Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Assessment of the anaerobic biodegradability of macropollutants

  • Published:
Re/Views in Environmental Science & Bio/Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A variety of test procedures for determination of anaerobic biodegradability have been reported. This paper reviews the methods developed for determination of anaerobic biodegradability of macro-pollutants. Main focus is paid to the final mineralization of organic compounds and the methane potential of compounds. Hydrolysis of complex substrates is also discussed. Furthermore, factors important for anaerobic biodegradation are shortly discussed.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adani F, Calcaterra E & Malagutti L (2001). Preparation of a test for estimating biogas production from pretreated urban waste. In: Proceeding Sardinia 2001 Eight International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium, Cagliari, Italy

  • APHA (1992) Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater American Public Health Association Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • I Angelidaki BK Ahring (1992) ArticleTitleEffects of free long chain fatty acids on thermophilic anaerobic digestion Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 37 808–812

    Google Scholar 

  • I Angelidaki BK Ahring (1993) ArticleTitleThermophilic anaerobic digestion of livestock waste: the effect of ammonia Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 38 560–564

    Google Scholar 

  • I Ahring BK Angelidaki (1994) ArticleTitleAnaerobic digestion of manure at different ammonia loads: effect of temperature Wat. Res. 28 727–731

    Google Scholar 

  • I Angelidaki SP Petersen BK Ahring (1990) ArticleTitleEffects of lipids on thermophilic anaerobic digestion and reduction of lipid inhibition upon addition of bentonite Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 33 469–472

    Google Scholar 

  • D Batstone (2000) High rate anaerobic treatment of complex wastewater Ph.D. Thesis The university of Queensland

    Google Scholar 

  • Buswell EG Neave SL (1930) Laboratory studies of sludge digestion. Illinois Div. of State Wat. Survey 30

  • MF Chaplin C Bucke (1990) Enzyme Technology Cambridge University Press Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • YR Chen AG Hashimoto (1978) ArticleTitleKinetics of Methane Fermentation Biotechnol. Bioeng. Symp. 8 269–282

    Google Scholar 

  • YT Chyi RR Dague (1994) ArticleTitleEffects of particulate size in anaerobic acidogenesis using cellulose as a sole carbon source Water Env. Res. 66 IssueID5 670–678

    Google Scholar 

  • J Dolfing GBM Bloemen (1985) ArticleTitleActivity measurement as a tool to characterize the microbial composition of methanogenic environments J. Microbiol. Meth. 4 1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • JA Eastman JF Ferguson (1981) ArticleTitleSolubilization of particulate organic carbon during the acid phase of anaerobic digestion JWPCF 53 253–266

    Google Scholar 

  • WE Eleazer WSIII Odle Y.-S Wang MA Barlaz (1997) ArticleTitleBiodegradability of municipal solid waste components in laboratory-scale landfills Environ. Sci. Technol. 31 911–917

    Google Scholar 

  • H El-Mashad (2003) Solar Thermophilic Reactor (STAR) for Renewable Energy Production Ph.D. Thesis Wageningen University

    Google Scholar 

  • TA Elmitwalli (2000) Anaerobic treatment of domestic sewage at low temperature Ph.D. Thesis Wageningen Agricultural University

    Google Scholar 

  • AR Glenn (1976) ArticleTitleProduction of extra-cellular proteins by bacteria, Ann Rev. Microbiol. 30 41–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen TL, Schmidt JE, Angelidaki I, Marca E, Jansen JLC, Mosb{\ae } k H Christensen TH. Method for determination of methane potentials of solid organic waste. Waste Manag. (in press)

  • Harries CR, Cross CJ & Smith R (2001) Development of a BMP test and application to testing of MSW samples. In: Proceeding Sardinia 2001 Eight International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium, Cagliari, Italy

  • JL Harmon SA Svoronos G Lyberatos D Chynoweth (1993) ArticleTitleAdaptive temperature optimization of continuous digesters Biomass Bioenergy 5 279–288

    Google Scholar 

  • AG Hashimoto VH Varel YR Chen (1981) ArticleTitleUltimate methane yield from beef cattle manure: effect of temperature, ration costituents, antibiotics and manure age Agricul. Wastes 3 241–256

    Google Scholar 

  • Heerenklage J & Stegmann R (2001) Comparison of test systems for the determination of the gas potential from waste. In: Proceeding Sardinia 2001 Eight International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium, Cagliari, Italy

  • Hills DJ Nakano K (1984) Effects of particle size on anaerobic digestion of tomato solids waste. Agricul. Wastes 285–295

  • PN Hobson (1987) ArticleTitleA model of some aspects of microbial degradation of particulate substrate J. Ferment. Technol. 65 IssueID4 431–439

    Google Scholar 

  • S Jain AL Lala SK Kudchadker AP Bathia (1992) ArticleTitleModelling hydrolysis controlled anaerobic digestion J. Chem. Technol. Biotechnol. 53 337–344

    Google Scholar 

  • MA Kaluzny LA Duncan MV Merrit DE Epps (1985) ArticleTitleRapid separation of lipids classes in high yield and purity using bonded phase columns J. Lipid Res. 26 135–140

    Google Scholar 

  • PLN Kaparaju JA Rintala (2003) ArticleTitleEffects of temperature on post-methanation of degassed dairy cow manure in a farm-scale biogas concept Eniron. Technol. 24 IssueID10 1315–1321

    Google Scholar 

  • MT Madigan JM Marinko J Parker (2000) Brock Biology of Microorganisms Prentice Hall NY

    Google Scholar 

  • MJ McInerney MP Bryant DA Stafford (1980) Metabolic stages and energetics of microbial anaerobic digestion DA Stafford BI Wheatley DE Hudges (Eds) Anaerobic Digestion Applied Science Ltd London 91–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Miron Y, Zeeman G, van Lier JB. Lettinga G (2000) The role of sludge retention time in the hydrolysis and acidification of lipids, carbohydrates and proteins during digestion of primary sludge in CSTR systems Wat. Res. 34(5): 1705–1713

    Google Scholar 

  • E Morgenroth R Kommedal P Harremoës (2002) ArticleTitleProcesses and modeling of hydrolysis of particulate organic matter in aerobic wastewater treatment–a review Wat Sci. Technol. 45 IssueID6 25–40

    Google Scholar 

  • MF Owen DC Stuckey JB Healy LY Young PL McCarthy (1979) ArticleTitleBioassay for monitoring biochemical methane potential and anaerobic toxicity Wat. Res. 13 485–492

    Google Scholar 

  • JM Owens DP Chynoweth (1993) ArticleTitleBiochemical methane potential of municipal solid waste components Wat. Sci. Technol. 27 1–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmowski LM, Mundhecke RC, Muller JA & Schwedes HJ (2001) Importance of substrate surface area in the kinetics of organic solids degradation In: 9th World Congress Anaerobic Digestion Antwerp September 2–6, Proceedings part 2, pp 163–168

  • SG Pavlostathis E Giraldo-Gomez (1991) ArticleTitleKinetics of anaerobic treatment Wat Sci. Technol. 24 IssueID8 35–59

    Google Scholar 

  • H Philip S Manoir A Rambaud LS Philippi (1993) ArticleTitleSeptic tank sludges: accumulation rate and biochemical characteristics, Wat Sci. Technol. 28 IssueID10 57–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Rozzi A Remigi E Anaerobic biodegradability. In: 9th World Congress, Anaerobic digestion 2001. Belgium, Workshop 3 Harmonisation of anaerobic activity and biodegradation assays. 9-2-2001. Conference Proceeding

  • WTM Sanders M Geerink G Zeeman G Lettinga (2000) ArticleTitleAnaerobic hydrolysis kinetics of particulate substrates Wat Sci. Technol. 41 IssueID3 17–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanders WTM Veekens AHM G Zeeman JB Lier Particlevan (2002a) Analysis and optimization of the AD process of OFMSW J Mata-Alvarez (Eds) Biomethanization of the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Wastes IWA publishing London 63–89

    Google Scholar 

  • WTM Sanders G Zeeman G Lettinga (2002b) ArticleTitleHydrolysis kinetics of dissolved polymers Wat Sci. Technol. 45 IssueID10 99–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Song H (2003) Characterisation of microbial community structure within anaerobic biofilms on municipal solid waste Ph.D. Thesis University of Queensland

  • M Soto R Mendez JM Lema (1993) ArticleTitleMethanogenic activity tests Theoretical basis and experimental setup. Wat. Res. 27 850–857

    Google Scholar 

  • X Tong LH Smith PL McCarthy (1990) ArticleTitleMethane fermentation of selected lignocellulosic materials Biomass 21 239–255

    Google Scholar 

  • P Westermann BK Ahring RA Mah (1989) ArticleTitleTemperature compensation in Methanosarcina barkeri by modulation of hydrogen and acetate affinity Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 55 1262–1266

    Google Scholar 

  • A Valentini G Garuti A Tilche A Rozzi (1997) ArticleTitleAnaerobic degradation kinetics of particulate organic matter: a new approach Wat. Sci. Technol. 36 IssueID(6–7) 239–246

    Google Scholar 

  • VA Vavilin SV Rytov LYa Lokshina (1996) ArticleTitleA description of the hydrolysis kinetics in anaerobic degradation of particulate organic matter Biores. Technol. 56 229–237

    Google Scholar 

  • A Veeken B Hamelers (1999) ArticleTitleEffect of temperature on the hydrolysis rate of selected biowaste components, Biores Technol. 69 IssueID3 249–255

    Google Scholar 

  • R Verger (1980) ArticleTitleEnzyme kinetics in lipolysis, Meth Enzymol. 64 340–392

    Google Scholar 

  • G Zeeman (1991) Mesophilic and physchrophilic digestion of liquid manure Ph.D. Thesis Wageningen University

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environment & Recourses DTU, Technical University of Denmark, Building 115, 2800, Lyngby, Denmark

    Irini Angelidaki

  2. Subdepartment of Environmental Technology, Wageningen Agricultural University, P.O. Box 8129, 6700 EV, Wageningen

    Wendy Sanders

Authors
  1. Irini Angelidaki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Wendy Sanders
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Irini Angelidaki.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Angelidaki, I., Sanders, W. Assessment of the anaerobic biodegradability of macropollutants. Rev Environ Sci Biotechnol 3, 117–129 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11157-004-2502-3

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11157-004-2502-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation