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Xu L, Xu J, Chen W, Xie L. Pressure-centric regulation for efficient anaerobic digestion: State-of-the-art, challenges and prospects. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2024; 413:131421. [PMID: 39233186 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.131421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2024] [Revised: 09/01/2024] [Accepted: 09/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024]
Abstract
Anaerobic digestion (AD) is an environmentally friendly technology that simultaneously stabilizes biowaste and produces biogas. Conventional AD faces challenges such as inadequate substrate degradation and low methane purity. Pressure-centric regulation serves as an AD optimization strategy that can enhance the digestion efficiency and generate higher-energy-value biogas. However, limited reviews have been undertaken to focus on this technology. This review is designed to discuss innovations in ex-situ high-pressure pretreatment and in-situ high-pressure anaerobic digestion (HPAD) processes. Moreover, comprehensive understandings on the intrinsic mechanisms of HPAD are critically examined, including physicochemical reaction principles and microbial responses. The constraints currently curtailing these technologies and potential mitigation strategies are also scrutinized. Additionally, current knowledge gaps and future research directions on mechanisms, model fitting, and engineering practices are presented. Overall, this work highlights the feasibility of pressure-centric regulated AD and provides novel insights to overcome existing technical barriers in its application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Xu
- Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Jun Xu
- Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China; Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, PR China
| | - Weizhen Chen
- Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Li Xie
- Key Laboratory of Yangtze River Water Environment, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China; Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Shanghai 200092, PR China.
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Wang H, Ma X, Ran X, Wang T, Zhou M, Liu C, Li X, Wu M, Wang Y. Analyzing performance and microbial mechanisms in an incineration leachate treatment after waste separation: Integrated metagenomic and metaproteomic analyses. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 951:175821. [PMID: 39191330 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2024] [Revised: 08/14/2024] [Accepted: 08/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
The absence of food waste after separation poses a significant challenge to incineration leachate treatment, as it decreases the C/N ratio and COD of leachate, greatly impacting the biological treatment process. A one-year in-situ study was systematically conducted in an incineration leachate treatment plant that experienced waste separation, focusing on the variations in carbon and nitrogen removal performance as well as the involved microbial mechanism of the "anaerobic digestion (AD) + two-stage A/O" process. Results indicated that the biodegradability of leachate significantly decreased over time, with COD concentration decreasing by 10 times and the average C/N ratio decreasing from 12.3 to 1.4. The AD process was maintained stable, achieving a COD removal efficiency exceeding 92 %. The nitrification process also remained stable; while the denitrification process was significantly affected, and a nine-fold increase in external glucose addition was required to achieve a nitrogen removal efficiency of 85 %. Metagenomic analysis indicated that comammox Nitrospira (contributing 90 % to ammonia monooxygenase) occupied the dominant position over Nitrosomonas for nitrification due to the low NH4+-N concentration in A/O tanks (<35 mg/L), and Methanothrix was substituted by Methanosarcina for methanogenesis in AD unit. Metaproteomic results further elucidated that the expression of enzymes responsible for denitrification process, i.e., Nir, Nor, Nos (convert NO2- to N2), was decreased significantly, although the expression of enzymes related to glycolysis and TCA cycle were stimulated by glucose addition. The expression of Nar (convert NO3--N to NO2--N) remained stable, while the imbalance expression within denitrifying enzymes might have facilitated occurrence of partial denitrification, attributed to the low C/N ratio. The results prove that the function robustness and metabolic versatility were achieved in leachate treatment plant after waste separation but at the cost of the high external carbon resource addition, highlighting the urgent requirement for low-carbon nitrogen removal technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Xiaoqian Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China; Xiamen Tungsten Co., Ltd., Xiamen 361009, PR China
| | - Xiaochuan Ran
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Tong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Mingda Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Chao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China; Shanghai Youlin Zhuyuan Sewage Investment and Development Co. Ltd., Shanghai 200125, PR China
| | - Xiang Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, PR China
| | - Min Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Yayi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China.
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Song X, Kong F, Liu BF, Song Q, Ren NQ, Ren HY. Combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses of temperature response of microalgae using waste activated sludge extracts for promising biodiesel production. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 251:121120. [PMID: 38237459 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Waste activated sludge (WAS) as one of the major pollutants with a significant annual production, has garnered significant attention regarding its treatment and utilization. If improperly discharged, it not only caused environmental pollution but also led to the wastage of valuable resources. In this study, the microalgae growth and lipid accumulation using waste activated sludge extracts (WASE) under different temperature conditions were investigated. The highest lipid content (59.13%) and lipid productivity (80.41 mg L-1 d-1) were obtained at cultivation temperatures of 10 and 25 °C, respectively. It was found that microalgae can effectively utilize TN/TP/NH4+-N and other nutrients of WASE. The highest utilization rates of TP, TN and NH4+-N were achieved at a cultivation temperature of 10 °C, reaching 84.97, 77.49 and 92.32%, respectively. The algal fatty acids had carbon chains predominantly ranging from C14 to C18, making them suitable for biodiesel production. Additionally, a comprehensive analysis of transcriptomics and metabolomics revealed up-regulation of genes associated with triglyceride assembly, the antioxidant system of algal cells, and cellular autophagy, as well as the accumulation of metabolites related to the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and lipids. This study offers novel insights into the microscopic mechanisms of microalgae culture using WASE and approaches for the resource utilization of sludge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueting Song
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, 73 Huanghe Road, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Fanying Kong
- School of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Bing-Feng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, 73 Huanghe Road, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Qingqing Song
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, 73 Huanghe Road, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Nan-Qi Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, 73 Huanghe Road, Harbin 150090, China
| | - Hong-Yu Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, 73 Huanghe Road, Harbin 150090, China.
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Yang G, Cao JM, Cui HL, Zhan XM, Duan G, Zhu YG. Artificial Sweetener Enhances the Spread of Antibiotic Resistance Genes During Anaerobic Digestion. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:10919-10928. [PMID: 37475130 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c08673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Artificial sweeteners have been frequently detected in the feedstocks of anaerobic digestion. As these sweeteners can lead to the shift of anaerobic microbiota in the gut similar to that caused by antibiotics, we hypothesize that they may have an antibiotic-like impact on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in anaerobic digestion. However, current understanding on this topic is scarce. This investigation aimed to examine the potential impact of acesulfame, a typical artificial sweetener, on ARGs in anaerobic digestion by using metagenomics sequencing and qPCR. It was found that acesulfame increased the number of detected ARG classes and the abundance of ARGs during anaerobic digestion. The abundance of typical mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and the number of potential hosts of ARGs also increased under acesulfame exposure, suggesting the enhanced potential of horizontal gene transfer of ARGs, which was further confirmed by the correlation analysis between absolute abundances of the targeted ARGs and MGEs. The increased horizontal dissemination of ARGs may be associated with the SOS response induced by the increased ROS production, and the increased cellular membrane permeability. These findings indicate that artificial sweeteners may accelerate ARG spread through digestate disposal, thus corresponding strategies should be considered to prevent potential risks in practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Jin-Man Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Hui-Ling Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Xin-Min Zhan
- Civil Engineering, College of Engineering and Informatics, National University of Ireland, Galway H91 TK33, Ireland
| | - Guilan Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yong-Guan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
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Wang C, Wang Y, Chen Z, Wei W, Chen X, Mannina G, Ni BJ. A novel strategy for efficiently transforming waste activated sludge into medium-chain fatty acid using free nitrous acid. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 862:160826. [PMID: 36502988 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The global energy crisis is approaching due to rapid population growth and overexploitation of fossil fuels. Therefore, the development and use of new and renewable energy sources is already in the extreme urgency. This work developed a novel technology to efficiently produce renewable liquid bioenergy from discarded wastes, by effectively transforming sewage sludge into high-value medium chain fatty acids (MCFA). The maximum MCFA yield in the anaerobic sludge fermentation was revealed to be 10.6 times of control when utilizing sewage sludge with 1.78 mg-N/L free nitrous acid (FNA) pretreatment. The carbon flow from sewage sludge into MCFA in the fermentation system was significantly enhanced with appropriate levels (0.71-1.78 mg-N/L) of FNA pretreatment. Compared to FNA pretreatment, however, its direct addition severely inhibited total products (i.e., carboxylates and complex alcohols) generation because of the toxicity on live cells (decreasing to 8.3 %-13.9 %) in sludge. Kinetic models (one-substrate and two-substrate) were utilized to investigate the mechanism of MCFA promotion by FNA pretreatment on anaerobic sludge fermentation, in which linear relationship analysis between FNA-derived organic release and the fitted parameters were also performed. The results indicated that the conversion of refractory materials into rapidly bioavailable substrates for MCFA production contributed to increasing MCFA production rate and potential. Moreover, the relative abundances of functional microorganisms related to hydrolysis-acidification and chain elongation process increased under FNA pretreatment, further favoring the MCFA production. This study provides a novel and effective technology of sludge energy recovery that can achieve the next-generation sustainable sewage sludge management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Yun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Zhijie Chen
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Wei Wei
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
| | - Xueming Chen
- Fujian Provincial Engineering Research Center of Rural Waste Recycling Technology, College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fujian 350116, China
| | - Giorgio Mannina
- Engineering Department, Palermo University, Ed. 8 Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Bing-Jie Ni
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
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