Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Optimisation of bioscrubber systems to simultaneously remove methane and purify wastewater from intensive pig farms

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The use of bioscrubber is attracting increasing attention for exhaust gas treatment in intensive pig farming. However, the challenge is to improve the methane (CH4) removal efficiency as well as the possibility of pig house wastewater treatment. Three laboratory-scale bioscrubbers, each equipped with different recirculation water types, livestock wastewater (10-times-diluted pig house wastewater supernatant), a methanotroph growth medium (10-times-diluted), and tap water, were established to evaluate the performance of CH4 removal and wastewater treatment. The results showed that enhanced CH4 removal efficiency (25%) can be rapidly achieved with improved methanotrophic activity due to extra nutrient support from the wastewater. The majority of the CH4 was removed in the middle to end part of the bioscrubbers, which indicated that CH4 removal could be potentially optimised by extending the length of the reactor. Moreover, 52–86% of the ammonium (NH4+-N), total organic carbon (TOC), and phosphate (PO43−-P) removal were simultaneously achieved with CH4 removal in the present study. Based on these results, this study introduces a low-cost and simple-to-operate method to improve CH4 removal and simultaneously treat pig farm wastewater in bioscrubbers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aguilar M, Abaigar A, Merino P, Estellés F, Calvet S (2010) Effect of a bioscrubber on NH3, N2O, CH4 and CO2 emissions from a pig facility in Spain. International Conference on Agricultural Engineering-AgEng 2010: towards environmental technologies, Clermont-Ferrand, France 6–8 September 2010. Cemagref

    Google Scholar 

  • Beermann F, Teltewskoi A, Fiencke C, Pfeiffer E-M, Kutzbach L (2015) Stoichiometric analysis of nutrient availability (N, P, K) within soils of polygonal tundra. Biogeochemistry 122(2–3):211–227

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Belzile M, Lemay SP, Zegan D, Feddes JJ, Godbout S, Larouche J-P, Martel M (2010) Reduction of gas and odour emissions from a swine building using a biotrickling filter. XVIIth World Congress of the International Commission of Agricultural Engineering, pp 13–17

  • Benner J, De Smet D, Ho A, Kerckhof F-M, Vanhaecke L, Heylen K, Boon N (2015) Exploring methane-oxidizing communities for the co-metabolic degradation of organic micropollutants. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 99(8):3609–3618

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bodelier PL, Frenzel P (1999) Contribution of methanotrophic and nitrifying bacteria to CH4 and NH4 + oxidation in the rhizosphere of rice plants as determined by new methods of discrimination. Appl Environ Microbiol 65(5):1826–1833

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Deng L, Chen H, Chen Z, Liu Y, Pu X, Song L (2009) Process of simultaneous hydrogen sulfide removal from biogas and nitrogen removal from swine wastewater. Bioresour Technol 100(23):5600–5608

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gómez-Cuervo S, Hernández J, Omil F (2016) Identifying the limitations of conventional biofiltration of diffuse methane emissions at long-term operation. Environ Technol 37(15):1947–1958

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haeussermann A, Hartung E, Gallmann E, Jungbluth T (2006) Influence of season, ventilation strategy, and slurry removal on methane emissions from pig houses. Agric Ecosyst Environ 112(2–3):115–121

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hansen J, Sato M, Ruedy R (2012) Perception of climate change. Proc Natl Acad Sci 109(37):E2415–E2423

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IPCC (2014) Climate change 2014: synthesis report. In: Core Writing Team, Pachauri RK, Meyer LA (eds) Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the fifth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland 151 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Karthigeyan O, Chidambarampadmavathy K, Nadarajan S, Heimann K (2016) Influence of nutrients on oxidation of low level methane by mixed methanotrophic consortia. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23(5):4346–4357

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kennelly C, Gerrity S, Collins G, Clifford E (2014) Liquid phase optimisation in a horizontal flow biofilm reactor (HFBR) technology for the removal of methane at low temperatures. Chem Eng J 242:144–154

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kizito S, Lv T, Wu S, Zeeshan A, Luo H, Dong R (2017) Treatment of anaerobic digested effluent in biochar-packed vertical flow constructed wetland columns: role of media and tidal operation. Sci Total Environ 592:197–205

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li X, Zhang M, Liu F, Chen L, Li Y, Li Y, Xiao R, Wu J (2018) Seasonality distribution of the abundance and activity of nitrification and denitrification microorganisms in sediments of surface flow constructed wetlands planted with Myriophyllum elatinoides during swine wastewater treatment. Bioresour Technol 248:89–97

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu WT, Nielsen AT, Wu JH, Tsai CS, Matsuo Y, Molin S (2001) In situ identification of polyphosphate-and polyhydroxyalkanoate-accumulating traits for microbial populations in a biological phosphorus removal process. Environ Microbiol 3(2):110–122

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu D, Løkke MM, Riis AL, Mortensen K, Feilberg A (2014) Evaluation of clay aggregate biotrickling filters for treatment of gaseous emissions from intensive pig production. J Environ Manag 136:1–8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu F, Fiencke C, Guo J, Rieth R, Cuhls C, Dong R, Pfeiffer EM (2017a) Bioscrubber treatment of exhaust air from intensive pig production: case study in northern Germany at mild climate condition. Eng Life Sci 17(4):458–466

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu F, Fiencke C, Guo J, Rieth R, Dong R, Pfeiffer E-M (2017b) Performance evaluation and optimization of field-scale bioscrubbers for intensive pig house exhaust air treatment in northern Germany. Sci Total Environ 579:694–701

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luo H, Lv T, Shi M, Wu S, Carvalho PN, Dong R (2017) Stabilization of preliminary anaerobically digested slurry in post-storage: dynamics of chemical characteristics and hygienic quality. Water Air Soil Pollut 228(8):306

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lyew D, Guiot S (2003) Effects of aeration and organic loading rates on degradation of trichloroethylene in a methanogenic-methanotrophic coupled reactor. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 61(3):206–213

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Malhautier L, Khammar N, Bayle S, Fanlo J-L (2005) Biofiltration of volatile organic compounds. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 68(1):16–22

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McLeod A (2011) World livestock 2011—livestock in food security. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome

    Google Scholar 

  • Melse RW, Hol JM (2017) Biofiltration of exhaust air from animal houses: evaluation of removal efficiencies and practical experiences with biobeds at three field sites. Biosyst Eng 159:59–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Melse R, Mol G (2004) Odour and ammonia removal from pig house exhaust air using a biotrickling filter. Water Sci Technol 50(4):275–282

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Melse RW, Mosquera J (2014) Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from biotrickling filters used for ammonia removal at livestock facilities. Water Sci Technol 69(5):994–1003

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Melse RW, Timmerman M (2009) Sustainable intensive livestock production demands manure and exhaust air treatment technologies. Bioresour Technol 100(22):5506–5511

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Melse RW, van der Werf AW (2005) Biofiltration for mitigation of methane emission from animal husbandry. Environ Sci Technol 39(14):5460–5468

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Molina-Moreno V, Leyva-Díaz JC, Llorens-Montes FJ, Cortés-García FJ (2017) Design of indicators of circular economy as instruments for the evaluation of sustainability and efficiency in wastewater from pig farming industry. Water 9(9):653

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ni P, Lyu T, Sun H, Dong R, Wu S (2017) Liquid digestate recycled utilization in anaerobic digestion of pig manure: effect on methane production, system stability and heavy metal mobilization. Energy 141:1695–1704

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pawłowska M, Stępniewski W (2006) An influence of methane concentration on the methanotrophic activity of a model landfill cover. Ecol Eng 26(4):392–395

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Philippe F-X, Nicks B (2015) Review on greenhouse gas emissions from pig houses: production of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide by animals and manure. Agric Ecosyst Environ 199:10–25

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rosa EA, Dietz T (2012) Human drivers of national greenhouse-gas emissions. Nat Clim Chang 2:581–586

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sanders T, Fiencke C, Pfeiffer E-M (2010) Small-scale variability of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), C/N ratios and ammonia oxidizing capacities in various permafrost affected soils of Samoylov Island, Lena River Delta, Northeast Siberia. Polarforschung 80(1):23–35

    Google Scholar 

  • Saunois M, Bousquet P, Poulter B et al (2016) The global methane budget 2000–2012. Earth Syst Sci Data (Online) 8(2):697–751

  • Shen Y, Ye Z-L, Ye X, Wu J, Chen S (2016) Phosphorus recovery from swine wastewater by struvite precipitation: compositions and heavy metals in the precipitates. Desalin Water Treat 57(22):10361–10369

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith EM, Prairie YT (2004) Bacterial metabolism and growth efficiency in lakes: the importance of phosphorus availability. Limnol Oceanogr 49(1):137–147

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Su Y, Lammers M, Zhang Y, van Bree L, Liu Z, Reichart G-J, Middelburg JJ (2017) Sources of organic matter for bacteria in sediments of Lake Rotsee, Switzerland. J Paleolimnol 58(3):391–402

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sun F, Dong W, Shao M, Lv X, Li J, Peng L, Wang H (2013) Aerobic methane oxidation coupled to denitrification in a membrane biofilm reactor: treatment performance and the effect of oxygen ventilation. Bioresour Technol 145:2–9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sutka R, Ostrom N, Ostrom P, Gandhi H, Breznak J (2003) Nitrogen isotopomer site preference of N2O produced by Nitrosomonas europaea and Methylococcus capsulatus Bath. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom 17(7):738–745

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Van der Heyden C, Demeyer P, Volcke EI (2015) Mitigating emissions from pig and poultry housing facilities through air scrubbers and biofilters: state-of-the-art and perspectives. Biosyst Eng 134:74–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whittenbury R, Phillips K, Wilkinson J (1970) Enrichment, isolation and some properties of methane-utilizing bacteria. Microbiology 61(2):205–218

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yamashita T, Yamamoto-Ikemoto R, Yokoyama H, Kawahara H, Ogino A, Osada T (2015) Mitigation of nitrous oxide (N2O) emission from swine wastewater treatment in an aerobic bioreactor packed with carbon fibers. Anim Sci J 86(3):358–368

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yargicoglu EN, Reddy KR (2017) Microbial abundance and activity in biochar-amended landfill cover soils: evidence from large-scale column and field experiments. J Environ Eng 143(9):04017058

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yu X, Qi Z, Zhang X, Yu P, Liu B, Zhang L, Fu L (2007) Nitrogen loss and oxygen paradox in full-scale biofiltration for drinking water treatment. Water Res 41(7):1455–1464

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X, Hu Z, Ngo H, Zhang J, Guo W, Liang S, Xie H (2018) Simultaneous improvement of waste gas purification and nitrogen removal using a novel aerated vertical flow constructed wetland. Water Res 131:79–87

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors express their sincere gratitude to Wilfried Gläseker for his technical assistance.

Funding

This work was financially supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF, support code 033RD1102B), National Key Research and Development Plan (Grant No. 2018YFD0800100), the Beijing Municipal Education Commission Joint Building Project (35030004). The PhD scholarships of Fang Liu were supported by the China Scholarship Council (CSC) and Universität Hamburg-DAAD co-funded Merit Scholarship.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Engineering, China Agricultural University (Key Laboratory for Clean Renewable Energy Utilization Technology, Ministry of Agriculture), Qinghua East Road 17, Beijing, 100083, China

    Fang Liu, Jianbin Guo & Renjie Dong

  2. Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability, Institute of Soil Science, Universität Hamburg, Allende-Platz 2, 20146, Hamburg, Germany

    Fang Liu, Claudia Fiencke & Eva-Maria Pfeiffer

  3. School of Animal Rural & Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottinghamshire, NG25 0QF, UK

    Tao Lyu

Authors
  1. Fang Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Claudia Fiencke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jianbin Guo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Tao Lyu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Renjie Dong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Eva-Maria Pfeiffer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Jianbin Guo or Tao Lyu.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Bingcai Pan

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Highlights

• Effect of different recirculation waters on bioscrubber performance was examined

• Simultaneous CH4 removal and wastewater purification were achieved

• Pig farm wastewater and methanotroph addition could stimulate CH4 removal

• CH4 removal mainly occurred in the middle–end section of the bioscrubber

• Methanotroph activity can be improved by using pig farm wastewater in bioscrubbers

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Liu, F., Fiencke, C., Guo, J. et al. Optimisation of bioscrubber systems to simultaneously remove methane and purify wastewater from intensive pig farms. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26, 15847–15856 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-04924-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-04924-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation