Characterization and BMP Tests of Liquid Substrates for High-rate Anaerobic Digestion

M. Mainardis, V. Cabbai, G. Zannier, D. Visintini and D. Goi

Abstract
This work was focused on the physicochemical characterization and biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests of some liquid organic substrates, to verify if they were suitable for undergoing a process of high-velocity anaerobic digestion. The selected substrates were: first and second cheese whey, organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) leachate, condensate water and slaughterhouse liquid waste. Firstly, a physicochemical characterization was performed, using traditional and macromolecular parameters; then, batch anaerobic tests were carried out, and some continuous tests were planned. The results revealed that all the analyzed substrates have a potential to be anaerobically treated. Valuable information about treatment rate for a high-velocity anaerobic digestion process was obtained. Start-up of a lab-scale UASB reactor, treating diluted cheese whey, was successfully achieved with good COD removal efficiency. These preliminary results are expected to be further investigated in a successive phase, where continuous tests will be conducted on condensate water and OFMSW leachate. (This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

Keywords
BMP, anaerobic digestion, cheese whey, OFMSW leachate, slaughterhouse waste, P&P wastewater