Effect of Zn Addition on the Cd-Containing Anaerobic Fermentation Process: Biodegradation and Microbial Communities

Yonglan Tian, Huayong Zhang, Lei Zheng, Shusen Li, He Hao and Hai Huang
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Yonglan Tian: Research Center for Engineering Ecology and Nonlinear Science, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
Huayong Zhang: Research Center for Engineering Ecology and Nonlinear Science, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
Lei Zheng: Research Center for Engineering Ecology and Nonlinear Science, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
Shusen Li: Research Center for Engineering Ecology and Nonlinear Science, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
He Hao: Research Center for Engineering Ecology and Nonlinear Science, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
Hai Huang: Research Center for Engineering Ecology and Nonlinear Science, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 16, 1-17

Abstract: Anaerobic fermentation is considered as a cost-effective way of biomass waste disposal. However, the compound heavy metals contained in the biomass may induce complex effects on anaerobic fermentation, which limit the utilization of metal-contaminated biowaste. In this study, the impacts of Cd and Zn addition on biogas properties, process stability, substrate biodegradation, enzyme activity, and microbial properties were studied. The results showed that the addition of Cd together with Zn (Cd+Zn) increased the maximum daily and cumulative biogas yields, and brought forward the gas production peak compared with the Cd-added group. Taking the whole fermentation process into account, the promotion effects of adding Zn into the Cd-containing fermentation system on biogas yields were mainly attributable to better process stability, higher average NH 4 + -N concentration in the later stage of fermentation, reduced COD ( p < 0.05), and increased biodegradability of lignocelluloses ( p < 0.01), especially cellulose ( p < 0.05) and lignin ( p < 0.01). Meanwhile, the addition of Zn promoted the coenzyme M activity ( p < 0.05), and increased the absolute abundance of Methanothermobacter . The bacteria communities during the fermentation process were responsible for the degradation of lignocelluloses. The results demonstrated that the addition of appropriate Zn into the Cd-containing fermentation system enhanced the efficiency of anaerobic fermentation and utilization of biowaste.

Keywords: compound heavy metals; anaerobic fermentation; process stability; substrate biodegradation; enzyme activity; microbial properties (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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