Anaerobic-fed and sequencing-batch treatment of sugar-beet processing wastes: a comparative study.

The aim of this study was to compare a batch-fed continuously mixed anaerobic reactor (FCMR) with an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor (ASBR), in terms of waste stabilization and methane production treating sugar-beet processing wastewater and beet-pulp simultaneously. A reactor was operated as FCMR, which then was operated as an ASBR by changing operational conditions after the steady-state was reached. Although the hydraulic retention time value of the ASBR configuration was lower (8 days) than that of the FCMR (15 days) and the corresponding organic loading rate (OLR) was higher (0.71 to 1.33 g COD/L x d), increased biomass retention enabled a significant increase in biomethanation for the ASBR configuration. So, methane production yield of 255 +/- 11 mL/g COD-added was increased to 337 +/- 15 mL/g COD-added (32.2% increase in methane yield) when the configuration was changed from FCMR to ASBR. The experimental results indicated that the ASBR configuration, which was applied to sugar-beet processing wastes for the first time, was superior to the FCMR configuration.

Recovery of acids from anaerobic acidification broth by liquid-liquid extraction.

In this study, anaerobic acidification of sugar beet processing wastes and subsequent liquid-liquid extraction of produced fermentation metabolites were investigated. The aim of extraction experiments was to asses the influence of pH and extractant (trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO) in kerosene) concentrations on the recovery of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) from fermentation broth. The effect of TOPO in kerosene concentration was as crucial as the effect of pH on the recovery of VFAs via extraction. Consequently, pH 2.5 was determined as optimum. At this pH, percent recoveries of VFAs were changed from 43% to 98%, depending on the type of the acid extracted (acetic, butyric, propionic and valeric acids) and the concentration of TOPO in kerosene (5-20%). As the concentration of TOPO in kerosene was increased, efficiency of extraction was increased. As a result, highest VFA recoveries (61-98%) were observed at 20% TOPO in kerosene with distribution ratio values ranging between 1.54 and 40.79. At pH 2.5, the increase in TOPO concentration directly increased the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies, as it does for total VFA recovery. Up to 72% COD removals were achieved, at 20% TOPO in kerosene at pH 2.5, while the removal efficiencies remained between 19% and 22% at pH 5.5.