Post-Treatment of the Effluent from Anaerobic Digestion of the Leachate in Two-Stage SBR System Using Alternative Carbon Sources

Katarzyna Bernat, Dorota Kulikowska, Magdalena Zielińska, Magdalena Zaborowska, Irena Wojnowska-Baryła and Magdalena Łapińska
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Katarzyna Bernat: Department of Environmental Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Sloneczna St. 45G, 10-709 Olsztyn, Poland
Dorota Kulikowska: Department of Environmental Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Sloneczna St. 45G, 10-709 Olsztyn, Poland
Magdalena Zielińska: Department of Environmental Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Sloneczna St. 45G, 10-709 Olsztyn, Poland
Magdalena Zaborowska: Department of Environmental Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Sloneczna St. 45G, 10-709 Olsztyn, Poland
Irena Wojnowska-Baryła: Department of Environmental Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Sloneczna St. 45G, 10-709 Olsztyn, Poland
Magdalena Łapińska: Department of Environmental Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Sloneczna St. 45G, 10-709 Olsztyn, Poland

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-12

Abstract: Although anaerobic digestion (AD) enables biogas production and facilitates renewable electricity production, its effluent must be post-treated before discarding it into the environment. However, during AD designing, the post-treatment step is often overlooked. This paper presents the kinetics and efficiency of nitrogen removal from effluent after AD of leachate from the aerobic stabilization of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste. A two-stage SBR system was used. An ammonium oxidation rate of 15.5 mg N-NH 4 /(L·h) ensured a 98% nitrification efficiency (I stage). For denitrification (II stage), alternative carbon sources (ACS) (molasses, crude glycerine, or distillery stillage) were used. Two volumetric exchange rates (n) were tested: 0.35 1/d (COD/N-NO 3 ratio of 8) and 0.5 1/d (COD/N-NO 3 of 7). With all ACS and COD/N-NO 3 ratios, almost 100% of nitrate was denitrified; at the COD/N-NO 3 of 8, biodegradable organics remained in the effluents. At the COD/N-NO 3 of 7, the denitrification removal rates were lower (29.6-45.1 mg N-NO x /(L·h)) than at the ratio of 8 (72.1–159.5 mg N-NO x /(L·h)), because of temporal nitrite accumulation. The highest nitrate removal rates were obtained with molasses, the lowest with a distillery stillage. Considering the nitrate removal rate and the effluent COD concentration, molasses was recommended as the most effective carbon source for AD effluent treatment at the COD/N-NO 3 of 7.

Keywords: beet molasses; crude glycerine; distillery stillage; nitrogen removal; denitrification kinetics; leachate from aerobic stabilization of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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