title: Effects of feedstock carbon to nitrogen ratio and organic loading on foaming potential in mesophilic food waste anaerobic digestion.
abstract: Foaming problem which occurred occasionally during food waste (FW) anaerobic digestion (AD) was investigated with the Malaysian FW by stepwise increase in organic loading (OL) from 0.5 to 7.5 g VS/L. The FW feedstock with carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio of 17 was upgraded to C/N ratio of 26 and 30 by mixing with other wastes. The digestion which was carried out at 37 °C in 1-L batch reactors showed that foam formation initiated at OL of 1.5 g VS/L and was further enhanced as OL of feedstock was increased. The digestion foaming reached its maximum at OL of 5.5 g VS/L and did not increase further even when OL was increased to 7.5 g VS/Ld. Increase in the C/N ratio of feedstock significantly enhanced the microbial degradation activity, leading to better removal of foam causing intermediates and reduced foaming in the reactor by up to 60%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Musa Idris
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Tanimu
authors.forename: Tinia Idaty
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Mohd Ghazi
authors.forename: Mohd Razif
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Harun
authors.forename: Azni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Idris
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D019149:Bioreactors / Q000382:microbiology; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004063:Digestion; D005516:Food Microbiology; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D012037:Refuse Disposal; D014866:Waste Products / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014866:Waste Products; D002244:Carbon; D009584:Nitrogen