Brazil Session 1 Municipal Wastewaters

Oral presentations
Municipal wastewaters
Contents
Hour Title Country
UTC-3
14:50 – 15:10 A new synthetic wastewater formula The Netherlands
resembling domestic sewage
González Adrian, Moreno Viridiana, van Lier Jules

B., de Kreuk Merle
15:10 – 15:30 Low-cost gas density biochemical methane Spain

potential (BMP) method
Astals Sergi, Justesen Camilla G., Mortensen Jacob

R., Thorsen Rasmus, Koch Konrad, Weinrich Soren,
Triolo Jin M., Hafner Sasha D.
15:30 – 15:50 Performance of an anaerobic high-rate Colombia

reactor for the treatment of complex
domestic wastewater in a warm-climate
region
Berrio Restrepo Jorge M., Saldarriaga Molina Julio

C., Correa Ochoa Mauricio C.
15:50 – 16_10 Evaluation of increased biogas production by Brazil

adding an anaerobic filter at the upper half
part of a hybrid UASB at different
temperatures
Ramos José Gustavo, Leon Fernanda A., Franzoni

Ruana M., Brasil Jossy K., Carvalho Karina Q., Passig
Fernando H.
16:10 – 16:30 Feasibility of sequential biofilters for the Brazil

abatement of H2S and CH4 desorbed from
anaerobic effluents
Santos Juliana M. B., Peixoto Júlia S., Dias Liziane

G. C., Faria Rafael C. A., Brandt Emanuel M. F.,
Chernicharo Carlos A. L.
16:30 – 16:50 Anaerobic codigestion of organic waste and Brazil

toilet paper for hydrogen production
Palma Gomes Devson Paulo, Galindo Edith, Moreno

Iván, Gavazza Sávia, Buitrón Germán
A new synthetic wastewater formula resembling domestic sewage
A. Gonzalez1, V. Moreno, J.B. van Lier, M.K. de Kreuk

Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Department of Water Management, Sanitary Engineering Section, Delft
University of Technology, Stevinweg 1, 2628 CN, Delft, The Netherlands. 1 j.a.gonzalezortega@tudelft.nl
Highlights
 We characterized and compared synthetic wastewater formulas to assess their similarity to sewage.
 We found that some formulas do not accurately emulate real wastewater.
 Formulas had an excess of carbohydrates, absence of humic substances and deficit of metals.
 We propose a formula that is similar to domestic wastewater in our area.
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to develop a new formula to emulate wastewater. We drew on four previous formulas
and compare them with three samples of sewage to validate their suitability. In the process, we characterized
published formulas, as sometimes little information is disclosed about them and also because a direct comparison
is difficult due to the different analytical methods used. Our results show that compared to their real
counterparts, synthetic wastewaters had an excess of easily biodegradable carbohydrates, a deficit of metals and
an absence of humic substances. Based on these findings, we propose a new formula that more accurately
resembles the domestic wastewater of the cites of Delft and The Hague, The Netherlands. We consider that this
formula could be of value to achieve both lab-scale mixed liquors that are more similar to full-scale systems.
Keywords: synthetic wastewater; domestic wastewater; wastewater characterization.
Introduction
Some experimental work uses synthetic wastewater (i.e. growth medium) to emulate sewage to
reproduce biological processes in lab-scale. Such medium exerts a relevant role in the ecology and
process performance of the grown liquors, resulting in outcomes that often deviate from the ones
observed with real sewage. Examples are differences in granulation (Layer et al., 2019; Aiyuk and
Verstraete, 2004); specific methane production (Xu et al., 2017), nutrient removal (Henze et al.,
1997); and flocculation (Park et al., 2003). Therefore, previous studies have underlined the necessity
of more accurate formulas for synthetic wastewater (Bracklow et al., 2007; Layer et al., 2019). The
objective of this study is to devise a more accurate formula to emulate settled wastewater.
Materials and Methods
Three samples of settled wastewater were taken from different plants treating mostly domestic
wastewater. Sampling took place during winter (during the rainy season). The results from the three
plants were averaged and presented as average results ± standard deviation. Similarly, four synthetic
wastewater formulas were retrieved from literature (Aiyuk and Verstraete, 2004; Martín et al., 2010;
Ozgun et al., 2013; Xu et al., 2017) which are referred as formulas A, B, C, and D, respectively. These
solutions were prepared with tap water and analytical grade reagents and normalized to a COD value
of 300 mg/L to facilitate comparison. The following analyses were performed: polysaccharides, using
the method of Dubois and glucose as standard; humic substances, based on the method of Frolund and
using humic substance as standard.
Volatile fatty acids were analyzed with a gas chromatography according to the methodology of
Ghasimi et al., (2016). Total nitrogen and ammonium were analyzed using cuvette test systems (Hach
Lange GmbH, Germany) according to methods EN ISO 11905-1 for Total Nitrogen and ISO 7150-1,
DIN 38406 E5-1, UNI 11669:2017 for ammonium. Kjeldahl Nitrogen (N-Kj) was analyzed based on
the Dutch Norms NEN-ISO 5663 and NEN-ISO 15923-1. Metals were measure with ICP-OES, after
solubilization with microwave digestion at acidic conditions. Finally, alkalinity was measured with a
titration with a solution of 0.1 M of HCl, using a sample of 100 mL.
Results and Discussion
Macromolecules
All the studied formulas had an excess of carbohydrates, which are added in the form of starch and/or
glucose (Figure 1). However, it is likely that starch and glucose contained in real wastewater is already
fermented in the sewers during its way to the treatment plant (Henze et al., 1997). As a consequence,
such carbon sources do not accurately represent the type of carbohydrate present in sewage. Based on
the results from Huang et al., (2010), around 20% of TOC in Chinese wastewater came from fibers
(e.g. toilet tissue). Despite the addition of toilet tissue is an inexpensive an realistic option, it may
cause clogging in lab-scale valves and pumps. Thus we propose the addition of cellulose as
alternative.
250
200
150
mg/L
100
50
0
Wastewater A B C D This study
Carbohydrates Humic substances Acetic acid Propionic acid

Figure 1 Concentration of some organic compounds
Humic substances are major components of sewage that are not included in any of the analyzed
synthetic formulas. They affect complexation, adsorption and chelation of the sludge matrix, which
translates into improved nutrient binding, increased microbial activity and floc formation (Lipczynska,
2008). Moreover, their high concentration considerably impacts the distribution and character of the
organic pool in wastewater. We propose the addition of an inexpensive and readily available humic
matter-based additive used in agriculture to account for this fraction. The addition of such products
may substantially reduce the cost of the addition analytical-grade humic acid in the amount required to
reach the concentration found in wastewater.
We proposed a concentration of acetic acid that is more similar to the real wastewater and also
included a proper amount of propionic acid as detected in one sample of sewage. In aerobic systems,
the presence of both acids provides a selective advantage to PAO over GAO, thus enhancing
biological phosphorus removal (Seviour and Nielsen, 2010). In anaerobic processes, a more realistic
amount of VFA in the feed would result into a more appropriated VFA/COD ratio in operation.
As a result of the addition of humic substances and the decrease of carbohydrates, the proposed
formula had a COD/BOD of 2.63, similar to the values of sewage (1.85 ± 0.34 and 2.43 ± 1.19, n=6),
and substantially higher than the studied formulas (1.47-1.79). This indicates that the resulting growth
medium has a similar biodegradability compared to real wastewater.
Nutrients
All the studied formulas had a deficiency in NH4+, Kjeldahl and/or total Nitrogen (Figure 2), which
can be solved by the addition of urea and/or NH4Cl. In this respect, we choose to stay in the low range
of the ammonium concentration to avoid potential inhibition during the start-up of the biological
process, when the biomass has not reach its design concentration. Afterwards, the concentration of
NH4+ can be increased to an appropriated value.
As nitrification consumes 7.14 mg CaCO3/mg NH4+, sufficient alkalinity is necessary to oxidize

ammonium to nitrate. We found that alkalinity in all synthetic formulas would barely suffice to
achieve complete nitrification and to maintain a residual value of 70 mg CaCO3/L. This is relevant
when an aerobic stage follows an anaerobic phase (e.g. for enhanced biological Phosphorus removal,
EBPR). We attempted to compensated the deficit of alkalinity via the addition of NaHCO3, however, it
resulted into an unacceptable pH value of 8.33 (compared to 7.5 ± 0.17, n=3). Nevertheless, the
alkalinity in our formula is stoichiometrically sufficient to achieve complete nitrification and to leave a
reasonable residual.
120 1200
Alkalinity, mg CacO3/L
100 1000
N-species mg/L
80 800
60 600
40 400
20 200
0 0
Nitrogen total Kjeldahl Nitrogen Ammonium Alkalinity
Figure 2 Concentration of N-species and alkalinity
Contrary to Nitrogen species, the content of phosphate and total Phosphorus in the formulas was
similar to that of sewage. However, a deficient biological P-removal may result when feeding with
formulas A ,B and D due to a deficit of Magnesium (Rickard and Mcclintock, 1992). We elaborate on
the topic of Mg and other metals in the next section.
Metals
Metals such as Fe, Al, Ca, Mg, Na and K were detected in lower concentrations in synthetic
wastewaters compared to sewage (Figure 3). Such elements have both positive and negative roles in
flocculation, settling and dewatering of activated sludge (Park et al., 2003; Xu et al., 2017), thus their
absence may cause marked differences in sludge morphology and operation of the biological process.
Regarding trace metals, there was also a deficit of Manganese, which is important for the production
and functioning of enzymes and co-factors. On the other hand, formulas A, B and C had an excessive
amount of Copper and/or Cobalt (data not shown), which may result into toxicity of biological
process. To account for a more realistic content of trace elements, we modified the trace metal solution
from Ozgun et al., (2013), to account for a more suitable concentration of metals in the proposed
synthetic wastewater.
80 4
70 3.5
Ca, K, Mg and Na, mg/L
60 3
Al and Fe, mg/L
50 2.5
40 2
30 1.5
20 1
10 0.5
0 0
Ca K Mg Na Fe Al
Figure 3 Concentration of metals in real and synthetic wastewaters

Discussion
As expected, we found substantial variations in the composition of the three real wastewater samples.
The concentration of the some parameters were impacted not only by the location but also by season
and meteorological events. However, most of the measured parameters were detected in three
treatment plants during the sampling events, only presenting changes in their concentration. In other
words, despite the varying nature of sewage, there was a core of components that is ubiquitous in
wastewater and was always detected, probably as a result anthropometric habits.
Previous studies have suggested that the differences between real and synthetic wastewater may
account for some of the observed differences in the characteristics of lab-grown liquors compared to
full-scale sludge (see Introduction section). Our next study aims to study the effect of the proposed
grown medium in the formation of a microbial consortium that is similar to its in full-scale equivalent.
As the composition of the formula is open to variation, we invite interested researchers to enrich it to
develop a more realistic synthetic wastewater.
Conclusions
-There is no “model” domestic wastewater, although it seems that some components are ubiquitous.
-Published formulas generally provide a surplus of easily biodegradable carbohydrates and a deficit of
humic substances and metals.
Acknowledgements.- To the Mexican National Council of Science and Technology (CONACyT) for
the scholarship No. 410688 granted to the first author.
References
Aiyuk, S., & Verstraete, W. 2004 Sedimentological evolution in an UASB treating SYNTHES, a new
representative synthetic sewage, at low loading rates. Bioresource Technology. 93(3), 269–278.
Bracklow, U., Drews, A., Vocks, M., & Kraume, M. 2007 Comparison of nutrients degradation in small scale
membrane bioreactors fed with synthetic/domestic wastewater. Journal of Hazardous Materials. 144, 620–
626.
Ghasimi, D. S. M., Aboudi, K., de Kreuk, M., Zandvoort, M. H., & van Lier, J. B. 2016 Impact of
lignocellulosic-waste intermediates on hydrolysis and methanogenesis under thermophilic and mesophilic
conditions. Chemical Engineering Journal. 295, 181–191.
Henze, M., Aspegren, H., Jansen, J. C., Nielsen, P. H., & Lee, N. 1997 Effect of solids retention time and
wastewater characteristics on biological phosphorus removal. Water Science and Technology. 45(6), 137–
144.
Huang, M., Li, Y., & Gu, G. 2010 Chemical composition of organic matters in domestic wastewater.
Desalination. 262, 36–42.
Layer, M., Adler, A., Reynaert, E., Hernandez, A., Pagni, M., & Morgenroth, E. 2019 Organic substrate
diffusibility governs microbial community composition , nutrient removal performance and kinetics of
granulation of aerobic granular sludge. Water Research X. 4, 100033.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wroa.2019.100033
Lipczynska-kochany, E. 2018 Humic substances, their microbial interactions and effects on biological
transformations of organic pollutants in water and soil: A review. Chemosphere. 202, 420–437.
Martín, M. A., De la Rubia, M. A., Martín, A., Borja, R., Montalvo, S., & Sánchez, E. 2010 Kinetic evaluation
of the psychrophilic anaerobic digestion of synthetic domestic sewage using an upflow filter. Bioresource
Technology. 101(1), 131–137.
Ozgun, H., Ersahin, M. E., Tao, Y., Spanjers, H., & van Lier, J. B. 2013 Effect of upflow velocity on the effluent
membrane fouling potential in membrane coupled upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors. Bioresource
Technology. 147, 285–292.
Park, C., Muller, C. D., Abu-Orf, M. M., & Novak, J. T. 2006 The effect of wastewater cations on activated
sludge characteristics: Effects of aluminum and iron in floc. Water Environment Research. 78, 31–40.
Rickard, L. F., & McClintock, S. A. 1992 Potassium and Magnesium requirements for enhanced biological
Phosphorus removal from wastewater. Water Science and Technology (Vol. 26).
Seviour, R., & Nielsen, P. H. 2010. Microbial ecology of activated sludge. IWA publishing.
Xu, Y., Lu, Y., Dai, X., & Dong, B. 2017 The influence of organic-binding metals on the biogas conversion of
sewage sludge. Water Research. 126, 329–341.
Low-Cost Gas Density Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) Method
S. Astals*,1, C.G. Justesen**, J.R. Mortensen**, R. Thorsen**, K. Koch***, S. Weinrich****, J.M.
Triolo*****, S.D. Hafner**
* Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Chemistry, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
** Department of Engineering, Aarhus University, 8200 Aarhus, Denmark
*** Chair of Urban Water Systems Engineering, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
**** Biochemical Conversion Department, German Biomass Research Center GmbH, 04347 Leipzig, Germany
***** Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
1 Sergi Astals Garcia, sastals@ub.edu
Highlights
• Simple, accurate and precise method for BMP measurement.
• Measurements only require a scale and a plastic syringe.
• No bias compared to other volumetric and gravimetric BMP methods.
• The method is still accurate with the presence of leaks.
Abstract: Biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests are essential for anaerobic digestion research and
application. However, expenses associated with the acquisition and maintenance of laboratory equipment used
for BMP tests makes them expensive for many laboratories. This prevents BMP test to be conducted on a regular
basis. The present manuscript described the development and validation of a low-cost method for carrying out
BMP tests. In this method, bottle mass loss and biogas volume measurements are used to determine biogas
density, and from that, biogas composition. The method uses common laboratory equipment, including an
electronic scale and plastic syringes. Results from four experiments carried out in three different laboratories and
countries showed that the proposed method is accurate and precise. Results from the GD-BMP method were also
comparable to the ones obtained using an automated AMPTSII system in two independent laboratories
(maximum difference 10%). Importantly, the GD-BMP method was accurate even in the presence of leakage.
The proposed GD-BMP method represents a significant breakthrough for anaerobic digestion research since it
means that accurate BMP measurements are possible with minimal investment in equipment and supplies.
Keywords: Anaerobic digestion; Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) test; Methane yield; Laboratory
methods; Inter-laboratory comparison
Introduction
Anaerobic digestion is a mature technology to produce renewable biogas energy from agricultural,
municipal and industrial organic waste streams. The biochemical methane potential (BMP) is an
important parameter for research and biogas plant management since it represents the maximum
methane yield that can be obtained from a substrate. Conventional experimental methods used to
measure the BMP include: (i) volumetric methods, where biogas is displaced to an external vessel, and
(ii) manometric methods, where biogas is accumulated in the bottle headspace (Raposo et al., 2012).
Gravimetric BMP measurement, based on weight loss, is also possible (Hafner et al., 2015). Most of
these methods require separate analysis of the biogas CH4 concentration by gas chromatography (GC)
or infrared analysis (IR). However, this equipment requires a significant financial investment (e.g.
acquisition, maintenance, standards). Automated systems, which remove CO2 from biogas by
scrubbing it through an alkaline solution, are gaining popularity among practitioners. However, the
cost of automated systems is too high for many laboratories and biogas plants, restricting biogas
research and application. This paper addresses BMP measurements cost limitations by presenting a
simple yet accurate method to measure the BMP of organic substrates.
This paper presents a low-cost gas density (GD) methodology for BMP measurement, which relies on
biogas mass and volume measurements. Gas density is used to estimate biogas composition, which is
combined with biogas production to calculate CH4 production. The key advantage of the gas density-
based BMP (GD-BMP) method is that it only requires simple, inexpensive, and common laboratory
equipment, including a laboratory scale and a plastic syringe.
More details on the method can be found in a recent open-access publication (Justesen et al., 2019) as
well as the Standard BMP Methods website (https://www.dbfz.de/en/projects/bmp/).
Material and Methods

GD-BMP Method Measurements
The GD-BMP method requires (i) an electronic scale with enough accuracy, (ii) a 60 mL plastic
syringe and a U-tube manometer to measure biogas volume at atmospheric pressure, (iii) an incubator,
and (iv) usual BMP supplies (e.g. serum bottles, septa, and crimps). Scale accuracy should typically be
30 mg per g substrate VS (manufacturer’s stated accuracy, or linearity) or better, and checked at every
sampling event using control bottles containing water only. BMP bottles are prepared and incubated
following conventional protocols (Angelidaki et al., 2009; Holliger et al., 2016). In each sampling
event, mass loss and biogas volume are measured. The steps carried out in each sampling event are:
1. Mix the bottle by swirling;
2. Weigh the bottle and record the pre-venting mass;
3. Remove biogas with a syringe and record vented biogas volume at atmospheric pressure;
4. Weigh the bottle and record post-venting mass.
Figure 1. The data collection steps required for gas density-based BMP (GD-BMP) method.
GD-BMP Method Calculations

Biogas density (ρb, g/mL) at 1 atm and 0 °C (standard conditions) is calculated from bottle mass loss
(Δmb, g) and standardized biogas volume (Vb, mL), with a correction for the water vapor content of
vented biogas (cH2O, g/mL) (Equation 1). Typically mass loss and volume are from the entire
incubation duration (GDt algorithm), but alternatives exists, e.g., for circumventing effects of leakage
(Justesen et al., 2019). Water vapor pressure can be calculated using an empirical equation (Equation
2), where Ths is the bottle headspace temperature. Equation 3 is used to calculate the concentration of
water in the vented biogas, where MH2O is 18 g/mol, phs is the headspace pressure before venting in
kPa, and υb is the molar volume of biogas at STP conditions (22300 mL/mol). Subsequently, Equation
4 is used to calculate the biogas molar mass. Lastly, the mole fraction of CH4 in biogas is calculated
using Equation 5, where MCO2 is 44 g/mol and MCH4 is 16 g/mol. Equation 5 considers xCH4 + xCO2 = 1.
A more detailed description of the calculation can be found in Justesen et al. (2019) and Hafner et al.
(2020). Furthermore calculation can be done using the web application OBA in an Internet browser
(Hafner et al., 2018).
∆𝑚𝑚𝑏𝑏
𝜌𝜌𝑏𝑏 = − 𝑐𝑐𝐻𝐻2𝑂𝑂 (Eq. 1)
𝑉𝑉𝑏𝑏
17.625·Ths
pH2O = 0.61094 ·e 243.04+T hs (Eq. 2)
pH2O 1
cH2O = MH2O · · (Eq. 3)
phs − pH2O 𝑣𝑣b
𝑀𝑀𝑏𝑏 = 𝜌𝜌𝑏𝑏 · 𝑣𝑣𝑏𝑏 (Eq. 4)
MCO2 − Mb
xCH4 = (Eq. 5)
MCO2 − MCH4
Experiments
Briefly, the method was developed in University of Southern Denmark (SDU) with experiment 1A
and 1B. Subsequently, the method was tested at the University of Queensland (UQ) to ensure that
success of the GD method did not depend on equipment or technicians (Experiment 2). Experiment 3
was an inter-laboratory comparison carried out with the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and
the German Biomass Research Center (DBFZ).
Table 1. Summary of the experiments carried out to develop and validate the GD-BMP methods
Experiment
1A 1B 2 3
Institution
SDU SDU UQ AU, TUM, DBFZ
abbreviation
FI1, FI2, FI3, RS, HS1, HS2,
FI3, FI3, WS,
Substrates* ethanol, ethanol,
cellulose cellulose
cellulose cellulose
Volumetric, Volumetric,
Manometric,
manometric, manometric, GD (AU), AMPTS
Measuring methods gravimetric,
gravimetric, gravimetric, II (TUM and DBFZ)
GD
GD GD
Biogas leakage Yes Yes No No

Experiment 1
Results from the GD-BMP method were
similar to gravimetric and volumetric results,
even in the presence of leakage. This accuracy
in the presence of leakage is a competitive
advantage of the GD method over other
methods (except for the gravimetric). When
leakage is present, results should be based on
the venting mass loss instead of on the total
mass loss (GDv algorithm).
The GD method showed a higher random error
(13%) that the other methods (> 4%) used in
Experiment 1. Errors could be related to the
precision of the scale (0.1 g readability) since
in most sampling events the mass loss was
only 0.1 g, and the median value was 0.2 g.
Therefore, there only was a single significant
digit. Due to the non-additive nature of bottle
mass loss estimates (when using total mass
loss), these errors compensated over time, so
BMP estimates were still accurate with
inaccurate estimates of biogas composition and
CH4 volume. Consequently, a higher accuracy
scale is recommended when carrying out using
GD-BMP method, especially for the inoculum- Figure 2. Specific methane production curves from
only bottles. Experiment 2 comparing gravimetric (dashed lines)
and gas density (dotted lines) methods
Experiment 2
Results from Experiment 2 showed that the GD-BMP method can be easily adopted by a new lab with
anaerobic digestion experience. At UQ, 160 mL serum bottles and an analytical balance (readability
0.1 mg) were used, which resulted in a high degree of accuracy for the GD method compared to
Experiment 1. At UQ, the GD-BMP method was compared with the manometric and gravimetric
methods, both using a gas chromatograph to determine the biogas composition. BMP estimates
obtained by the GD method differed from gravimetric results by less than 3% for both substrates.
Indeed, gravimetric and GD BMP results were obtained from two independent sets of bottles,
therefore the small differences in BMP include random error unrelated to the analytical method. There
was no evidence of a systematic difference between GD and gravimetric results (overall mean
difference −9.1 mL/gVS, p = 0.35 from Dunnett’s test) and both with high precision (RSD < 2.5%).
Manometric estimates of BMP for cellulose (323 mL/gVS) were lower than both gravimetric and GD
estimates (371 and 358 mL/gVS, respectively). This difference was almost certainly related to error in
manometric measurements, as described in Hafner and Astals (2019).
Experiment 3
The comparison of GD-BMP results with the carried out using the automated AMPTS II in two
independent laboratories showed only relatively small differences among methods. GD-BMP results
differed from those obtained with AMPTS II units by between 1% and 10%. These differences are
quite small compared to those observed in other inter-laboratory comparisons of BMP. The inter-
laboratory comparison could not confirm high accuracy of the GD-BMP method, but showed that
there is no systematic problem with the GD-BMP method. On the contrary, it provided additional
evidence that the GD-BMP method is a valid method to measure the BMP of organic substrates.
Conclusions
The GD-BMP method is a valid yet simple method for BMP measurement. The method can provide
BMP results with accuracy and precision comparable to conventional manual and automated methods.
This low-cost method improves accessibility of accurate BMP measurement, which makes BMP
analysis more widely available for both research and practice.
Acknowledgements This research was partly funded by Australian Research Council, grant number
DE170100497 and the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, grant number RYC-
2017-22372.
References
Angelidaki, I., Alves, M., Bolzonella, D., Borzacconi, L., Campos, J.L., Guwy, A.J., Kalyuzhnyi, S., Jenicek, P.,
van Lier, J.B., 2009. Defining the biomethane potential (BMP) of solid organic wastes and energy crops: a
proposed protocol for batch assays. Water Science and Technology 59, 927–934.
Hafner, S.D., Astals, S., 2019. Systematic error in manometric measurement of biochemical methane potential:
Sources and solutions. Waste Management 91, 147–155.
Hafner, S.D., Justesen, C., Thorsen, R., Astals, S., Holliger, C., Koch, K., Weinrich, S., 2020. Calculation of
Methane Production from Gas Density-Based Measurements. Standard BMP Methods document 203,
version 1.5. [WWW Document]. URL https://www.dbfz.de/en/BMP (accessed 4.19.20).
Hafner, S.D., Koch, K., Carrere, H., Astals, S., Weinrich, S., Rennuit, C., 2018. Software for biogas research:
Tools for measurement and prediction of methane production. SoftwareX 7, 205–210.
Hafner, S.D., Rennuit, C., Triolo, J.M., Richards, B.K., 2015. Validation of a simple gravimetric method for
measuring biogas production in laboratory experiments. Biomass and Bioenergy 83, 297–301.
Holliger, C., Alves, M., Andrade, D., Angelidaki, I., Astals, S., (…), Wierinck, I., 2016. Towards a
standardization of biomethane potential tests. Water Science and Technology 74, 2515–2522.
Justesen, C.G., Astals, S., Mortensen, J.R., Thorsen, R., Koch, K., Weinrich, S., Triolo, J.M., Hafner, S.D., 2019.
Development and Validation of a Low-Cost Gas Density Method for Measuring Biochemical Methane
Potential (BMP). Water 11, 2431.
Raposo, F., De La Rubia, M.A., Fernández-Cegrí, V., Borja, R., 2012. Anaerobic digestion of solid organic
substrates in batch mode: An overview relating to methane yields and experimental procedures. Renewable
and Sustainable Energy Reviews 16, 861–877.
Performance of an anaerobic high-rate reactor for the treatment of complex
domestic wastewater in a warm-climate region
J.M. Berrio-Restrepo*1, J.C. Saldarriaga-Molina*, M.C. Correa-Ochoa*
* Grupo de Ingeniería y Gestión Ambiental GIGA, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Antioquia UdeA, Calle 67 No. 53-
108, Medellín, Colombia
1 jorgem.berrio@udea.edu.co
Highlights
• Anaerobic treatment of complex domestic wastewater.
• Performance analysis of high-rate anaerobic reactor.
• Nutrient removal under anaerobic conditions.
Abstract: Nowadays, the biological processes are widely used to remove organic matter, nutrients (nitrogen and
phosphorus mainly), and other pollutants from the wastewater. However, the operational costs of these processes
and their intricate steps have a notable impact on the pollutants to remove. In this regard, high-rate anaerobic
reactors have been used as an alternative treatment of domestic wastewater in developing countries. The goal of
this research is to analyse the performance of a UASB high-rate reactor fed with synthetic wastewater. The
synthetic wastewater has similar characteristics to medium-strength domestic wastewater with a mean C:N:P ratio
of 100:10:1.34. The reactor had operational conditions as temperature 25 ºC, hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 6
h, mean loads in the inflow of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) of
298 g/d, 30 g/d, and 4 g/d respectively. According to the experimentation results, the high-rate anaerobic reactors
are a sustainable alternative to complex domestic wastewater treatment in the warm-climate regions. An analysis
of principal components showed that there is no correlation between the nutrient concentration in the influent of
the reactor and the performance of the process.
Keywords: Complex domestic wastewater; anaerobic treatment; high-rate anaerobic reactor; UASB, biological
nutrient removal.
Introduction
Wastewater is a complex combination of organic and inorganic pollutants in a liquid matrix. These
substances can be present at several concentrations as a consequence of domestic and industrial activities
(Henze & Comeau, 2008). The complex nature of the wastewater will be determined by the number of
pollutants and its physicochemical properties, the concentrations, and the processes required for their
proper removal (Bassin et al., 2011; Castro-González et al., 2001; Trebouet et al., 2001).
Considering this complex nature, the affectation of the ecosystems due to the discharging of the
wastewater without proper treatment or inadequate treatment is remarkable. Only 20% of the wastewater
produced in the world receives adequate treatment (UNESCO, 2012). In developing countries, the costs
related to the treatment processes have a direct influence on the volume of produced wastewater with
adequate treatment and could be less (Mara, 2004). Actually, some of these treatments remove only an
organic matter fraction of the wastewater before discharging to the water bodies.
In this regard, the anaerobic high-rate reactors use as a sustainable alternative to the treatment of
domestic wastewater in developing countries is increasing (Khan et al., 2011). Additionally, the
anaerobic treatment could offer several advantages that energy-saving, biogas production, and
low sludge generation (Stazi & Tomei, 2018). However, there is not much information related
to nutrient removal dynamics through anaerobic treatments or effluent characteristics neither.
This research aimed to analyse the performance of a UASB high-rate reactor for the complex domestic
wastewater treatment. The results will support the possibility of using anaerobic treatment as a
sustainable alternative for the treatment of domestic wastewater with a high concentration of nutrients
in developing countries. Additionally, the experimentation allowed determining the physicochemical
characteristics of the reactor effluent to design a complementary step in the treatment process. A research
question was posed to the achievement of the goals: How are the removal characteristics in a UASB
high-rate anaerobic reactor fed with synthetic wastewater?
A UASB reactor of 121 L was inoculated with 60 L of anaerobic granular sludge (1-3 mm) from an
anaerobic system for the treatment of the dairy wastes. The reactor was continually fed with synthetic
wastewater (SWW) at mean loads of 298 g COD/d, 30 g TN/d, and 4 g TP/d maintaining a C:N:P ratio
of 100:10:1.34. For the SWW, the organic matter (OM) and macronutrient source was a dehydrated
animal protein powder solution. The minor elements were supplemented to the SWW, according to
Smolders et al. (1994). The biodegradability ratio (BOD5/COD) of the SWW was 0.51. Other
operational mean conditions of the system were the temperature at 25 ºC, the hydraulic retention time
(HRT) of 6 h, and the biomass concentration of 11.21 g TS/L.
Several parameters as temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and oxidation-
reduction potential were daily measured to verify the process stability. The outflow pH was measured
in real-time to avoid dropping below to 6.8 by the addition of NaHCO3 to the SWW. Additionally,
performance parameters such as chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), total
Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), ammonium (NH4+), nitrates (NO3−), nitrites (NO2−), total phosphorous (TP),
and biogas composition were measured weekly to establish the treatment performance. The parameter
determination was performed based on the Manual on Standard Methods for the examination of water
and wastewater (APHA et al., 2017).
The OM, nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) removal performance was evaluated from the difference of
COD, TKN, NO2-, NO3-, and TP loads between the inflow and outflow of the UASB reactor. The
characteristics description of the SWW and the outflow of the reactor, and the mean performance of the
treatment are shown in the Table 1.
Table 1. Statistical description of the performance parameters in a UASB high-rate

reactor operation fed with synthetic wastewater
Inflow Outflow Performance
Mean (±SD) Mean (±SD) Mean (±SD)
Organic matter n/a n/a 81.36% (±6.59)
Nitrogen n/a n/a 22.79% (±13.99)
Phosphorus n/a n/a 5.09% (±20.46)
COD (mg/L) 627.54 (±145.30) 115.32 (±44.53) n/a
TKN (mg/L) 63.76 (±15.25) 44.38 (±12.76) n/a
+
NH4 (mg/L) 2.61 (±1.30) 36.34 (±13.99) n/a
NO2- (mg/L) 0.10 (±0.21) 0.08 (±0.14) n/a
NO3- (mg/L) 0.19 (±0.12) 0.28 (±0.32) n/a
TP (mg/L) 8.36 (±2.77) 7.81 (±2.37) n/a
The obtained performance for OM removal (81.36%) is slightly higher than other results reported in the
literature for high-rate anaerobic reactors under similar operating conditions of temperature and HRT
(Khan et al., 2011; Stazi & Tomei, 2018). However, the analysed parameters include the biomass
fraction that left the reactor through the operation. Due to the mean concentration of solids in the outflow
of 0.63 g TS/L (±0.08), it can argue that the biomass affects the removal performance.
The mean methane content in the biogas was 78% (±2). Nevertheless, the biogas production was not
measured trough the experimentation, neither the volatile fatty acids (VFA). The reactor stability was
evaluated through the SWW pH reduction from 8.33 (±0.24) in the inflow to 6.97 (±0.16) in the outflow.
If the pH value in the effluent was near to the setpoint, the reactor operation was controlled by adding
NaHCO3 to maintain active the methanogenic populations in the system (Chernicharo et al., 2015). The
biogas production and composition were stable through the experimentation due to the controlled pH.
On the other hand, the information in the literature related to the nutrient removal from anaerobic high-
rate reactors is scarce. Mainly due to the low nutritional requirements of the anaerobic respiration (C:N:P
ratio of 350:7:1) and the hydrolyzation processes during the reactor's operation (Gerardi, 2003; Khan et
al., 2011). In this research, were obtained nutrient removal mean performance of 22.79% and 5.09% for
N and P respectively. This performance represents a reactor nutrient consumption expressed in terms of
the C:N:P ratio of 350:11:0.42. The experimentation results suggest that the higher consumption of N
in the reactor could be related to the ammonification process. A Spearman correlation of 0.80 (p
value of 0.01) between the ammonia concentration in the SWW and the N removal, support this
hypothesis.
As mentioned before, the total solids concentration in the outflow of the reactor affects OM removal
and nutrient removal as well. Related to this, a statistically significant correlation was found between
the effluent COD and the removal of OM (-0.76, a p value of 0.01) and P (-0.77, a p value of 0.01).
Likewise, a correlation of -0.62 (p-value of 0.04) between the total solids in the effluent and the N
removal performance was found. Figure 1 shows the dynamics affection of the total solids concentration
in the reactor outflow over the removal performance through the operation.
Figure 1. Removal performance and total solids concentration outflow dynamics in a UASB high-rate
reactor fed with synthetic wastewater.
Table 2. Parameters with the highest significance from the

analysis of principal components of a UASB high-rate reactor fed
with synthetic wastewater
Component 1 Component 2
Parameter Weight Parameter Weight
Inflow TKN 0.22 Outflow pH -0.36
Inflow COD 0.22 Outflow COD -0.34
Inflow NH4+ 0.22 Inflow EC 0.33
Inflow NO3- -0.22 Inflow DO -0.32
Outflow TS -0.21 Outflow TP -0.31
Influent T 0.20 Inflow NO2- -0.29
Finally, the statistical analysis of the results suggests that the concentration of nutrients in the SWW did
not affect the removal performance through the experimentation. The removal performance of the
reactor was directly affected due to the solids concentration increasing in the outflow. Therefore, the
improvement of the reactor design for the effective separation of the solids in the effluent is
recommended. An analysis of principal components (PCA) showed that the electron acceptors (O2, NO2-
, NO3-) in the SWW could affect de microbial populations in the reactor, until its depletion. Table 2
shows the parameters with the highest significance for the experiments, with the corresponding weights.
Conclusions
According to the experimentation results, the high-rate anaerobic reactors are a sustainable alternative
to complex domestic wastewater treatment in the warm-climate regions. Besides, the energetic
exploitation of the sub products derived from the anaerobic treatment could be a surplus. However, the
complex composition of the wastewater in the developing countries requires complementary processes
to the anaerobic treatment for nutrient removal. These complementary processes must use strategies
with low-cost investment to deal with environmental problems as the water bodies eutrophication. Some
of these strategies could include oxidation ponds, water reuse, and microalgae. Currently, a microalgae
system as complementary process for the UASB reactor is under development.
Acknowledgements. This research was funded with resources provided by the Colombian Department
of Science, Technology and Innovation (COLCIENCIAS), the University of Antioquia, and the GIGA
research group associated to the School of Engineering of Universidad de Antioquia. Furthermore,
authors would like to thank to the Environmental Studies Laboratory of Universidad de Antioquia for
the support provided to achieve this research.
References
APHA, AWWA, & WEF (Eds.). (2017). Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater (23rd
ed.). American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association, Water Environment
Federation: Washington D.C., USA.
Bassin, J. P., Pronk, M., Muyzer, G., Kleerebezem, R., Dezotti, M., & van Loosdrecht, M. C. 2011. Effect of
elevated salt concentrations on the aerobic granular sludge process: linking microbial activity with
microbial community structure. Appl Environ Microbiol, 77(22), 7942-7953. doi:10.1128/AEM.05016-
11
Castro-González, A., Enrıq́ uez-Poy, M., & Durán-de-Bazúa, C. 2001. Design, Construction, and Starting-up of an
Anaerobic Reactor for the Stabilisation, Handling, and Disposal of Excess Biological Sludge Generated
in a Wastewater Treatment Plant. Anaerobe, 7(3), 143-149. doi:10.1006/anae.2001.0384
Chernicharo, C. A. L., van Lier, J. B., Noyola, A., & Bressani Ribeiro, T. 2015. Anaerobic sewage treatment: state
of the art, constraints and challenges. Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology, 14(4), 649-
679. doi:10.1007/s11157-015-9377-3
Gerardi, M. H. 2003. The Microbiology of Anaerobic Digesters. Wiley-Interscience: Hoboken, USA.
Henze, M., & Comeau, Y. 2008. Wastewater Characterization. In M. Henze, M. C. M. van Loosdrecht, G. A.
Ekama, & D. Brdjanovic (Eds.), Biological Wastewater Treatment: Principles, Modelling and Design
(pp. 33-52). IWA Publishing: Lóndres, RU
Khan, A. A., Gaur, R. Z., Tyagi, V. K., Khursheed, A., Lew, B., Mehrotra, I., & Kazmi, A. A. 2011. Sustainable
options of post treatment of UASB effluent treating sewage: A review. Resources, Conservation and
Recycling, 55(12), 1232-1251. doi:10.1016/j.resconrec.2011.05.017
Mara, D. 2004. Domestic wastewater treatment in developing countries. Earthscan: London, UK.
Smolders, G., Van der Meij, J., van Loosdrecht, M., & Heijnen, J. 1994. Stoichiometric model of the aerobic
metabolism of the biological phosphorus removal process. Biotechnol Bioeng, 44(7), 837-848.
Stazi, V., & Tomei, M. C. 2018. Enhancing anaerobic treatment of domestic wastewater: State of the art, innovative
technologies and future perspectives. Sci Total Environ, 635, 78-91. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.04.071
Trebouet, D., Schlumpf, J. P., Jaouen, P., & Quemeneur, F. 2001. Stabilized landfill leachate treatment by
combined physicochemical-nanofiltration processes. Water Res, 35(12), 2935-2942.
UNESCO. (2012). Managing water under uncertainty and risk. In Vol. 1. The United Nations World Water
Development Report 4. Retrieved from
http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/SC/pdf/WWDR4%20Volume%201-
Managing%20Water%20under%20Uncertainty%20and%20Risk.pdf
Evaluation of increased biogas production by adding an anaerobic filter at
the upper half part of a hybrid UASB at different temperatures
J. G. V. S. Ramos*¹, F. A. Leon, R**. M. Franzoni*, J. K. Brasil*, K. Q. Carvalho*, F. H. Passig*
*1The Federal University of Technology – Paraná (UTFPR), Civil Engineering Graduate Program, Deputado Heitor de Alencar
Furtado St., 5000, Ecoville, 81280-340 Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. Email address: gustavoramos848@gmail.com
**The Federal University of Technology – Paraná (UTFPR), Academic Department of Chemistry and Biology, Deputado
Heitor de Alencar Furtado St., 5000, Ecoville, 81280-340 Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
Highlights
 The two 3PHS allowed to measure the biogas yield on the lower and upper part of the UAHB.
 Biogas productions in the upper 3PHS had no statistical difference between 18 and 28 °C.
 The reactor configuration provided an increase in biogas yield up to 34.35%.
Abstract: In this research, a bench-scale UAHB reactor treating synthetic domestic sewage and consisting of a
sludge blanket in its lower part and an anaerobic filter in the upper one, was used to evaluate the difference in
biogas yield in each portion. The reactor was operated for 183 days, in three phases, which varied the temperature,
18 °C in the first, 23 °C in the second and 28°C in the third. The HRT was of 8 h. The biogas production increased
with higher temperatures, with the sludge blanket being responsible for it, while the upper part did not show
statistical difference. Although the lower bed was responsible for most of the production, being 78.34(4), 78.60(5)
and 80.30(4)% in each phase respectively, without the anaerobic filter it would decrease about 20% in all stages.
Keywords: Anaerobic process; wastewater treatment; greenhouse gases; domestic sewage; temperature.
Introduction
Among the various parameters influencing the anaerobic digestion, temperature interferes with the
growth rate and microorganism metabolism, ionic balance, and solubility of the substrates, leading to
the limitation of its use in locations with a milder climate (Lettinga et al., 1993).
Over the years, different configurations of the anaerobic reactor have been developed to improve the
treatment performance, such as the Hybrid Anaerobic Reactor (UAHB), in which there is a sludge
blanket in the lower part and an anaerobic filter in the upper part of this reactor. This configuration
promotes solid retention, an increase of the organic matter removal, biogas production, and effluent
polishing compared to the traditional UASB reactor. The upper part of the UAHB reactor improves
phase separation and biological activity, due to the adhered biomass (Tilche & Vieira, 1991; Loganath
& Maszumder, 2018).
Considering these facts, the objective of this study was to investigate the performance of a UAHB
reactor (22.1 L) in relation to the biogas generated in the sludge blanket and in the anaerobic filter when
submitted to different temperatures (18, 23 and 28 °C).
The UAHB was composed of a sludge blanket compartment on the bottom (33 cm height) and a filter
media filled with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) corrugate rings of 3 cm length and 2 cm diameter on the
upper half part (32 cm height). The reactor had two three-phase separators (3PHS); set above the sludge
blanket and the anaerobic filter to possibilities the individual measurement of the biogas yield in each
part.
The reactor was filled with 4 L of granular sludge from a full-scale UASB reactor treating domestic
sewage of more than 8 years of operation. UAHB reactor was fed continuously with synthetic domestic
sewage for approximately 8 months, before the beginning of this study. The OLR was
1.24(0.4) kgCOD m-3 d-1, the HRT was 8 h, the temperature was 18.3(0.2), 23.1(0.2) and 28(0.2) °C, in
32, 39 and 36 days of monitoring period to the phases I, II and III, respectively.
To maintain the temperature constant, the reactor was kept in a water-filled tank, coupled with a
temperature control system consisting of a TIC-17RGTi thermostat from Full Gauge Controls® and a
3000 W electrical resistance. A data acquisition system registered measurements of the liquid and room
temperature and pressure into the two gas outputs (to verify possible gas leaks) every 5 minutes. Biogas
production was measured by a RITTER® MilliGascounters MGC-1 PMMA gas meter, also connected
to a computer. For the lower and upper 3PHS, a signal was sent every 3.18 mL and 3.24 mL of gas
produced, respectively.
The biogas yield, recovered on the lower 3PHS, upper 3PHS and total of the UAHB reactor at the three
operational phases is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1 Biogas yield measured at the lower 3PHS, upper 3PHS and total of the UAHB reactor.
The average biogas production was 3.48(1.0), 4.27(1.6) and 4.50(1.6) L d-1 in the lower part and
0.97(0.3), 1.12(0.4) and 1.09(0.4) L d-1 in the upper part of the reactor at 18, 23 and 28 °C, respectively.
The biogas production totalized 4.45(1.2), 5.40(1.9) and 5.54(1.9) L d-1 in the three operational phases,
respectively.
Biogas production fluctuated during all the operational phases. The lower 3PHS, set above the sludge
blanket, was responsible for the major part of biogas recovery compared to the upper 3PHS. This
behaviour can be attributed to the more biodegradable load applied firstly to the sludge blanket, i.e,
higher efficiency of organic matter degradation (data not shown), followed by the anaerobic filter as a
complementary polishing unity. This behaviour was previously reported by Godinho (2017) and
Michelon (2019) in the same reactor when operated at temperatures above 18 °C.
The daily peak of biogas production reached 5.07 L at 18 °C, 7.61 L at 23 °C and 8.14 L at 28 °C in the
sludge blanket of the reactor, indicating that the temperature probably influenced the rate of microbial
activity in the reactor, as stated by Lettinga et al. (1993). The temperature may have limited such
production in the first phase since the organic load and HRT were constant for the three conditions.
The non-parametric paired Kruskal-Wallis variance test (significance level of 5%) was applied to
compare the biogas production in the reactor at the different temperatures, as shown in Table 1.
Table 1 Variance of biogas production between phases.

Lower - 3PHS Upper - 3PHS
Phases 18; 23 °C 18; 28 °C 23; 28 °C 18; 23 °C 18; 28 °C 23; 28 °C
p-value 0.0427¹ 0.0021¹ 0.6132² 0.0882² 0.2522² 0.8341²
Note: ¹Statistically different, ²Statiscally equal.
Regarding the biogas production of the sludge blanket (lower 3PHS), statistical differences were
observed only between the phase I (at 18 °C) and the phase II (at 23 °C) and between the phase I (at
18 °C) and the phase III (at 28 °C) (p-value < 0.05). Conversely, no statistical differences in the biogas
production were verified in the others operational phases both in the lower and upper 3PHS.
Despite this, attention is drawn to the fact that the anaerobic filter has shown statistical equality in
production between all operational phases (p-value >0.05). This fact may indicate that even at low
temperatures it is able to maintain its effluent polishing function with constant efficiency.
The upper part of UASB type reactors generally shows low microbial activity (Seghezzo et al., 2000;
Lew et al., 2004), in this study, the constant production in the anaerobic filter indicates that its
installation is a beneficial feature of the UAHB reactor, promoting polishing of the effluent.
For the first, second and third phases, the lower 3PHS was responsible for an average of 78.34 (4), 78.60
(5) and 80.30 (4)% of biogas yield, while the upper 3PHS was responsible for 21.78 (4), 21.52 (5) and
19.70 (4)%.
Although the biogas production was different throughout the phases, the average participation of each
3PHS remained very similar, only slightly increasing the participation of the sludge blanket with
increasing temperature.
Godinho (2017), operating the same reactor, observed that the sludge blanket produced 79, 78 and 82%
of the total biogas with constant 8h-HRT, but with OLR of 1.25, 0.75 and 0.25 gCOD L-1, respectively,
values similar to those found in this study. Michelon (2019), in his research, also in the same reactor
used in this work, found that the anaerobic filter was responsible for approximately 70% of the total
production, with 10h-HRT, when the temperatures were between 14.31 (minimum of study) and
17.44 °C. As in this study, the average contribution of the upper part was greater the lower the
temperature was.
It may be that there is a load limit that the sludge blanket can degrade, always allowing organic matter
to pass through the anaerobic filter, which polishes the remaining COD. UASB and anaerobic reactors
in general are known to frequently need polishing in their effluent (Lettinga et al., 1993), the lower part
of the UAHB reactor showed similar behaviour, this disadvantage being mitigated by the upper one.
Another important consideration is that the highest percentages of recovered biogas reached by the upper
3PHS at each phase were 26.49, 34.45 and 30.21%, while the lowest were 14.64, 14.32 and 12.69% for
phases I, II and III, respectively. Thus, it is understood that if the reactor consisted only of sludge blanket
without the filter at the top, biogas yield would be on average about 20% lower, reaching 34.45% in the
second phase, an expressive value, since biogas is a product of the organic matter digestion and,
consequently, the overall treatment efficiencies could be lower without anaerobic filter.
Conclusions
The addition of an anaerobic filter in the upper part of an UASB reactor promoted polishing of the
effluent when operated at 18, 23 and 28 °C and be responsible for about 20% of the production/recovery
of biogas.
Acknowledgements.- The authors would like to thank the Federal Technological University of Paraná
(UTFPR), and the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) –
Finance Code 001 and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) for
the scholarship.
References
Godinho, J. P. 2016 Dynamic and hydrodynamic behavior of hybrid anaerobic reactor (UAHB) subject to varying
hydraulic load rate on the treatment of domestic sewage. MSc thesis, Graduate Program in Environmental
Science and Technology, The Federal University of Technology – Paraná (UTFPR), Curitiba, Brazil. (In
Portuguese)
Lettinga, G., De Man, A., Van Der Last, A. R. M., Wiegant, W., Van Knippenberg, K., Frijns, J., Van Buuren, J.
C. L. 1993 Anaerobic treatment of domestic sewage and wastewater. Water Science and Technology. 27 (9),
67-73.
Lew, B., Tarre, S., Belavski, M. and Green, M. 2004 UASB reactor for domestic wastewater treatment at low
temperatures: a comparison between a classical UASB and hybrid UASB-filter reactor. Water Science and
Technology. 49 (11/12), 295-301.
Loganath, R. and Mazumder, D. 2018 Performance study on organic carbon, total nitrogen, suspended solids
removal and biogas production in hybrid UASB reactor treating real slaughterhouse wastewater. Journal of
Environmental Chemical Engineering. 6 (2), 3474-3484.
Michelon, L. K. 2019 Evaluation of biogas production in a hybrid anaerobic reactor (UAHB) treating synthetic
sewage. MSc thesis, Graduate Program in Environmental Science and Technology, The Federal University of
Technology – Paraná (UTFPR), Curitiba, Brazil. (In Portuguese)
Seghezzo, L., Castañeda, M.L., Trupiano, A., González, S.M., Guerra, R.G., Torres, A., Cuevas, C.M., Zeeman,
G. and Lettinga, G. 2000 Anaerobic treatment of pre-settled sewage in UASB reactors in subtropical regions
(Salta, Argentina). Preprints VI Latin American Workshop and Seminar on Anaerobic Digestion, Recife,
Brazil, 7-13.
Tilche, A and Vieira, S.M.M. 1991 Discussion report on reactor design of anaerobic filters and sludge bed
reactors. Water Science and Technology, 24(8), 193-206.
Feasibility of sequential biofilters for the abatement of H2S and CH4
desorbed from anaerobic effluents
J. M. B. Santos1*, J. S. Peixoto*, L. G. C. Dias*, R. C. A. Faria*, E. M. F. Brandt**, C. A. L. Chernicharo*
* Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil** Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil.
1 Corresponding author, juliana.mattosbs@gmail.com.
Highlights
 The desorption chamber removal efficiency was higher for H 2S than for CH4.
 The combined biofiltration system was capable to fully oxidize H2S.
 The combined biofiltration system is a simple alternative to abate CH4 and H2S emissions.
Abstract: The use of anaerobic technology (e.g. UASB reactors) for sewage treatment has become increasingly
common. Despite having numerous advantages, UASB reactors operation struggle with hydrogen
sulphide (H2S) and methane (CH4) diffuse emissions. These gases can potentially be released from their
effluent into the atmosphere, causing malodors and contributing to the intensification of the greenhouse
effect. In this sense, this study aimed at assessing the performance of a combined system composed of a
packed desorption chamber - (PDC) and two biofilters in series to remove and oxidize H2S and CH4
contained in the effluent of a UASB reactor treating sewage. The PDC presented high removal
efficiencies for H2S (93%) and also for CH4 (69%). The sequential biofiltration system was very
effective in removing CH4 (71%) and H2S (100%) from the gaseous stream released from the PDC.
Overall, these results prove that simple devices such as PDC and biofilters can effectively contribute for
the control of CH4 and H2S emissions in anaerobic-based sewage treatment plants.
Keywords: domestic sewage; greenhouse gas; hydrogen sulphide; malodour; methane.
Introduction
Sewage treatment by means of UASB reactors generates gaseous by-products, notably methane (CH4)
and hydrogen sulfide (H2S), which are partly dissolved in the reactors’ effluents (Souza et al., 2011;
Souza et al., 2012) and afterwards can be discharged into the atmosphere. Diffuse CH4 emissions must
be avoided because CH4 is considered one of the most relevant greenhouse gases (GHGs), having a
global warming potential 28 times greater when compared to CO2 over a 100-year horizon (IPCC,
2014). H2S dissolved in effluents from UASB reactors also brings serious concerns, as it is a toxic gas,
responsible for malodors as well as for corrosion in concrete and metallic structures (Brandt et al.,
2019).
Diffuse emissions from UASB reactors effluents should be captured by means of a gas stripping
system which favors gases desorption by introducing a gaseous (air) stream, generally using a packed
column, which increases mass transfer from the liquid to the gas phase (Heile et al., 2017). The
treatment of the resulting gas stream (waste gas) in biofilters, on the other hand, occurs through
biological oxidation by specific microorganisms (Brandt et al., 2019). Both systems stand out for its
operational simplicity, low implementation costs and high performances (Brandt et al., 2019).
As methanotrophs (bacteria responsible for CH4 oxidation) are affected by low pH (Kennelly, 2013), if
the interest is the abatement of both H2S and CH4, the effects of H2S on CH4 biofiltration should be
considered, either related to H2S toxicity or to pH changes in the filter bed due to H2S oxidation
products. Nevertheless, the literature is scarce in studies addressing such limitation. In this sense, this
study aimed at accessing the performance of a packed desorption chamber - (PDC) on H2S and CH4
removal from a UASB reactor effluent in addition to the performance of two sequential biofilters on
the abatement of the resulting gaseous stream. Setting two biofilters in series, the first one for the H2S
treatment and the second one for the CH4 treatment, would be a key factor in joining H2S and CH4
biofiltration.
The experimental apparatus was composed of three pilot-scale units made of fiberglass (Figure 1): (i)
one packed desorption chamber (PDC) for the removal of CH4 and H2S dissolved in an aliquot of the
effluent of a demo-scale UASB reactor treating domestic sewage (useful volume 22 m³); (ii) two
biofilters for the sequential treatment of H2S and CH4 in the gas stream from the desorption chamber.
(a) (b)
Figure 1 (a) Schematic representation of the experimental apparatus; (b) View of the three units in
series.
The desorption chamber consisted of a cylindrical chamber with 0.20 m in diameter and 1.04 m high,
packed with pall rings (diameter: 2 cm; length: 5 cm) to a height of about 0.75 m. The distribution of
the effluent from the UASB reactor in the top of the chamber was carried out through a perforated
PVC plate, in order to increase the area of air/liquid mass transfer. The entry of atmospheric air into
the PDC was carried out through a compressor, that promoted the gas phase renovation in the PDC.
The performance of the PDC was analyzed for the application of a sewage flow of 3 L.min-1 and an air
flow of 7.4 L.min-1, resulting in a hydraulic loading rate (HLR) of 0.10 m³.m-2.min-1 and a gas/liquid
flow ratio of 2.5, values usually found in the literature (Machado, 2018; Santo, 2017). The
concentration of dissolved H2S and CH4 was monitored at the influent and effluent of the PDC
(sampling points 1 and 2 - Figure 1a). Analyses of sulfide in the liquid samples were performed
according to the protocol adapted by Plas et al. (1992), whereas sampling and analysis of dissolved
methane followed the protocol described in Souza et al. (2011).
The first biofilter of the sequential biolfiltration system was 0.10m in diameter and 1.15m high, with
the main function of oxidizing H2S contained in the waste gas. The second was 0.58m in diameter and
1.45m high, being sized to remove CH4. The packing material of the biofilters was composed of 60%
organic material and 40% expanded vermiculite, being added up to a height of 1m in each unit. The
performance of the biofilters was analyzed for the application of an empty bed residence time (EBRT)
of 64 s and 37 min, for the first and second biofilters, respectively (Brandt et al., 2016). The
volumetric loads of H2S and CH4 were 6.6 ± 2.3 gH2S.m-3.h-1 and 11.4 ± 2.9 gCH4.m-3.h-1. The
composition of the gas stream was monitored at the inlet and outlet of each biofilter (sampling points
3, 4 and 5 - Figure 1a). The quantification of CH4 and H2S were performed, respectively, via gas
chromatography (chromatograph Perkin Elmer, FID detector, flow 17 ml.min-1, Helium as carrier gas,
carbowax packed column) and a portable analyzer (Odalog®, range 1 to 2000 ppm).
The removal efficiencies of the PDC tested in this study were 93 ± 3% for dissolved H2S and 69 ± 4%
for dissolved CH4 (results not shown). For H2S, the removal efficiencies were higher than the ones
reported by Santo (2017), Huete et al. (2018) and Machado (2018). On the other hand, CH4 removal
efficiencies were lower than those found in the mentioned works. This difference can be explained by
the fact that all three studies were developed at free drop heights greater than that applied in this study.
Higher free drop heights seems to favor greater release of dissolved CH4, since different air flow rates
used by Glória et al. (2016) (for a simplified DC) and Santo (2017) (for a packed DC) did not
statistically affect dissolved CH4 removal efficiencies, indicating that the turbulence caused by the
drop inside the chamber is the governing factor. In fact, according to two-films theory (mass transfer
through gas-liquid interfaces), CH4 is located in a group of compounds in which the mass flow
between phases is controlled by the resistance in the liquid film (due to CH4 constants in Henry's law).
Thus, the main mechanism that influences CH4 flow at the gas-liquid interface is agitation/turbulence
in the liquid phase (Cussler, 2009; Souza et al., 2011). Thus, an increase in the drop height would
probably increase the efficiency of dissolved CH4 removal found in this study. The CH4 and H2S
concentrations in the gas stream from the PDC (waste gas that fed the first biofilter) were 1,1 ± 0,2%v/v
and 85 ± 29 ppm, respectively.
Figure 2 depicts the results (concentrations and removal efficiencies) of CH4 and H2S along the
biofiltration system used to treat the gas stream exhausted from the PDC. Total removal efficiencies of
71 ± 6% and 100 ± 0% were obtained for CH4 and H2S, respectively. As expected, the first biofilter
presented a higher efficiency regarding H2S removal (78 ± 16%), with the remaining H2S being totally
removed in the second biofilter. Although not expected, the first biofilter presented a marginal
removal of CH4 (17 ± 6%).
(a) (b)
Figure 2 Removal of CH4 (a) and H2S (b) from the gas stream exhausted from the packed desorption
chamber in the biofiltration system.
Number of data: 10 for CH4 and 14 for H2S.
Noteworthy abatement of CH4 was noticed in the second biofilter (66 ± 7%), although higher
efficiencies were expected. In a previous study, Brandt et al. (2016) evaluated a biofilter with the
same packing material used in the present study, and found that the volumetric loads from 3.0 ± 0.8
gCH4.m-3.h-1 to 13.7 ± 1.1 gCH4.m-3.h-1 and inflow CH4 concentrations of 0.33 ± 0.09%v/v to 1.22 ±
0.06%v/v resulted in statistically equal CH4 removal efficiencies (α = 0.05), remaining stable and
systematically above 90%. Thus, considering that the volumetric load applied to the second biofilter
(dimensioned for CH4 removal) in this study was 9.9 ± 2.5 gCH4.m-3.h-1 and the mean inflow
concentration was 0.93 ± 0.17%v/v (Figure 2a), greater removal efficiencies were expected. This
difference can be explained by the fact that the mentioned work was developed on a bench scale, using
synthetic gas and more specific control conditions. However, the study must be continued in order to
bring the system's efficiencies closer to the maximum removal potential found on a bench scale.
Conclusions
The use of the packed desorption chamber allowed an efficiently removal of gases (CH4 and H2S)
dissolved in UASB reactor effluent, showing that the operating conditions applied in this study (free
fall of 0.95 m, air/liquid flow ratio of 2.5, and HLR of 0.10 m³.m-2.min-1) were sufficient for this
purpose. The biofiltration system was quite appropriate for CH4 and H2S abatement from the resulted
gas stream, showing that the configuration of two biofilters in series, the first one for the H2S
treatment and the second one for the CH4 treatment, was effective in joining H2S and CH4 biofiltration.
Overall, these results prove that simple devices such as the desorption chamber and the biofilters
tested in this research can effectively contribute for the control of CH4 and H2S diffuse emissions in
anaerobic-based sewage treatment plants.
Acknowledgements.- The authors wish to acknowledge the support obtained from the following
institutions: Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de ETEs Sustentáveis – INCT ETEs
Sustentáveis; Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais – FAPEMIG; Conselho
Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico – CNPq; Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de
Pessoal de Nível Superior – CAPES.
References
Brandt, E. M. F., Chernicharo, C. A. L., Araújo, J. C., Souza, C. L. 2016 The use of novel packing material for
improving methane oxidation in biofilters. Journal of Environmental Management. 182, 12-420.
Brandt, E. M. F.; Mcadam, E. J.; Noyola, A. 2019 Control of diffuse emissions in UASB reactors treating
sewage. In: (Ed.). Anaerobic Reactors for Sewage Treatment: Design, Construction, and Operation. ed.
London: IWA Publishing, 2019. p. 245-283.
Cussler, E. L. 2009 Diffusion: mass transfer in fluid systems. ed. Cambridge university press.
Glória R. M., Motta T. M., Silva P. V. O., da Costa P., Brandt E. M. F., Souza C.L. & Chernicharo C.A.L. 2016
Stripping and dissipation techniques for the removal of dissolved gases from anaerobic effluents. Brazilian
Journal of Chemical Engineering. 33 (4), 713-721.
Heile, S., Chernicharo, C. A. L., Brandt, E. M. F., Mcadam, E. J. 2017 Dissolved gas separation for engineered
anaerobic wastewater systems. Separation and Purification Technology. 189, 405-418.
Huete, A., Cobos-vasconcelos, D., Gómez-borraz, T., Morgan-sagastume, J. M., NOYOLA, A. 2018 Control of
dissolved CH4 in a municipal UASB reactor effluent by means of a desorption – Biofiltration arrangement.
Journal of Environmental Management. 216, 383-391.
IPCC. Climate change 2014: synthesis report. In: Pachauri, R. K. e Meyer, L. A. (Ed.). Contribution of Working
Groups I, II and III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Core
Writing Team. 5th ed. Geneva, Switzerland: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. p. 151. 2014.
Kennelly, C. 2013 Optimisation of a novel Horizontal Flow Biofilm Reactor (HFBR) for the Removal of
Nuisance Gases. Thesis. Civil Engineering, National University of Ireland, Galway.
Machado L. M. 2018 Avanços no emprego de Câmaras de Dessorção para remoção e recuperação dos gases
metano e sulfeto de hidrogênio dissolvidos em efluente de reator UASB no tratamento de esgoto doméstico.
Masters dissertation, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brasil.
Plas C., Harant H., Danner H., Jelinek E., Wimmer K., Holubar P. & Braun R. 1992 Ratio of biological and
chemical oxidation during the aerobic elimination of sulphide by colourless sulphur bacteria. Applied
Microbiology and Biotechnology. 36 (6), 817-822.
Santo B. C. E. S. 2017 Avaliação de Câmara de Dessorção de Metano e Sulfeto de Hidrogênio Dissolvidos Em
Efluentes de Reatores Uasb Tratando Esgoto Doméstico. Masters dissertation, Federal University of Minas
Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brasil.
Souza, C. L., Chernicharo, C. A. L. & Aquino, S. F. 2011 Quantification of dissolved methane in UASB reactors
treating domestic wastewater under different operating conditions. Water Science and Technology. 64 (11),
2259-2264.
Souza, C. L., Chernicharo, C. A. L. & Melo, G. C. 2012 Methane and hydrogen sulfide emissions in UASB
reactors treating domestic wastewater. Water Science Technology. 7 (65), 1229−1237.
Anaerobic co digestion of organic waste and toilet paper for hydrogen
production
D. Gomes1*, E. Galindo**, I. Moreno**, S. Gavazza*, G. Buitrón**
* Federal University of Pernambuco - UFPE, Brazil

** National Autonomous University of Mexico - UNAM, Mexico
1
devsonp@hotmail.com
Highlights
• Hydrogen was produced from the anaerobic co digestion of organic waste and toilet paper;
• The increase in the proportion of toilet paper: food leads to lower hydrogen production;
• The proportions with codigestion showed lower lag phases compared to monodigestion
Abstract: The possibility of anaerobic co digestion among residues with high levels of organic matter
(toilet paper and food waste) as substrates for hydrogen generation arises as a promising alternative in the
field of generation of renewable energy sources. The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence
of the amount of toilet paper on the degradation of food waste for hydrogen production under mesophilic
conditions. Specific hydrogen production was measured automatically from the AMPTS II. Results
indicated that the increase in the proportion of toilet paper causes a decrease in hydrogen production.
Keywords: Toilet Paper; Food Waste; Hydrogen.
Introduction
With the growth of the world population, industrialization and urbanization, the demand for energy
generation worldwide is increasing. Nowadays, approximately 85% of all energy consumed comes from
non-renewable and potentially polluting sources, such as coal, natural gas and oil (Abdalla et al., 2018). In
addition to the exploitation of fossil fuels, one of the main challenges today is the need to manage organic
waste and toilet paper, which are generated in large quantities and are potential sources of environmental
contamination (Agler et al., 2011).
In this scenario, the possibility of using anaerobic co-digestion between residues and effluents with high
organic matter content (toilet paper and food waste), as substrates for bioenergy generation (methane,
hydrogen, etc.) and for the production of chemical compounds with high market value (medium chain fatty
acids, solvents, etc.), emerges as an alternative in the field of generation of renewable energy sources
without the use of fossil fuels (Yang and Wang, 2018).
Anaerobic digestion is widely used in Brazil in the field of biological treatment of wastewater and organic
waste (Foresti et al., 2006). Among the bioprocesses present in anaerobic digestion, it may be quoted the
fermentation production of hydrogen, which makes use of anaerobic microorganisms using organic matter
to generate hydrogen in the absence of light (Harper and Pohland, 1986; Mota et al., 2018). Therefore, the
objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of toilet aper addition on the degradation of food waste
in mesophilic conditions for hydrogen production.

Inoculum:
Anaerobic sludge from an effluent treatment station of a brewery in the city of Queretaro - Mexico was
heated in 105 oC for 24 h to inhibit the activity of hydrogen consumers. After heat treatment, the sludge
was macerated, sieved (20 mesh) and stored in a sealed glass container at environment temperature (24 oC)
(Ramos et al., 2012).
Substrates:
Food waste (OFMSW) was obtained from a cafeteria at the Juriquilla Campus in the National Autonomous
University of Mexico. The residues were collected once a week and refrigerated at 4 oC to minimize the
biological degradation that would occur at environmental temperature. In each collection, bones and inert
materials (paper and plastic) were discarded: only fermentable material was preserved. After the selection
of the residues, they were manually crushed, homogenized in a blender and refrigerated until their use. The
characteristics of food waste (OFMSW) are present in Table 1.
Tabela 1. Characterization of food waste and toilet paper used in the present study
Parameter Food waste Toilet Paper
Total COD, mgDQO/gSV 1611.11 298.98
Soluble COD, mg/L 1055.55 48.05
pH 4.45 6.63
TSg/L 0.36 0.98
Total carbohydrates, g/L 254 968.5
Ammonia, g/L 6.25 0.02
The toilet paper used in this work is a white, double sheet and Mexican national brand paper, with the
following characteristics present in Table 1.
Protocol for hydrogen production:
The specific hydrogen production was measured automatically from the methane production potential
AMPTS II (Bioprocess Control AB, Sweden). The tests were performed on 600 mL glass bottles, with 360
mL working volume and total concentration of 10 g SV/L, varying paper concentrations from 0 (F100-P0),
20 (F80-P20), 40 (F40-P60), 60 (F60-P40), 80 (F80-P20) and 100% (F0-P100), on a SV basis, in relation
to food waste, under mesophilic conditions (37oC). The bottles were incubated with intermittent stirring,
60 seconds on and 240 s paused and adjusted to 60% (approximately 120 rpm). The produced gas was
continuously released passing through a CO2 absorption unit (NaOH) and measured online every 10 mL
produced. The test was completed when the hydrogen production reached the stationary phase. The
experiments were conducted in duplicate.
Analytical Methods
Soluble carbohydrates were determined by the method of Dubois et al. (1956). Total COD, soluble COD
and ST were measured according to the Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater
(APHA, 2012). Volatile fatty acids and alcohols (acetate, propionate, butyrate, ethanol, etc.) were
determined according to Buitron and Carvajal (2010) and Moreno-Andrade et al. (2015), respectively, using
high efficiency liquid chromatograph (HPLC).
Kinetic analysis
To evaluate the cumulative production of hydrogen in response to the different proportions of the
experiment, a kinetic analysis was conducted using the modified Gompertz Equation (Equation 1), as
described by Ramos et al. (2012), using the MatLab R2019 program.
Equation 1.
Where H(t) (L) is the total volume of hydrogen produced by t (d); Hmax is the maximum amount of
hydrogen produced; Rmax is the maximum rate of hydrogen production; and is equal to 2,71828; λ (h) is
the lag time before the exponential production of hydrogen..
Figure 1 shows the hydrogen productions over time for a period of approximately 4 days (98 hours)..
Figura 1. Cumulative hydrogen production (mL) per time (h)
The higher hydrogen production was verified in the proportion of F100-P0, only with food waste, with
approximately 232.05 mL, because they constitute a substrate rich in easily degradable carbohydrates for
hydrogen generation, as verified in several previous studies (Rafieenia et al., 2019; Silva et al., 2019;
Considering the maximum hydrogen production of the proportion with food waste only (F100-P0), it is
inferred that it reached expected theoretical productions for F80-P20 (186.16 mL), F60-P40 (139.62 mL),
F50-P50 (116.35 mL), F40-P60 (93.08 mL), respectively.
It is verified, therefore, that the values of hydrogen production decrease with the increase of the proportion
of paper in the mixture, due to the slower hydrolysis of the cellulose contained in the toilet paper, which
produced only 31.6 mL in the test with only paper as substrate (F0-P100).
To determine the hydrogen production rate, the coefficient of the Gompertz model was evaluated. Table 2
shows the values obtained in each proportion. In general, the model showed a good fit with the experimental
data (Table 2) The lag period of the F0-P100 sample, with only paper as substrate, was of approximately
15.97 h, and presented low carbohydrate consumption, approximately 5.90%, due to the slow hydrolysis of
the paper. This is generally the limiting phase in the anaerobic digestion of cellulose in relation to the other
organic components of the sewage, so that longer adaptation time of microorganisms for hydrogen
production is required when the toilet paper is released into the domestic sewage (Chen et al., 2017).
Table 2. Proportions of food and paper waste and parameters of Gompertz model and carbohydrate consumption
Proportions Hmax Rmax λ R2 Carbohydrate
(mL) (mL/h) (h) Consumption (%)
F100 – P0 232.7 18.6 17.2 0.99 59.67
F80 – P20 142.3 44.0 8.4 0.99 59.58
F60 – P40 96.2 37.2 8.3 0.99 56.87
F50 – P50 77.2 26.8 7.8 0.99 57.42
F40 – P60 54.1 21.0 7.4 0.99 44.48
F0 – P100 10.7 61.9 15.9 0.97 5.90

Thus, it appears that the values of hydrogen production decrease with the increase of the proportion of paper
in the mixture, due to the slower hydrolysis of the cellulose contained in the toilet paper, which produced
only 31.6 mL in the test with only paper as substrate (F0-P100).
To determine the rate of hydrogen production, the coefficient of the Gompertz model was evaluated. Table
3 shows the values obtained in each proportion. In general, the model showed a good fit with the
experimental data (Table 2) The lag period of the sample F0-P100, with only paper as a substrate, was
approximately 15.97 h, and presented low carbohydrate consumption, approximately 5.90%, due to the
slow hydrolysis of the paper. This is generally the limiting step in the anaerobic digestion of cellulose in
relation to the other organic components of the sewage, so that a longer adaptation time for microorganisms
for hydrogen production is required when toilet paper is released into domestic sewers (Chen et al., 2017).
According to the results of this study, the utilization of toilet paper waste for hydrogen production points
to the need to adopt pre-treatments or the possibility of using other proportions with food waste to optimize
the hydrogen fermentation production.
Conclusions
It was possible to produce hydrogen by co-digestion of toilet paper with food residues. Besides the
decrease in hydrogen production, compared to the theoretical one, the increase in the proportion of paper
in the anaerobic co-digestion. Therefore, it is recommended to adopt pre-treatments or the use of other
proportions with food waste to optimize the hydrogen fermentation production through the anaerobic co-
digestion with toilet paper.
Acknowledgements: This research has the financial support of the ECOS Nord-CONACYT project
296514 of the Autonomous University of Mexico - Campus Juriquilla. We are also grateful for the
international exchange scholarship granted to the first author for the Exceed-Swindon program for Latin
America at the Technical University of Braunschweig.
References
Abdalla, M.; Hossain,S.; Nisfindy, O. B..; Azad, A. T.; Dawood, M.; Azad, A. K. 2018 Hydrogen
production, storage, transportation and key challenges with applications: a review. Energy
Conversion and Management 165, 602-627.
Agler, M.T.; Wrenn, B.A.; Zinder, S.H.; Angenent, L.T. 2011 Waste to bioproduct conversion with
undefined mixed cultures: the carboxylate platform. Trends Biotechnol 29, 70-78.
Chen, R.; Nie, Y.; Kato, H.;Wu, J.;Utashiro, T.; Lu, J.; Yue, S.; Jiang, H.; Zhang, L.; Li, Y 2017
Methanogenic degradation of toilet-paper celulose upon sewage treatment in anaerobic membrane
bioreactor at room temperature. Bioresource Technology 228, 69-76.
Foresti, E.; Zaiat, M., Valero, M. 2006 Anaerobic processes as the core technology for sustainable
domestic wastewater treatment: Consolidated applications, new trends, perspectives, and challenges.
Reviews in Environ. Sci. and Bio/Technol. 5 (1), 3-19.
Harper, S.R.; Pohland, F.G. 1986 Recent development in hydrogen management during wastewater
treatment. Biotechnology and Bioenergy 28,585-602.
Khalid, A.; Arshad, M.; Anjum, M.; Mahmood, T.; Dawson, L. 2011 The anaerobic digestion of solid
organic waste. Waste Manage. 31, 1737–1744..
Yang, G.; Wang, J. 2018 Various additives for improving dark fermentative hydrogen production: A
review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 95, 130–146.
Zhang, C., Su, H., Baeyens, J., Tan, T. 2014 Reviewing the anaerobic digestion of food waste for biogas
production. Renew Sustain Energy Rev.38, 383–392
Rafieenia, R.; Pivato, A.; Campanaro, S.; Treu, L.; Schievano, A.; Lavagnolo, M, C. 2019 Study of
microbial dynamics during optimization of hydrogen production from food waste by using LCFA-
rich agente. Bioresource Technology 5,157-163.

Brazil Session 1 Municipal Wastewaters

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Brazil Session 1 Municipal Wastewaters

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Oral presentations

González Adrian, Moreno Viridiana, van Lier Jules

15:10 – 15:30 Low-cost gas density biochemical methane Spain

Astals Sergi, Justesen Camilla G., Mortensen Jacob

15:30 – 15:50 Performance of an anaerobic high-rate Colombia

Berrio Restrepo Jorge M., Saldarriaga Molina Julio

15:50 – 16_10 Evaluation of increased biogas production by Brazil

Ramos José Gustavo, Leon Fernanda A., Franzoni

16:10 – 16:30 Feasibility of sequential biofilters for the Brazil

Santos Juliana M. B., Peixoto Júlia S., Dias Liziane

16:30 – 16:50 Anaerobic codigestion of organic waste and Brazil

Palma Gomes Devson Paulo, Galindo Edith, Moreno

A. Gonzalez1, V. Moreno, J.B. van Lier, M.K. de Kreuk

Keywords: synthetic wastewater; domestic wastewater; wastewater characterization.

Materials and Methods

Carbohydrates Humic substances Acetic acid Propionic acid

As nitrification consumes 7.14 mg CaCO3/mg NH4+, sufficient alkalinity is necessary to oxidize

Nitrogen total Kjeldahl Nitrogen Ammonium Alkalinity

Figure 2 Concentration of N-species and alkalinity

Figure 3 Concentration of metals in real and synthetic wastewaters

Material and Methods

GD-BMP Method Calculations

Results and Discussion

Material and Methods

Results and Discussion

Table 1. Statistical description of the performance parameters in a UASB high-rate

Table 2. Parameters with the highest significance from the

Material and Methods

Results and Discussion

Table 1 Variance of biogas production between phases.

Keywords: domestic sewage; greenhouse gas; hydrogen sulphide; malodour; methane.

Results and Discussion

* Federal University of Pernambuco - UFPE, Brazil

Keywords: Toilet Paper; Food Waste; Hydrogen.

Material and Methods

Total COD, mgDQO/gSV 1611.11 298.98

Soluble COD, mg/L 1055.55 48.05

TSg/L 0.36 0.98

Total carbohydrates, g/L 254 968.5

Ammonia, g/L 6.25 0.02

Protocol for hydrogen production:

Results and Discussion

Figura 1. Cumulative hydrogen production (mL) per time (h)

F100 – P0 232.7 18.6 17.2 0.99 59.67

F80 – P20 142.3 44.0 8.4 0.99 59.58

F60 – P40 96.2 37.2 8.3 0.99 56.87

F50 – P50 77.2 26.8 7.8 0.99 57.42

F40 – P60 54.1 21.0 7.4 0.99 44.48

F0 – P100 10.7 61.9 15.9 0.97 5.90

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