Biochemical assays of potential methane to test biogas production from dark fermentation of sewage sludge and agricultural residues

Abstract

This study aims to study the methane generation potential (BMP tests) of different samples from the dark acid fermentation of sewage sludge:wine vinasse, and sewage sludge:wine vinasse:poultry manure. Specifically, mixtures of sewage sludge (S) and wine vinasse (V) were used in a 50:50 ratio and mixtures of sewage sludge and wine vinasse with 10 g/L of poultry manure (PM) (50:50 + 10 g/L) (S:V + PM). The goal was to determine the effect of the high ammonia concentrations in poultry manure when was used as co-substrate in the anaerobic methanogenic degradation of sewage sludge and vinasse. Results obtained show that the addition of 10 g/L of poultry manure to the SV mixture improves the production of methane generation, reaching values of 166 mL of accumulated methane. The SVPM mixture shows the highest purification percentages, with 63.90% TCOD removal, 79.51% SCOD removal and a yield of 52.05 mLCH 4 /gSV added . The SVPM test showed a higher concentration of microorganisms during the BMP test, although the population of microorganisms for the SV test was doubled and presented greater activity with values of 2.27 versus 1.73E-11 LCH 4 /Cells. • Bio-Methane Potential with the dark acid fermentation from a Bio-Hydrogen potential. • Bio-methane potential with sewage sludge, wine vinasse and poultry manure. • Anaerobic codigestion of sewage sludge, wine vinasse and poultry manure. • Poultry manure improves methane production and yield. • Anaerobic tridigestion presents better results than anaerobic bidigestion.