Evaluating the level of ammonia and sulfide in the liquid phase during anaerobic digestion of slaughterhouse waste operating at mesophilic scale digester—the impact of inhibition and process performance

Eric Mutegoa; Isack Kandola; Askwar Hilonga; Karoli N. Njau; Eric Mutegoa; Isack Kandola; Askwar Hilonga; Karoli N. Njau

doi:10.3934/energy.2020.4.615

AIMS Energy

2020, Volume 8, Issue 4: 615-626. doi: 10.3934/energy.2020.4.615

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Research article

Evaluating the level of ammonia and sulfide in the liquid phase during anaerobic digestion of slaughterhouse waste operating at mesophilic scale digester—the impact of inhibition and process performance

1.
Department of Materials and Energy Science and Engineering (MESE), School of Materials, Energy, Water and Environmental Sciences, Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), P.O. Box 447 Arusha, Tanzania
2.
Department of Chemistry, College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, University of Dodoma, P.O. Box 338 Dodoma, Tanzania
3.
School of Materials, Energy, Water and Environmental Sciences (MEWES), Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), P.O. Box 447 Arusha, Tanzania

Received: 19 April 2020 Accepted: 21 June 2020 Published: 10 July 2020

The performance of experimental batch-reactor loaded with slaughterhouse waste at mesophilic temperature was investigated as well as the inhibition of both ammonia and sulfide concentration in the aqueous phase. The digester was operated for 68 days by evaluating the process stability basing on controlling parameters such as pH, volatile fatty acids and alkalinity in relation to the methane produced. The maximum CH₄ content of 69.6% was achieved at 0.37 VFA/Alkalinity ratio and pH of 7.51 during day 37 of anaerobic digestion. However, a sudden increase of ammonia nitrogen in the digester from day 44 to day 68 decreased the methane content about 62.15% from 65% to 24.6%. Similarly, as the amount of sulfide content decreased in the liquid phase, gaseous H₂S was elevated up to 132 ppm in the 68^th day. During this time, it was observed that the ratio of VFA/Alkalinity decreased to 0.16, with a very low concentration of VFA, which was 150.92 mg/L. This phenomenon indicated that all the acids produced were consumed by methanogens and ammonia inhibition was at the highest rate due to the increase of ammonia nitrogen concentration in the last days of digestion. Furthermore, among of peculiar characteristic shown by slaughterhouse waste is the ability to maintain the pH above 7 without the addition of any buffering agent throughout the AD process. Meanwhile, the evaluation of the level of both ammonia and sulfide in the aqueous phase revealed that the inhibitory effect of ammonia concentration was higher than sulfide concentration.
- ammonia,
- sulfide,
- methane,
- pH,
- VFA,
- alkalinity
Citation: Eric Mutegoa, Isack Kandola, Askwar Hilonga, Karoli N. Njau. Evaluating the level of ammonia and sulfide in the liquid phase during anaerobic digestion of slaughterhouse waste operating at mesophilic scale digester—the impact of inhibition and process performance[J]. AIMS Energy, 2020, 8(4): 615-626. doi: 10.3934/energy.2020.4.615

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Abstract

The performance of experimental batch-reactor loaded with slaughterhouse waste at mesophilic temperature was investigated as well as the inhibition of both ammonia and sulfide concentration in the aqueous phase. The digester was operated for 68 days by evaluating the process stability basing on controlling parameters such as pH, volatile fatty acids and alkalinity in relation to the methane produced. The maximum CH₄ content of 69.6% was achieved at 0.37 VFA/Alkalinity ratio and pH of 7.51 during day 37 of anaerobic digestion. However, a sudden increase of ammonia nitrogen in the digester from day 44 to day 68 decreased the methane content about 62.15% from 65% to 24.6%. Similarly, as the amount of sulfide content decreased in the liquid phase, gaseous H₂S was elevated up to 132 ppm in the 68^th day. During this time, it was observed that the ratio of VFA/Alkalinity decreased to 0.16, with a very low concentration of VFA, which was 150.92 mg/L. This phenomenon indicated that all the acids produced were consumed by methanogens and ammonia inhibition was at the highest rate due to the increase of ammonia nitrogen concentration in the last days of digestion. Furthermore, among of peculiar characteristic shown by slaughterhouse waste is the ability to maintain the pH above 7 without the addition of any buffering agent throughout the AD process. Meanwhile, the evaluation of the level of both ammonia and sulfide in the aqueous phase revealed that the inhibitory effect of ammonia concentration was higher than sulfide concentration.

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