title: Production of polyhydroxybutyrate by activated sludge performing enhanced biological phosphorus removal.
abstract: In this study, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)--a biodegradable plastics material--was produced by activated sludge performing enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) in batch experiments under anaerobic, aerobic and anaerobic/aerobic conditions. Under anaerobic conditions, the maximum PHB content of the dry biomass was 28.8% by weight, while under aerobic or anaerobic/aerobic conditions, the maximum PHB content was about 50%. The PHB production rate with respect to the volatile suspended solids (VSS) was: (i) 70 mg/(g VSS)h under aerobic conditions that followed anaerobic conditions, (ii) 156 mg/(g VSS)h under anaerobic condition, and (iii) 200mg/(g VSS)h under aerobic conditions with energy also supplied from polyphosphate. A side stream, with initially anaerobic conditions for PHB accumulation and phosphorus release, and then aerobic conditions for PHB accumulation, was proposed. In this side stream, biomass with a high PHB content and a high PHB production rate could be both achieved.
authors.affiliation: Civil Engineering, College of Engineering and Informatics, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodgers
authors.forename: Guangxue
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000332:Aerobiosis; D000693:Anaerobiosis; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D018533:Biomass; D019149:Bioreactors; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010969:Plastics; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry*; D012037:Refuse Disposal; D012722:Sewage; D013997:Time Factors; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics; D011091:Polyesters; D012722:Sewage; C107955:poly(4-hydroxybutanoate); D010758:Phosphorus