Sulfite pretreatment enhances the medium-chain fatty acids production from waste activated sludge anaerobic fermentation.

Li, X; Liu, H; Zhang, Z; Zhou, T; Wang, Q

Sulfite pretreatment enhances the medium-chain fatty acids production from waste activated sludge anaerobic fermentation.

Li, X

Liu, H Zhang, Z Zhou, T Wang, Q

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Publisher:: Elsevier
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Sci Total Environ, 2023, 871, pp. 162080
Issue Date:: 2023-05-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Li, X https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1768-9556
dc.contributor.author	Liu, H
dc.contributor.author	Zhang, Z
dc.contributor.author	Zhou, T
dc.contributor.author	Wang, Q https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5744-2331
dc.date.accessioned	2023-05-09T19:09:53Z
dc.date.available	2023-02-03
dc.date.available	2023-05-09T19:09:53Z
dc.date.issued	2023-05-01
dc.identifier.citation	Sci Total Environ, 2023, 871, pp. 162080
dc.identifier.issn	0048-9697
dc.identifier.issn	1879-1026
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/170298
dc.description.abstract	Production of high-value medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) from anaerobic fermentation of waste activated sludge (WAS) has been considered as a promising alternative for renewable energy resources. However, the low biodegradability of WAS greatly limits the anaerobic fermentation performance. This study proposed and demonstrated a novel approach, sulfite pretreatment, to efficiently produce MCFAs through anaerobic fermentation of WAS. Pretreatment of WAS at a sulfite concentration of 100-500 mg S/L for 24 h effectively improved the MCFAs production and MCFAs selectivity and the promotion effect was positively correlated with the sulfite concentration used in pretreatment (Pearson's R > 0.9). The maximum MCFAs production of 6.84 g COD/L and MCFAs selectivity of 39.1 % were both achieved under 500 mg S/L sulfite pretreatment, which accounts for 2.6 times and 2.4 times of the control, respectively (MCFAs production of 2.62 g COD/L and MCFAs selectivity of 16.4 % in the control). Sulfite pretreatment also enhanced the WAS degradation from 25 ± 2 % in the control to a maximum of 39 ± 2 % under 500 mg S/L sulfite pretreatment. The electron transfer efficiency and COD flows from the substrate to products were enhanced by up to 25 % due to the sulfite pretreatment, which supports the enhanced WAS degradation. Sulfite pretreatment also promoted the solubilization, hydrolysis, and acidification processes during the anaerobic fermentation by up to 200 %, 60 %, and 45 %, respectively, which subsequently makes more substrates available for MCFAs production. The findings from this study provide a potential solution of using industrial sulfite-laden wastes for WAS pretreatment, to enhance the MCFAs production at a minimized cost.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	Elsevier
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/FT200100264
dc.relation.ispartof	Sci Total Environ
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162080
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess
dc.subject.classification	Environmental Sciences
dc.subject.mesh	Fermentation
dc.subject.mesh	Sewage
dc.subject.mesh	Anaerobiosis
dc.subject.mesh	Fatty Acids, Volatile
dc.subject.mesh	Fatty Acids
dc.subject.mesh	Sulfites
dc.subject.mesh	Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
dc.subject.mesh	Sulfites
dc.subject.mesh	Fatty Acids
dc.subject.mesh	Fatty Acids, Volatile
dc.subject.mesh	Sewage
dc.subject.mesh	Anaerobiosis
dc.subject.mesh	Fermentation
dc.subject.mesh	Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
dc.subject.mesh	Fermentation
dc.subject.mesh	Sewage
dc.subject.mesh	Anaerobiosis
dc.subject.mesh	Fatty Acids, Volatile
dc.subject.mesh	Fatty Acids
dc.subject.mesh	Sulfites
dc.subject.mesh	Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
dc.title	Sulfite pretreatment enhances the medium-chain fatty acids production from waste activated sludge anaerobic fermentation.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	871
utslib.location.activity	Netherlands
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CTWW - Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater Treatment
utslib.copyright.status	embargoed	*
utslib.copyright.embargo	2025-05-01T00:00:00+1000Z
dc.date.updated	2023-05-09T19:09:52Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	871

Abstract:

Production of high-value medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) from anaerobic fermentation of waste activated sludge (WAS) has been considered as a promising alternative for renewable energy resources. However, the low biodegradability of WAS greatly limits the anaerobic fermentation performance. This study proposed and demonstrated a novel approach, sulfite pretreatment, to efficiently produce MCFAs through anaerobic fermentation of WAS. Pretreatment of WAS at a sulfite concentration of 100-500 mg S/L for 24 h effectively improved the MCFAs production and MCFAs selectivity and the promotion effect was positively correlated with the sulfite concentration used in pretreatment (Pearson's R > 0.9). The maximum MCFAs production of 6.84 g COD/L and MCFAs selectivity of 39.1 % were both achieved under 500 mg S/L sulfite pretreatment, which accounts for 2.6 times and 2.4 times of the control, respectively (MCFAs production of 2.62 g COD/L and MCFAs selectivity of 16.4 % in the control). Sulfite pretreatment also enhanced the WAS degradation from 25 ± 2 % in the control to a maximum of 39 ± 2 % under 500 mg S/L sulfite pretreatment. The electron transfer efficiency and COD flows from the substrate to products were enhanced by up to 25 % due to the sulfite pretreatment, which supports the enhanced WAS degradation. Sulfite pretreatment also promoted the solubilization, hydrolysis, and acidification processes during the anaerobic fermentation by up to 200 %, 60 %, and 45 %, respectively, which subsequently makes more substrates available for MCFAs production. The findings from this study provide a potential solution of using industrial sulfite-laden wastes for WAS pretreatment, to enhance the MCFAs production at a minimized cost.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/170298