Effects of pre-fermentation and pulsed-electric-field treatment of primary sludge in microbial electrochemical cells

Dongwon Ki; Prathap Parameswaran; Sudeep C. Popat; Bruce Rittmann; Cesar Torres

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2015.06.128

Effects of pre-fermentation and pulsed-electric-field treatment of primary sludge in microbial electrochemical cells

Dongwon Ki, Prathap Parameswaran, Sudeep C. Popat, Bruce Rittmann, Cesar Torres

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

35 Scopus citations

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the combination of two technologies - pulsed electric field (PEF) pre-treatment and semi-continuous pre-fermentation of primary sludge (PS) - to produce volatile fatty acids (VFAs) as the electron donor for microbial electrolysis cells (MECs). Pre-fermentation with a 3-day solids retention time (SRT) led to the maximum generation of VFAs, with or without pretreatment of the PS through pulsed-electric-fields (PEF). PEF treatment before fermentation enhanced the accumulation of the preferred VFA, acetate, by 2.6-fold. Correspondingly, MEC anodes fed with centrate from 3-day pre-fermentation of PEF-treated PS had a maximum current density ∼3.1 A/m², which was 2.4-fold greater than the control pre-fermented centrate. Over the full duration of batch MEC experiments, using pre-fermented centrate led to successful performance in terms of Coulombic efficiency (95%), Coulombic recovery (80%), and COD-removal efficiency (85%).

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	83-88
Number of pages	6
Journal	Bioresource Technology
Volume	195
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2015.06.128
State	Published - May 1 2015

Keywords

Microbial electrolysis cell
Pre-fermentation
Pre-treatment
Two-stage anaerobic treatment

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Bioengineering
Environmental Engineering
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Waste Management and Disposal

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10.1016/j.biortech.2015.06.128

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title = "Effects of pre-fermentation and pulsed-electric-field treatment of primary sludge in microbial electrochemical cells",

abstract = "The aim of this study was to investigate the combination of two technologies - pulsed electric field (PEF) pre-treatment and semi-continuous pre-fermentation of primary sludge (PS) - to produce volatile fatty acids (VFAs) as the electron donor for microbial electrolysis cells (MECs). Pre-fermentation with a 3-day solids retention time (SRT) led to the maximum generation of VFAs, with or without pretreatment of the PS through pulsed-electric-fields (PEF). PEF treatment before fermentation enhanced the accumulation of the preferred VFA, acetate, by 2.6-fold. Correspondingly, MEC anodes fed with centrate from 3-day pre-fermentation of PEF-treated PS had a maximum current density ∼3.1 A/m2, which was 2.4-fold greater than the control pre-fermented centrate. Over the full duration of batch MEC experiments, using pre-fermented centrate led to successful performance in terms of Coulombic efficiency (95%), Coulombic recovery (80%), and COD-removal efficiency (85%).",

keywords = "Microbial electrolysis cell, Pre-fermentation, Pre-treatment, Two-stage anaerobic treatment",

author = "Dongwon Ki and Prathap Parameswaran and Popat, {Sudeep C.} and Bruce Rittmann and Cesar Torres",

note = "Funding Information: The funding for this work was provided by SERDP (# ER-2239 ) and NSF-CBET ( 1335884 ). We also thank Dave Rath and his staff for assistance obtaining samples at MNWWRP. Also, we thank Jared Alder to operate FP alpha unit and treat samples. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 Elsevier Ltd.",

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AU - Ki, Dongwon

AU - Parameswaran, Prathap

AU - Popat, Sudeep C.

AU - Rittmann, Bruce

AU - Torres, Cesar

N1 - Funding Information: The funding for this work was provided by SERDP (# ER-2239 ) and NSF-CBET ( 1335884 ). We also thank Dave Rath and his staff for assistance obtaining samples at MNWWRP. Also, we thank Jared Alder to operate FP alpha unit and treat samples. Publisher Copyright: © 2015 Elsevier Ltd.

PY - 2015/5/1

Y1 - 2015/5/1

N2 - The aim of this study was to investigate the combination of two technologies - pulsed electric field (PEF) pre-treatment and semi-continuous pre-fermentation of primary sludge (PS) - to produce volatile fatty acids (VFAs) as the electron donor for microbial electrolysis cells (MECs). Pre-fermentation with a 3-day solids retention time (SRT) led to the maximum generation of VFAs, with or without pretreatment of the PS through pulsed-electric-fields (PEF). PEF treatment before fermentation enhanced the accumulation of the preferred VFA, acetate, by 2.6-fold. Correspondingly, MEC anodes fed with centrate from 3-day pre-fermentation of PEF-treated PS had a maximum current density ∼3.1 A/m2, which was 2.4-fold greater than the control pre-fermented centrate. Over the full duration of batch MEC experiments, using pre-fermented centrate led to successful performance in terms of Coulombic efficiency (95%), Coulombic recovery (80%), and COD-removal efficiency (85%).

AB - The aim of this study was to investigate the combination of two technologies - pulsed electric field (PEF) pre-treatment and semi-continuous pre-fermentation of primary sludge (PS) - to produce volatile fatty acids (VFAs) as the electron donor for microbial electrolysis cells (MECs). Pre-fermentation with a 3-day solids retention time (SRT) led to the maximum generation of VFAs, with or without pretreatment of the PS through pulsed-electric-fields (PEF). PEF treatment before fermentation enhanced the accumulation of the preferred VFA, acetate, by 2.6-fold. Correspondingly, MEC anodes fed with centrate from 3-day pre-fermentation of PEF-treated PS had a maximum current density ∼3.1 A/m2, which was 2.4-fold greater than the control pre-fermented centrate. Over the full duration of batch MEC experiments, using pre-fermented centrate led to successful performance in terms of Coulombic efficiency (95%), Coulombic recovery (80%), and COD-removal efficiency (85%).

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KW - Two-stage anaerobic treatment

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Effects of pre-fermentation and pulsed-electric-field treatment of primary sludge in microbial electrochemical cells

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