Effects of butyric acid stress on anaerobic sludge for hydrogen production from kitchen wastes

✍ Scribed by Mingxing Zhao; Qun Yan; Wenquan Ruan; Hengfeng Miao; Hongyan Ren; Yan Xu

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 221 KB
• Volume: 85
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0268-2575
• DOI: 10.1002/jctb.2380

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Anaerobic digestion is an alternative technology to achieve the dual benefits of hydrogen production and waste stabilization from kitchen wastes. In this work, the butyric acid stress on anaerobic sludge was investigated in order to improve the tolerance of sludge against organic acids, and to enhance hydrogen accumulation.

RESULTS: The tolerance of butyric acid in anaerobic sludge increased with the stress concentration, however, it decreased at concentrations greater than of 4.0 g L^−1^. The maximum hydrogen yield reached 63.72 mL g^−1^ VS at 4.0 g L^−1^ stress, representing an increase of 114% compared with the control group. The concentration of volatile solids (VS) of the sludge and SCOD increased steadily with time up to 20 h. At 4.0 g L^−1^ butyric acid stress, the maximum activity of β‐glucosidase, BAA‐hydrolysing protease and dehydrogenase enzyme were 14912.1 µmol PNP g^−1^ TS h^−1^, 134.14 µmol NH~4~‐N g^−1^ TS h^−1^ and 7316.42 µg TF g^−1^ TS h^−1^, which were 2.78, 1.90 and 2.01 times that of the control, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: The feasibility of butyric acid stress on anaerobic sludge to increase hydrogen production from kitchen wastes was demonstrated. Remarkably, 4.0 g L^−1^ butyric acid stress was found to be favorable for improving the tolerance of butyric acid in sludge as well as hydrogen yield in the experiment. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry