Fermentative hydrogen production in an up-flow anaerobic biofilm reactor inoculated with a co-culture of Clostridium acetobutylicum and Desulfovibrio vulgaris.

Dark fermentation systems often show low H2 yields and unstable H2 production, as the result of the variability of microbial dynamics and metabolic pathways. Recent batch investigations have demonstrated that an artificial consortium of two anaerobic bacteria, Clostridium acetobutylicum and Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough, may redirect metabolic fluxes and improve H2 yields. This study aimed at evaluating the scale-up from batch to continuous H2 production in an up-flow anaerobic packed-bed reactor (APBR) continuously fed with a glucose-medium. The effects of various parameters, including void hydraulic retention time (HRTv), pH, and alkalinity, on H2 production performances and metabolic pathways were investigated. The results demonstrated that a stable H2 production was reached after 3-4days of operation. H2 production rates increased significantly with decreasing HRTv from 4 to 2h. Instead, H2 yields remained almost stable despite the change in HRTv, indicating that the decrease in HRTv did not affect the global metabolism.

Anaerobic biofilm reactors for dark fermentative hydrogen production from wastewater: A review.

Dark fermentation is a bioprocess driven by anaerobic bacteria that can produce hydrogen (H2) from organic waste and wastewater. This review analyses a relevant number of recent studies that have investigated dark fermentative H2 production from wastewater using two different types of anaerobic biofilm reactors: anaerobic packed bed reactor (APBR) and anaerobic fluidized bed reactor (AFBR). The effect of various parameters, including temperature, pH, carrier material, inoculum pretreatment, hydraulic retention time, substrate type and concentration, on reactor performances was investigated by a critical discussion of the results published in the literature. Also, this review presents an in-depth study on the influence of the main operating parameters on the metabolic pathways. The aim of this review is to provide to researchers and practitioners in the field of H2 production key elements for the best operation of the reactors. Finally, some perspectives and technical challenges to improve H2 production were proposed.

Interpreting hydrodynamic behaviour by the model of stirred tanks in series with exchanged zones: preliminary study in lab-scale trickling filters.

In trickling filters for wastewater treatment, hydrodynamic behaviour is affected by the growth of biofilm on the porous medium. Therefore, modelling hydrodynamic behaviour is necessary and efficient to predict the biodegradation of pollutants. In this study, laboratory-scale trickling filters were filled with two different porous media (glass beads and plastic rings) and were fed by a synthetic substrate in batch mode. Total organic carbon (TOC) of the effluent was measured and retention time distribution (RTD) was determined by injecting NaCl. Results showed that medium had no significant effect on TOC removal rate (around 80% and 60% respectively for batch time of seven and two days). However, regarding the hydrodynamic behaviour, the effective volume ratio and hydraulic efficiency in the glass beads bed increased remarkably from 28% and 18% to 80% and 70%, respectively, with the reduction of dispersion coefficient (from 4.55 to 1.53). Moreover, the short batch time accelerated this change. Conversely, no variation of hydrodynamic behaviour in plastic rings bed was evident. Along with the feeding of synthetic substrate, biofilm concentration ranged from 1.5 to 10.1 g/L in the glass beads reactor and it achieved around 2.8 g/L in the plastic rings reactor. Hydrodynamic modelling indicated that the model of stirred tanks in series with exchanged zones fitted the experimental results well. These gave values of mobile and immobile volumes of 51 mL and 17 mL, respectively, in the glass beads filter and 25 mL and 15 mL, respectively, in the plastic rings filter.

Thermodynamic and kinetic study of phenol degradation by a non-catalytic wet air oxidation process.

This work is dedicated to an accurate evaluation of thermodynamic and kinetics aspects of phenol degradation using wet air oxidation process. Phenol is a well known polluting molecule and therefore it is important having data of its behaviour during this process. A view cell is used for the experimental study, with an internal volume of 150 mL, able to reach pressures up to 30 MPa and temperatures up to 350°C. Concerning the thermodynamic phase equilibria, experimental and modelling results are obtained for different binary systems (water/nitrogen, water/air) and ternary system (water/nitrogen/phenol). The best model is the Predictive Soave Redlich Kwong one. This information is necessary to predict the composition of the gas phase during the process. It is also important for an implementation in a process simulation. The second part is dedicated to kinetics evaluation of the degradation of phenol. Different compounds have been detected using GC coupled with a MS. A kinetic scheme is deduced, taking into account the evolution of phenol, hydroquinones, catechol, resorcinol and acetic acid. The kinetic parameters are calculated for this scheme. These data are important to evaluate the evolution of the concentration of the different polluting molecules during the process. A simplified kinetic scheme, which can be easily implemented in a process simulation, is also determined for the direct degradation of phenol into H(2)O and CO(2). The Arrhenius law data obtained for the phenol disappearance are the following: k=1.8×10(6)±3.9×10(5)M(-1)s(-1) (pre-exponential factor) and E(a)=77±8 kJ mol(-1) (activation energy).

Mineralogy and leachability of gasified sewage sludge solid residues.

Gasification of sewage sludge produces combustible gases as well as tar and a solid residue as by-products. This must be taken into account when determining the optimal thermal conditions for the gasification process. In this study, the influence of temperature, heating atmosphere and residence time on the characteristics of the gasified sewage sludge residues is investigated. ICP-AES analyses reveal that the major chemical elements in the char residues are phosphorus, calcium, iron and silicon. Heavy metals such as copper, zinc, chromium, nickel and lead are also present at relatively high levels - from 50 to more than 1000 mg/kg of dry matter. The major mineral phases' identification - before and after heating - as well as their morphology and approximate chemistry (XRD and SEM-EDX) demonstrate that a number of transformations take place during gasification. These are influenced by the reactor's temperature and the oxidative degree of its internal atmosphere. The copper-, zinc- and chromium-bearing phases are studied using chemometric tools, showing that the distribution of those metals among the mineral phases is considerably different. Finally, batch-leaching tests reveal that metals retained in the residue are significantly stabilized after thermal treatment to a higher or lower extent, depending on the thermal conditions applied.

Investigation of copper speciation in pig slurry by a multitechnique approach.

It is now well-known that copper (Cu) can accumulate on the surface of soils upon which pig slurry has been applied. This is due to the high quantity of Cu in pig slurry resulting from its use as a growth promoter in animal feeds. The mobility and bioavailability of Cu from pig slurry spreading can be better predicted by determining the speciation of this element in addition to its total concentration. The aim of this study was to present a multitechnique approach to investigate Cu speciation in pig slurry. First, size fractionation and chemical characterization of each size fraction were performed to complement results obtained in raw samples. Micro X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (µXRF) highlighted the colocalization of Cu and sulfur (S). Finally, X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy (XANES) showed that Cu speciation in raw pig slurry and size fractions could be described by Cu(2)S and that its oxidation state is Cu(I). In addition, geochemical calculation demonstrated that chalcocite (Cu(2)S) was the major Cu species present under pig slurry lagoon physical-chemical conditions. This Cu speciation in pig slurry may be the main reason for the observed Cu accumulation at the soil surface.