Nutrient recovery and biodegradation of inedible tomato plant residues by activated sludge cultures and Phanerochaete chrysosporium.
The biodegradation of inedible biomass and the recovery of nutrients from hydroponically grown tomato plant material were investigated under various growth conditions of activated sludge and the fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium. The experiments were carried out in shaker flasks at three incubation temperatures (25 degrees C, 40 degrees C, and 60 degrees C for the activated sludge and 25 degrees C, 40 degrees C, and 50 degrees C for the fungi) with heat-pretreated samples at 150 degrees C for 30 min, and without pretreatment of the inedible residues. Under the experimental conditions tested, both cultures exhibited similar performance in terms of solids reduction and nutrient recovery. Solids reduction as high as 70% was obtained in both systems. Most of the solids degradation occurred the first 16 days of incubation. Cellulose degradation reached about 90% but no significant reduction in the solids lignin content was observed. Recovery of nitrogen (as NO2-N and NO3-N) and other micronutrients was sufficiently high and was accompanied by an average 70% reduction in COD, indicating that the final effluent is suitable for hydroponic plant growth. Incubation temperature had a minimal effect on solids degradation but appeared to influence the leachability of certain nutrients.
Christodoulatos
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Center for Environmental Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA.
Vaccari
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Korfiatis
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Bhaumik
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Davies
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Su
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D001419:Bacteria; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D018533:Biomass; D002482:Cellulose / Q000378:metabolism; D018504:Ecological Systems, Closed; D005658:Fungi / Q000378:metabolism*; D018527:Hydroponics; D008021:Life Support Systems; D008031:Lignin / Q000378:metabolism; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000378:metabolism*; D008903:Minerals; D009584:Nitrogen; D009753:Nutritive Value; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D018505:Waste Management / Q000379:methods
D008903:Minerals; D012722:Sewage; D002482:Cellulose; D008031:Lignin; D009584:Nitrogen