Low-temperature limitation of bioreactor sludge in anaerobic treatment of domestic wastewater

Emma J. Bowen*, Jan Dolfing, Russell J. Davenport, Fiona L. Read, Thomas P. Curtis

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

79 Citations (Scopus)
21 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Two strategies exist for seeding low-temperature anaerobic reactors: the use of specialist psychrophilic biomass or mesophilic bioreactor sludge acclimated to low temperature. We sought to determine the low-temperature limitation of anaerobic sludge from a bioreactor acclimated to UK temperatures (<15 °C). Anaerobic incubation tests using low-strength real domestic wastewater (DWW) and various alternative soluble COD sources were conducted at 4, 8 and 15 °C; methanogenesis and acidogenesis were monitored separately. Production of methane and acetate was observed; decreasing temperature resulted in decreased yields and increased 'start-up' times. At 4 °C methanogenesis not hydrolysis/acidogenesis was rate-limiting. The final methane yields at 4 °C were less than 35% of the theoretical potential whilst at 8 and 15 °C more than 75 and 100% of the theoretical yield was achieved respectively. We propose that the lower temperature limit for DWW treatment with anaerobic bioreactor sludge lies between 8 and 4 °C and that 8 °C is the threshold for reliable operation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1004-1013
Number of pages10
JournalWater Science and Technology
Volume69
Issue number5
Early online date30 Dec 2013
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2014
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Anaerobic treatment
  • Domestic wastewater
  • Mesophilic inoculum
  • Psychrophilic

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