Effect of temperature on short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) accumulation and microbiological transformation in sludge alkaline fermentation with Ca(OH)2 adjustment

Abstract

The effects of temperatures (15–55 °C) on the alkaline fermentation of sewage sludge were investigated in semi-continuous stirred tank reactors (semi – CSTR) at the pH of 10. The highest soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) yield was obtained at 55 °C (764.2 mg/(gVS L d)), while the highest short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) yield was observed at 35 °C (319.8 mg/(gVS L d)), 1.5 times higher than SCFAs yield at 55 °C (209.5 mg/(gVS L d)). The proportion of the intercellular organic substances being transferred to the slime layer of sludge flocs increased from 29% at 15 °C to 54% at 55 °C. But only a small part of soluble organic substances in the slime layers was converted to SCFAs at 55 °C. The dewaterability of sludge was better at 35 °C than that at 55 °C. Microbiological community analysis showed the acid-producing microorganisms at the medium temperatures (25 °C and 35 °C) were more diverse and abundant than those at the low (15 °C) and high temperatures (55 °C). Clodtridium and Bacillus in Firmicutes and Gamma proteobacterium in Proteobacteria were the dominant functional bacterial species for high SCFA accumulation.