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Post-treatment of Anaerobically Digested Hydrothermal Liquefaction Wastewater Using UV Photodegradation

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Abstract

Biocrude oil generation from microalgae and cyanobacteria through hydrothermal liquefaction generates an aqueous by-product (post-hydrothermal liquefaction wastewater (PHWW)) rich in organic matter and aromatic compounds. Although anaerobic digestion has been used with promising results, the process is insufficient to reduce the remaining recalcitrant compounds. Photodegradation using UV/TiO2 was investigated as a post-treatment system of anaerobically digested-PHWW (AD-PHWW). The effects of initial pH and addition of H2O2 on the photodegradation efficiency in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total phenolic content (TPh), and color removal were studied using a face-centered central composite design. Initial pH was highly influential for COD (\(p=0.045)\) and TPh (\(p=0.049)\) removal, whereas the addition of H2O2 had a higher impact on color removal (\(p=0.000)\). Optimum conditions at pH of 9.6 and H2O2 concentration of 3.55 g L−1 reached values of 50% for COD, 83% for TPh, and 95% for color after 240 min of irradiation. AD-PHWW photodegradation followed a pseudo-first-order kinetic. Energy recovery, including the biocrude oil from Spirulina, resulted in 41%. Results of ecotoxicity assays with Daphania similis and Eruca sativa Mill indicated that PHWW-treated samples were not negatively influenced by TiO2/UV treatment.

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Acknowledgements

The first and second authors would like to thank CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior) for the PhD fellowships (Finance Code 001).

Funding

This study was supported by FAPESP (Fundação para o Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo) (Process No. 2017–112486/6).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Department of Food Engineering, University of São Paulo, 225, Duque de Caxias Norte, Pirassununga, São Paulo , 13635-900, Brazil

    Diana Quispe-Arpasi, Beatriz E. Bueno, Rogers Ribeiro & Giovana Tommaso

  2. PPG-SEA and NEEA/CRHEA/SHS, São Carlos Engineering School, University of São Paulo , 400, Trabalhador Sao Carlense, São Carlos, São Paulo, 13560-970, Brazil

    Evaldo L. G. Espíndola

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  1. Diana Quispe-Arpasi
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  2. Beatriz E. Bueno
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Quispe-Arpasi, D., Bueno, B.E., Espíndola, E.L.G. et al. Post-treatment of Anaerobically Digested Hydrothermal Liquefaction Wastewater Using UV Photodegradation. Water Air Soil Pollut 232, 347 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-021-05263-4

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