Mesophilic anaerobic co-digestion of sewage sludge and orange peel waste.

Mesophilic anaerobic digestion is a treatment that is widely applied for sewage sludge management but has several disadvantages such as low methane yield, poor biodegradability and nutrient imbalance. In this paper, we propose orange peel waste as an easily biodegradable co-substrate to improve the viability of the process. Sewage sludge and orange peel waste were mixed at a proportion of 70:30 (wet weight), respectively. The stability was maintained within correct parameters throughout the process, while the methane yield coefficient and biodegradability were 165 L/kg volatile solids (VS) (0 degrees C, 1 atm) and 76% (VS), respectively. The organic loading rate (OLR) increased from 0.4 to 1.6kg VS/m3 d. Nevertheless, the OLR and methane production rate decreased at the highest loads, suggesting the occurrence of an inhibition phenomenon.

Anaerobic digestion of glycerol derived from biodiesel manufacturing.

The anaerobic digestion of glycerol derived from biodiesel manufacturing, in which COD was found to be 1010 g/kg, was studied in batch laboratory-scale reactors at mesophilic temperature using granular and non-granular sludge. Due to the high KOH concentration of this by-product, H(3)PO(4) was added to recover this alkaline catalyst as agricultural fertilizer (potassium phosphates). Although it would not be economically viable, a volume of glycerol was distilled and utilised as reference substrate. The anaerobic revalorisation of glycerol using granular sludge achieved a biodegradability of around 100%, while the methane yield coefficient was 0.306 m(3) CH(4)/kg acidified glycerol. Anaerobic digestion could be a good option for revalorising this available, impure and low priced by-product derived from the surplus of biodiesel companies. The organic loading rate studied was 0.21-0.38 g COD/g VSS d, although an inhibition phenomenon was observed at the highest load.