic carbon on anaerobic ammonium oxidation enriched in sequencing batch reactor

The present lab-scale research reveals the enrichment of anaerobic ammonium oxidation microorganism from methanogenic anaerobic granular sludge and the effect of inorganic carbon(sodium bicarbonate)on anaerobic ammonium oxidation.The enrichment of anammox bacteria was carried out in a 7.0-L sequencing batch reactor(SBR)and the effect of bicarbonate on anammox was conducted in a 3.0-L SBR.Research results,especially the biomass,showed first signs of anammox activity after 54 d cultivation with synthetic wast...

Startup and operation of anaerobic EGSB reactor treating palm oil mill effluent

A bench-scale expanded granular sludge bed （EGSB） reactor was applied to the treatment of palm oil mill effluent （POME）. The reactor had been operated continuously at 35℃ for 514 d, with organic loading rate （OLR） increased from 1.45 to 17.5 kg COD/（m^3·d）. The results showed that the EGSB reactor had good performance in terms of COD removal on the one hand, high COD removal of 91% was obtained at two days＇ of hydraulic retention time （HRT）, and the highest OLR of 17.5 kg COD/（m^3·d）. On the other hand, only 46% COD in raw POME was transformed into biogas in which the methane content was about 70% （V/V）. A 30-d intermittent experiment indicated that the maximum transformation potential of organic matter in raw POME into methane was 56%. Volatile fatty acid （VFA） accumulation was observed in the later operation stage, and this was settled by supplementing trace metal elements. On the whole, the system exhibited good stability in terms of acidity and alkalinity. Finally, the operational problems inherent in the laboratory scale experiment and the corresponding countermeasures were also discussed.

Occurrence and removal of organic micropollutants in the treatment of landfill leachate by combined anaerobic-membrane bioreactor technology

Organic micropollutants,with high toxicity and environmental concern,are present in the landfill leachate at much lower levels than total organic constituents (chemical oxygen demand (COD),biochemical oxygen demand (BOD),or total organic carbon (TOC)),and few has been known for their behaviors in different treatment processes.In this study,occurrence and removal of 17 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs),16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs),and technical 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) in landfill leachate in a comb...

Influence of Chemical Oxygen Demand Concentrations on Anaerobic Ammonium Oxidation by Granular Sludge From EGSB Reactor

Objective To investigate the effect of chemical oxygen demand （COD） concentrations on the anaerobic ammonium oxidation （ANAMMOX）. Methods An Expanded Granular Sludge Bed （EGSB） reactor was used to cultivate the granular sludge and to perform the ANAMMOX reaction in the bench scale experiment. NH4^＋-N and NO2^--N were measured by using colorimetric method. NO3^＋-N was analyzed by using the UV spectrophotometric method. COD measurement was based on digestion with potassium dichromate in concentrated sulphuric acid. Results When the COD concentrations in the reactors were 0 mg/L, 200 mg/L, 350 mg/L, and 550 mg/L, respectively, the NH4^＋-N removal efficiency was 12.5%, 14.2%, 14.3%, and 23.7%; the removal amount of NO2-N was almost the same; the nitrate removal efficiency was 16.8%, 94.5%, 86.6%, and 84.2% and TN removal efficiency was 16.3%, 50.7%, 46.9%, and 50.4%, moreover, the COD removal efficiency was 85%, 65.7%, and 60%; the COD removal rate was 27.42, 61.88, and 97.8 mg COD/（h·L）. Conclusion COD concentrations have a significant influence on anaerobic ammonium oxidation by granular sludge.

Thermogenic protein UCP1 and UCP3 expression in non- small cell lung cancer： relation with glycolysis and anaerobic metabolism

Uncoupling protein 1(UCP1)is a proton transporter/channel residing on the inner mitochondrial membrane and is involved in cellular heat production.Using immunohistochemistry,we investigated the expression of UCP1 and UCP3 in a series of 98 patients with non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)treated with surgery.Expression patterns were correlated with histopathological variables,prognosis,and the expression of enzymes/proteins related to cell metabolism.Bronchial epithelium did not express UCP1 or UCP3,while alveolar cells strongly expressed UCP1.In tumors,strong expression of UCP1 and UCP3 was recorded in43/98(43.8%)and 27/98(27.6%)cases,respectively.UCP1 was significantly associated with squamous cell histology(P=0.05),whilst UCP3 was more frequently overexpressed in large cell carcinomas(P=0.08),and was inversely related to necrosis(P=0.009).In linear regression analysis,UCP1 was directly related to markers of glycolysis[hexokinase(HXKII)and phosphofructokinase(PFK1)]and anaerobic glucose metabolism[pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase(PDK1)and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH5)].UCP3 was directly linked with a glucose transporter(GLUT2),monocarboxylate transporter(MCT2),glycolysis markers(PFK1 and aldolase),and with the phosphorylation of pyruvate dehydrogenase(p PDH).Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that UCP3 was significantly related to poor prognosis in squamous cell carcinomas(P=0.04).UCP1 and UCP3 are overexpressed in a large subgroup of non-small cell lung tumors and their expression coincides with increased glucose absorption,intensified glycolysis,and anaerobic glucose usage.Whether UCPs are targets for therapeutic interventions in lung cancer is a hypothesis that demands further investigation.

Anaerobic BTEX degradation in soil bioaugmented with mixed consortia under nitrate reducing conditions

Different concentrations of BTEX, including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and three xylene isomers, were added into soil samples to investigate the anaerobic degradation potential by the augmented BTEX-adapted consortia under nitrate reducing conditions. All the BTEX substrates could be anaerobically biodegraded to non-detectable levels within 70 d when the initial concentrations were below 100 mg/kg in soil. Toluene was degraded faster than any other BTEX compounds, and the high-to-low order of degradation rates were toluene 〉 ethylbenzene 〉 m-xylene 〉 o-xylene 〉 benzene 〉 p-xylene. Nitrite was accumulated with nitrate reduction, but the accumulation of nitrite had no inhibitory effect on the degradation of BTEX throughout the whole incubation. Indigenous bacteria in the soil could enhance the BTEX biodegradation ability of the enriched mixed bacteria. When the six BTEX compounds were simultaneously present in soil, there was no apparent inhibitory effect on their degradation with lower initial concentrations. Alternatively, benzene, o-xylene, and p-xylene degradation were inhibited with higher initial concentrations of 300 mg/kg. Higher BTEX biodegradation rates were observed in soil samples with the addition of sodium acetate compared to the presence of a single BTEX substrate, and the hypothesis of primary-substrate stimulation or cometabolic enhancement of BTEX biodegradation seems likely.

Influence of temperature on performance of anaerobic digestion of municipal solid waste

The influence of temperature on the performance of anaerobic reactors for treating the organic fraction of municipal sohd waste （OFMSW） was studied. Batch digestion of OFMSW was carded out for 32 d at different temperature （25℃, 35℃, 45℃ and 55℃） conditions for total solid concentrations （TS） 17% with the ratio of total organic carbon to nitrogen （C/N） being, 25：1 respectively, while keeping other parameters constant such as inoculum, start-up pH, reactor volume （2 L） and so on. Temperature can influence the methanogenic bacteria activity, accordingly inhibiting the OFMSW biodegradation and stabilization efficiency. Anaerobic reactors excelled at TS reduction, total volatile solid reduction, chemical oxygen demand reduction, increasing cumulative biogas production, whose rate was at temperature （35℃ and 55℃） conditions. Methane concentration in the biogas was above 65% in four reactors. In addition, the fluctuation of temperatures resulted in the biogas production variation. The data obtained indicated that temperature had a significant influence on anaerobic process.

Anaerobic soil disinfestation:A chemical-independent approach to pre-plant control of plant pathogens

Due to increasing regulations and restrictions, there is an urgent need to develop effective alternatives to chemical-dependent fumigation control of soilborne pests and pathogens. Anaerobic soil disinfestation （ASD） is one such alternative showing great promise for use in the control of soilborne pathogens and pests. This method involves the application of a carbon source, irrigation to field capacity, and covering the soil with a plastic tarp. While the mechanisms of ASD are not completely understood, they appear to be a combination of changes in the soil microbial community composition, production of volatile organic compounds, and the generation of lethal anaerobic conditions. The variety of materials and options for ASD application, including carbon sources, soil temperature, and plastic tarp type, influence the efficacy of pathogen sup- pression and disease control. Currently, both dry （e.g., rice bran） and liquid （e.g., ethanol） carbon sources are commonly used, but with different results depending on environmental conditions. While solarization is not an essential component of ASD, it can enhance efficacy. Understanding the mechanisms that mediate biological changes occurring in the soil during ASD will facilitate our ability to increase ASD efficacy while enhancing its commercial viability.

Performance evaluation of up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket(UASB) reactor for treatment of paper mill wastewater

The present study deals with the performance evaluation of the UASB reactor under varied organic loading rate(OLR) for the treatment of paper mill wastewater. The sludge granulation process started after 120 days from the start-up period. Sludge granules size was found to be 0 8 mm at OLR of 1 72 kgCOD/(m 3·d), which reached maximum size of about 1 0 to 1 2 mm at OLR of 2 1 kgCOD/(m 3·d). At the end of initial OLR of 1 0 kgCOD/(m 3·d) the VSS concentration was 12 86 gVSS/L, which got increased to 38 05 gVSS/L at the end of an OLR 2 1 kgCOD/(m 3·d). Most of the times VFA recorded were well within the limit of VFA reported in anaerobic fermentation process. Many times the pH observed was between 6 5 and 7 8, which is more favorable for any anaerobic process. It is also found that pH within the reactor increases along with the height of reactor. The total maximum biogas production was found to be 0 40 L/gCOD removals at OLR of 2 1 kgCOD/(m 3·d) and the maximum BOD removal at this stage was observed to be 90%.

Anaerobic benzene biodegradation by a pure bacterial culture of Bacillus cereus under nitrate reducing conditions

A pure culture using benzene as sole carbon and energy sources was isolated by screening procedure from gasoline contaminated soil.The analysis of the 16S rDNA gene sequence,morphological and physiological characteristics showed that the isolated strain was a member of genus Bacillus cereus.The biodegradation performance of benzene by B.cereus was evaluated,and the results showed that benzene could be efficiently biodegraded when the initial benzene concentration was below 150 mg/L.The metabolites of anaerobic nitrate-dependent benzene oxidation by strain B.cereus were identified as phenol and benzoate.The results of substrate interaction between binary combinations for benzene,phenol and benzoate showed that the simultaneous presence of benzene stimulated the degradation of benzoate,whereas the addition of benzene inhibited the degradation of phenol.Benzene degradation by B.cereus was enhanced by the addition of phenol and benzoate,the enhanced effects were more pronounced at higher concentration.To our knowledge,this is the first report that the isolated bacterial culture of B.cereus can efficiently degraded benzene under nitrate reducing conditions.