Skip to main content

Microwave-Enhanced Advanced Oxidation Treatment of Lipids and Food Wastes

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution volume 229, Article number: 227 (2018) Cite this article

Abstract

Fats, oils, and grease (FOG) and source separated organics (SSO) were treated with the microwave-enhanced advanced oxidation process (MW-AOP) at 90 and 110 °C, with varying amounts of hydrogen peroxide dosages. The treatment efficiency, in terms of soluble substrates and volatile fatty acids (VFA), increased with an increase in both temperature hydrogen peroxide dosages. Fatty acids and compounds with carbonyl group and/or hydroxyl group in both initial and treated FOG samples were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. MW-AOP treatment temperatures and hydrogen peroxide dosages dictated the formation of degradation products. The degradation followed peroxidation mechanism to produce lower molecular weight substrates such as short chain fatty acids which would be less inhibitory to microbes. After the MW-AOP treatment, both SSO and FOG comprised of more soluble and low molecular weight compounds. These compounds included VFA and nutrients that would be readily available for bacterial or plant uptake.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

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

Fig. 1

References

  • APHA. (2012). Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater (22nd ed.). Washington, DC: American Public Health Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ariunbaatar, J., Panico, A., Esposito, G., Pirozzi, F., & Lens, P. N. L. (2014). Pretreatment methods to enhance anaerobic digesting of organic solids waste. Applied Energy, 123, 143–156.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bruhl, L. (2014). Fatty acid alterations in oils and fat during heating and frying. European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology, 116, 707–715.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carlsson, M., Lagerkvist, A., & Morgan-Sagastume, F. (2012). The effects of substrate pre-treatment on anaerobic digestion systems: A review. Waste Management, 12, 1634–1650.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chipasa, K. B., & Medrzycka, E. K. (2006). Behavior of lipids in biological wastewater treatment processes. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology, 33, 635–645.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • El-Mashad, H. M., & Zhang, R. (2010). Biogas production from co-digestion of dairy manure and food waste. Bioresource Technology, 101, 4021–4028.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fernandes, F., Viel, M., Sayag, D., & André, L. (1988). Microbial breakdown of fats through in-vessel co-composting of agricultural and urban wastes. Biological Wastes, 26, 33–48.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gea, T., Ferrer, P., Alavaro, G., Francisco, V., Artola, A., & Sánche, A. (2007). Co-composting of sewage: fats mixtures and characteristics of the lipases involved. Biochemical Engineering Journal, 33(3), 275–283.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein, N. (2005). Source separated organics as feedstock for digesters. Biocycle, 46, 8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gross, M. A., Jensen, J. L., Grace, H. S., Dancer, J., & Keener, K. M. (2017). Evaluation of physical and chemical properties and their interactions in fat, oil, and grease (FOG) deposits. Water Research, 123(15), 173–182.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hanaki, K., Matsuo, T., & Nagase, M. (1981). Mechanism of inhibition caused by long-chain fatty acids in anaerobic digestion process. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 23(7), 1591–1610.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hong, S. M., Park, J. K., Teeradej, N., Lee, Y. O., Cho, Y. K., & Park, C. H. (2006). Pretreatment of sludge with microwaves for pathogen destruction and improved anaerobic digestion performance. Water Environment Research, 78(1), 76–83.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hrudey, S. E. (1981). Activated sludge response to emulsified lipid loading. Water Research, 29, 525–533.

    Google Scholar 

  • Husain, I. A., Alkhtib, M. F., Jammi, M. S., Mirghani, M. E. S., Zainudin, A. B., & Hoda, A. (2014). Problems, control, and treatment of fat, oil, and grease (FOG): a review. Journal of Oleo Science, 63(8), 747–752.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kenge, A., Liao, P. H., & Lo, K. V. (2009). Treating solid dairy manure using microwave-enhanced advanced oxidation process. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part B, 44(6), 606–612.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kilduff, J. E. ed. (2000). Hazardous and Industrial Waste, Proceedings, 32nd Mid-Atlantic Conference. CRC Press.

  • Lee, E., Lee, H., Kim, Y. K., & Lee, K. (2011). Hydrogen peroxide interference in chemical oxygen demand during ozone base advanced oxidation of anaerobically digested livestock wastewater. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 8, 381–388.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lemus, G. R., & Lau, A. K. (2002). Biodegradation of lipidic compounds in synthetic food wastes during composting. Canadian Biosystems Engineering, 44, 6.33–6.39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levis, J. W., Barlaze, M. A., Themeelis, N. J., & Ulloa, P. (2010). Assessment of the state of food waste treatment in the United States and Canada. Waste Management, 30, 1486–1494.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liao, P. H., Lo, K. V., Chan, W. I., & Wong, W. T. (2007). Sludge reduction and volatile fatty acid recovery using microwave advanced oxidation process. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A, 42(5), 633–639.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lo, K. V., Liao, P. H., & Srinivasan, A. (2016). Continuous‐flow microwave enhanced oxidation process for treating sewage sludge. Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 94(7), 1285–1294.

  • Lo, K. V., Ning, R., de Oliveira, C. K. Y., De Zetter, M., Srinivasan, A., & Liao, P. H. (2017). Application of microwave oxidation process for sewage sludge treatment in a continuous-flow system. Journal of Environmental Engineering, 143(9). https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0001247.

  • Mata-Alvarez, J., Dosta, J., Romero-Guiza, M. S., Fonoll, X., Peces, M., & Astals, S. (2014). A critical review on anaerobic co-digestion achievements between 2010and 2013. Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, 36, 412–427.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Noutssopous, C., Marnais, D., Antoniou, K., Avramides, C., Oikonomopoulos, P., & Fountoulakis, I. (2013). Anaerobic co-digestion of grease sludge and sewage sludge: the effect of organic loading and grease sludge content. Bioresource Technology, 131, 452–459.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ogata, Y., Tomizawa, T., & Takagi, K. (1981). Photo-oxidation of formic, acetic and proponic acids with aqueous hydrogen peroxide. Canadian Journal of Chemistry, 59, 14–18.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Palatsi, J., Affes, R., Fernandez, B., Pereira, M. A., Alves, M. M., & Flotats, X. (2012). Influence of adsorption and anaerobic granular sludge characteristics on long chain fatty acids inhibition process. Water Research, 46(16), 5268–5278.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peil, A. L., & Gaudy, A. F. (1971). Kinetic constants for aerobic growth of microbial populations selected with various single compounds and with municipal wastes as substrates. Applied Microbiology, 21, 253–256.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rinzema, A., Boone, M., van Knippenberg, K., & Lettinga, G. (1994). Bactericidal effect of long chain fatty acids in anaerobic digestion. Water Environment Research, 66(1), 40–49.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ruggieri, L., Artola, A., Gea, T., & Sánchez, A. (2008). Biodegradation of animal fats in a co-composting process with wastewater sludge. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 62(3), 297–303.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spencer, R. (2010). High solids anaerobic digestion of source separated organics. BioCycle, 51, 8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Srinivasan, A., Viraraghavan, T., & Ng, W. K. T. (2012). Coalescence/filtration of an oil-in-water emulsion in an immobilized Mucor rouxii biomass bed. Separation Science and Technology, 7(16), 2241–2249.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vilcáez, J., Li, L., & Hubbard, S. (2013). A new model for the biodegradation kinetics of oil droplets: application to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Geochemical Transactions, 14, 4. https://doi.org/10.1186/1467-4866-14-4.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wan, C., Zhou, Q., Fu, G., & Li, Y. (2011). Semi-continuous anaerobic co-digestion of thickened waste activated sludge and fat, oil and grease. Waste Management, 31, 1752–1758.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wiley, J.S. (1957). Progress report on high-rate composting studies (pp. 596–603). In 12th Purdue Industrial Waste Conference Proceedings, Chelsea: Ann Arbor Press Inc.

  • Wong, W. T., Lo, K. V., & Liao, P. H. (2007). Factors affecting nutrient solubilisation from sewage sludge using microwave-enhanced advanced oxidation process. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A, 42(6), 825–829.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, C., Su, H., Baeyens, J., & Tan, T. (2014). Reviewing the anaerobic digestion of waste for biogas production. Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, 38, 383–392.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Technical help provided by Indre Tunile, Sam Khalifa, and Nadia Langenberg is acknowledged.

Funding

The study receives a research funding partially by the Agri-tech Innovation Challenge, the BC Ministry of Agriculture, and the BC Innovation Council.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, University of British Columbia, 6250 Applied Science Lane, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Asha Srinivasan, Moutoshi Saha, Kit Caufield, Otman Abida, Ping Huang Liao & Kwang Victor Lo

Authors
  1. Asha Srinivasan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Moutoshi Saha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kit Caufield
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Otman Abida
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Ping Huang Liao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Kwang Victor Lo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kwang Victor Lo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Srinivasan, A., Saha, M., Caufield, K. et al. Microwave-Enhanced Advanced Oxidation Treatment of Lipids and Food Wastes. Water Air Soil Pollut 229, 227 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-018-3894-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-018-3894-y

Keywords

  • MW-AOP treatment
  • Source separated organics
  • Fats
  • Oils and grease