Ahmed Elreedy1, Manabu Fujii2, Ahmed Tawfik3. 1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan; Environmental Engineering Department, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), P.O. Box 179, New Borg Al-Arab City, 21934 Alexandria, Egypt. Electronic address: elreedy.a.aa@m.titech.ac.jp. 2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan. 3. Environmental Engineering Department, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), P.O. Box 179, New Borg Al-Arab City, 21934 Alexandria, Egypt. Electronic address: ahmed.tawfik@ejust.edu.eg.
Abstract
This study aims to assess the effect of inoculum-to-substrate ratio (ISR) and nitrogen-to-phosphorus balance on hythane production from thermophilic anaerobic decomposition of mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) contaminated wastewater. ISRs ranging from 2.65 to 13.23gVSS/gCOD were employed, whereas the tested N/P ratios varied from 4.6 to 8.5. Maximum methane and hydrogen yields (MY and HY) of 151.86±10.8 and 22.27±1.1mL/gCODinitial were achieved at ISRs of 5.29 and 3.78gVSS/gCOD, respectively. HY increased 1.45-fold by decreasing N/P from 8.5 to 4.6, while MY improved 1.6-fold by increasing N/P from 4.6 to 5.5. Methane production was strongly influenced by initial NH4-N, compared to initial PO4-P. Optimal HY of 47.55mL/gCODinitial was achieved at pH 5.0 and ISR of 3.78gVSS/gCOD using thermal-treated sludge. Three-dimensional regression model was applied for the combined effect of initial MEG, NH4-N and PO4-P on hythane production. Potential economic benefits of hythane production from MEG contaminated wastewater were assessed.
This study aims to assess the effect of inoculum-to-substrate ratio (ISR) and pan class="Chemical">nitrogen-to-pan class="Chemical">phosphorus balance on hythane production from thermophilic anaerobic decomposition of mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) contaminated wastewater. ISRs ranging from 2.65 to 13.23gVSS/gCOD were employed, whereas the tested N/P ratios varied from 4.6 to 8.5. Maximum methane and hydrogen yields (MY and HY) of 151.86±10.8 and 22.27±1.1mL/gCODinitial were achieved at ISRs of 5.29 and 3.78gVSS/gCOD, respectively. HY increased 1.45-fold by decreasing N/P from 8.5 to 4.6, while MY improved 1.6-fold by increasing N/P from 4.6 to 5.5. Methane production was strongly influenced by initial NH4-N, compared to initial PO4-P. Optimal HY of 47.55mL/gCODinitial was achieved at pH 5.0 and ISR of 3.78gVSS/gCOD using thermal-treated sludge. Three-dimensional regression model was applied for the combined effect of initial MEG, NH4-N and PO4-P on hythane production. Potential economic benefits of hythane production from MEG contaminated wastewater were assessed.