Optimal production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) in activated sludge fed by volatile fatty acids (VFAs) generated from alkaline excess sludge fermentation

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

2009

Keywords

Activated sludge, Aerobic dynamic feeding, Carbon source, Excess sludge fermentation, Polyhydroxyalkanoates

DOI

10.1016/j.biortech.2008.09.014

Abstract

To reduce the production cost of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) and disposal amount of excess sludge simultaneously, the feasibility of using fermentative volatile fatty acids (VFAs) as carbon sources to synthesize PHA by activated sludge was examined. At pH 11.0, 60 °C and fermentative time of 7 d, the VFAs yield was 258.65 mgTOC/gVSS. To restrain cell growth during PHA production, the released phosphorus and residual ammonium in the fermentative VFAs was recovered by the formation of struvite precipitation. Acetic acid was the predominant composition of the fermentative VFAs. PHA accumulation in excess sludge occurred feeding by fermentative VFAs with aerobic dynamic feeding process. The maximum PHA content accounted for 56.5% of the dry cell. It can be concluded from this study that the VFAs generated from excess sludge fermentation were a suitable carbon source for PHA production by activated sludge.

Source Publication

Bioresource Technology

Volume Number

100

Issue Number

3

First Page

1399

Last Page

1405

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