Enhanced methane and hydrogen production from municipal solid waste and agro-industrial by-products co-digested with crude glycerol.
The effects of crude glycerol on the performance of single-stage anaerobic reactors treating different types of organic waste were examined. A reactor treating the organic fraction of municipal solid waste produced 1400 mL CH(4)/d before the addition of glycerol and 2094 mL CH(4)/d after the addition of glycerol. An enhanced methane production rate was also observed when a 1:4 mixture of olive mill wastewater and slaughterhouse wastewater was supplemented with crude glycerol. Specifically, by adding 1% v/v crude glycerol to the feed, the methane production rate increased from 479 mL/d to 1210 mL/d. The extra glycerol-COD added to the feed did not have a negative effect on the reactor performance in either case. Supplementation of the feed with crude glycerol also had a significant positive effect on anaerobic fermentation reactors. Hydrogen yield was 26 mmole H(2)/g VS added and 15 mmole H(2)/g VS added in a reactor treating the organic fraction of municipal solid waste and a 1:4 mixture of olive mill and slaughterhouse wastewater. The addition of crude glycerol to the feed enhanced hydrogen yield at 2.9 mmole H(2)/g glycerol added and 0.7 mmole H(2)/g glycerol added.
Fountoulakis
M S
MS
School of Agricultural Technology, Technological Educational Institute of Crete, Heraklion, Greece. mfountoul@steg.teiher.gr
Manios
T
T
D000383:Agriculture; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000378:metabolism*; D002947:Cities; D005735:Garbage; D005990:Glycerol / Q000378:metabolism*; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008697:Methane / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000379:methods*
D007220:Industrial Waste; D006859:Hydrogen; D008697:Methane; D005990:Glycerol