You are here:
Enhanced Lipid and Biodiesel Production from Glucose-Fed Activated Sludge: Kinetics an Microbial Community Analysis
Citation:
Mondala, A. H., R. Hernandez, T. French, L. McFarland, J. W. SANTO-DOMINGO, M. MECKES, H. RYU, AND I. Brandon. Enhanced Lipid and Biodiesel Production from Glucose-Fed Activated Sludge: Kinetics an Microbial Community Analysis. doi: 10.1002/aic.12655 (ed.), AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS JOURNAL. American Institute of Chemical Engineers, New York, NY, 58(4):1279-1290, (2012).
Impact/Purpose:
To inform the public.
Description:
An innovative approach to increase biofuel feedstock lipid yields from municipal sewage sludge via manipulation of carbon:nitrogen (C:N) ratio and glucose loading in activated sludge bioreactors was investigated. Sludge lipid and fatty acid methyl ester (biodiesel) yields (% cell dry weight, CDW) increased with increasing C:N (10:1-70:1) and glucose loading (20 - 60 g·L-16 ). Under C:N 70, 60 g·L-1 7 glucose loading, 18.0 and 10.7 % CDW lipid and biodiesel yields, respectively were achieved after 7 d of cultivation, both of which are higher than in raw activated sludge. The cultured sludge lipids contained mostly C16-C18 fatty acids, with oleic acid consistently accounting for 40-50 % of the total fatty acids. Microbial composition in activated sludge exposed to C:N 70 shifted towards specific gamma Proteobacteria, suggesting their relevance in lipid production in wastewater microbiota and potential value in biofuel synthesis applications.
