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Enhancement of Sewage Sludge Bioconversion to Methane by the Addition of Exhausted Coffee Biowaste Liquid Fraction

Waste and Biomass Valorization volume 11, pages 1125–1130 (2020)Cite this article

Abstract

Anaerobic co-digestion of organic rich wastes and wastewater sludge has become an attractive economic possibility for water utilities as it enhances biogas production. The suitability of the organic rich waste depends on its biodegradability as well as on its synergetic effect on the anaerobic digestion process. The feasibility of sewage sludge (SS) treatment via co-digestion was studied in a semi-continuous mode at mesophilic conditions (36 ± 1 °C), with a hydraulic retention time of 17 days and an average organic loading rate of 0.94 ± 0.05 gVS Lreactor day−1, using the liquid fraction of pre-treated exhausted coffee biowaste (LECB) as a co-substrate. An anaerobic co-digestion trial (T1) was performed using as feeding mixture 80% SS and 20% LECB (v:v) and compared against a reference scenario of mono-digestion of SS (T0). The stability along assays was ensured by monitoring the digestate characteristics (pH, electrical conductivity, total alkalinity and ammonia content) and the specific energy-loading rate (SELR). Along the operation time of T1, methane yield and VS removal were significantly higher in comparison to mono-digestion of SS. Results showed that the addition of the co-substrate had a positive effect on specific methane production (3 times higher) and methane content (12% higher), indicating this is a feasible strategy towards self-sufficient wastewater treatment plants.

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Abbreviations

AcoD:

Anaerobic co-digestion

AD:

Anaerobic digestion

CSTR:

Continuous stirring tank reactor

ECB:

Exhausted coffee biowaste

GPR:

Gas production rate

HRT:

Hydraulic retention time

LECB:

Liquid fraction of the exhausted coffee biowaste

OLR:

Organic loading rate

SCG:

Spent coffee grounds

SELR:

Specific energy loading rate

SMP:

Specific methane production

SS:

Sewage sludge

WWTP:

Wastewater treatment plant

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF) research unit (UID/AGR/04129/2013). The authors wish to thank Nestlé Portugal, for providing exhausted coffee biowaste and AdP-Águas de Portugal for providing sewage sludge samples.

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  1. LEAF – Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017, Lisbon, Portugal

    Rita Fragoso, Ana Carvalho & Elizabeth Duarte

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  1. Rita Fragoso
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  2. Ana Carvalho
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  3. Elizabeth Duarte
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Correspondence to Rita Fragoso.

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Fragoso, R., Carvalho, A. & Duarte, E. Enhancement of Sewage Sludge Bioconversion to Methane by the Addition of Exhausted Coffee Biowaste Liquid Fraction. Waste Biomass Valor 11, 1125–1130 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-018-0486-4

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