Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Recycling of biodiesel fuel wastewater for use as a liquid fertilizer for hydroponics

  • SPECIAL FEATURE: ORIGINAL ARTICLE
  • 3rd 3R International Scientific Conference (3rd 3RINCs 2016)
  • Published:
Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Wastewater is discharged during washing processes in the production of biodiesel fuel (BDF) using alkaline catalysts. It can be recycled as a liquid fertilizer for hydroponics by adding essential components for plant growth. The effects of the liquid fertilizer on plant growth were investigated. Liquid fertilizer containing a smaller amount of the BDF wastewater had a similar effect on plant growth as the standard nutrient solutions. This result reveals that BDF wastewater can be recycled for use as a liquid fertilizer for hydroponics. However, fertilizer with a larger amount of the BDF wastewater showed poor and varied plant growth due to the growth of microorganisms in the contaminated wastewater. Hence, when BDF wastewater becomes contaminated during storage, sterilization is necessary to recycle it as a liquid fertilizer. Moreover, contamination during storage should be avoided for successful recycling.

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
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ma F, Hanna MA (1999) Biodiesel production: a review. Bioresour Technol 70:1–15. doi:10.1016/S0960-8524(99)00025-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Veliković VB, Stamenković OS, Tasić MB (2014) The wastewater treatment in the biodiesel production with alkali-catalyzed transesterification. Renew Sust Energ Rev 32:40–60. doi:10.1016/j.rser.2014.01.007

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Daud NM, Sheikh Abdullah SR, Abu Hasan H, Yaakob Z (2015) Production of biodiesel and its wastewater treatment technologies: a review. Process Saf Environ Prot 94:487–508. doi:10.1016/j.psep.2014.10.009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Suehara K, Kawamoto Y, Fujii E, Kohda J, Nakano Y, Yano T (2005) Biological treatment of wastewater discharged from biodiesel fuel production plant with alkali-catalyzed transesterification. J Biosci Bioeng 100:437–442. doi:10.1263/jbb.100.437

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Ikegami M (ed) (2007) Biodiesel handbook, 2nd edn. Nippo Syuppan, Tokyo (in Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Kumjadpai S, Ngamlerdpokin K, Chatanon P, Lertsathitphongs P, Hunsom M (2011) Management of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) wastewater by a combinated two stage chemical recovery and coagulation process. Can J Chem Eng 89:369–376. doi:10.1002/cjce.20429

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Ito T, Nakashimada Y, Senba K, Matsui T, Nishio N (2005) Hydrogen and ethanol production from glycerol-containing wastes discharged after biodiesel manufacturing process. J Biosci Bioeng 100:260–265. doi:10.1263/jbb.100.260

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Sadano Y, Toshimitsu R, Kohda J, Nakano Y, Yano T (2010) Optimization of compost fermentation of glycerol by-product discharged from biodiesel fuel production process. J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 12:308–313. doi:10.1007/s10163-010-0302-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Zamzow KL, Tsukamoto TK, Miller GC (2006) Waste from biodiesel manufacturing as an inexpensive carbon source for bioreactors treating acid mine drainage. Mine Water Environ 25:163–170. doi:10.1007/s10230-006-0128-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Saenge C, Cheirsilp B, Suksaroge TT, Bourtoom T (2011) Potential use of oleaginous red yeast Rhodotorula glutinis for the bioconversion of crude glycerol from biodiesel plant to lipids and carotenoids. Process Biochem 46:210–218. doi:10.1016/j.procbio.2010.08.009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Yang F, Hanna MA, Sun R (2012) Value-added uses for crude glycerol—a byproduct of biodiesel production. Biotechnol Biofuels 5:13. doi:10.1186/1754-6834-5-13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Siles JA, Martin MA, Chica AF, Martin A (2010) Anaerobic co-digestion of glycerol and wastewater derived from biodiesel manufacturing. Bioresour Technol 101:6315–6321. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2010.03.042

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Kozai T (2013) Resource use efficiency of closed plant production system with artificial light: concept, estimation and application to plant factory. Proc Jpn Acad Ser B Phys Biol Sci 89:447–461. doi:10.2183/pjab.89.447

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Hattori T, Hidaka Y, Fukushi K, Hayakawa M, Tsujimoto J, Minato T (2014) Soilless culture for the common ice plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L.) using supernatant solutions of jellyfish suspensions. Bull Soc Sea Water Sci Jpn 68:25–29. doi:10.11457/swsj.68.25

    Google Scholar 

  15. Nakamura M (1950) Colorimetric determination of phosphorus. Nippon Nogeikagaku Kaishi 24:1–5. doi:10.1271/nogeikagaku1924.24.1 (in Japanese)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Rasband WS (1997–2015) ImageJ. US National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA. http://imagej.nih.gov/ij/. Accessed 2 May 2016

  17. Hawkesford M, Horst W, Kichey T, Lambers H, Schjoerring J, Skrumsager Møller I, White P (2012) Function of macronutrients. In: Marschner P (ed) Marschner’s mineral nutrition of higher plants, 3rd edn. Academic Press, London, pp 135–189

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  18. Takatsuji M (ed) (1997) Handbook of plant factory. Tokai University Press, Tokyo (in Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Kohda J, Ooshita K, Nakano Y, Yano T (2008) Measurement of the glycerol concentration during the microbial treatment of the wastewater from the biodiesel fuel production plant using near infrared spectroscopy. J Near Infrared Spectrosc 16:199–204. doi:10.1255/jnirs.804

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Kawai S, Kohda J, Nakano Y, Yano T (2009) Predicting methanol and glycerol concentrations in microbial treated wastewater discharged from a biodiesel fuel production process using near infrared spectroscopy. J Near Infrared Spectrosc 17:51–58. doi:10.1255/inirs.825

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Cooke WB, Richard Brazis A (1968) Occurrence of molds and yeasts in dairy products. Mycopathol Mycol Appl 35:281–289. doi:10.1007/BF02050743

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Easterling ER, Todd French W, Hernandez R, Licha M (2009) The effect of glycerol as a sole and secondary substrate on the growth and fatty acid composition of Rhodotorula glutinis. Bioresour Technol 100:356–361. doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2008.05.030

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to all members of the non-profit organization INE OASA in Kitahiroshima-cho, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, for their cooperation. We would like to thank Editage (www.editage.jp) for English language editing. This research was supported by grants from the Satake Technical Foundation and Hiroshima City University Grant for Special Academic Research (General Studies).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Information Sciences, Graduate School of Information Sciences, Hiroshima City University, 3-4-1, Ozuka-Higashi, Asa-Minami-Ku, Hiroshima, 731-3194, Japan

    Jiro Kohda, Yasuhisa Nakano, Akimitsu Kugimiya, Yu Takano & Takuo Yano

Authors
  1. Jiro Kohda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yasuhisa Nakano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Akimitsu Kugimiya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yu Takano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Takuo Yano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jiro Kohda.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (PDF 118 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kohda, J., Nakano, Y., Kugimiya, A. et al. Recycling of biodiesel fuel wastewater for use as a liquid fertilizer for hydroponics. J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 19, 999–1007 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-016-0545-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-016-0545-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation