Optimisation of the mesophilic anaerobic co-digestion of olive mill wastewater with olive mill solid waste in a batch digester

Abstract

Anaerobic co-digestion of olive mill wastewater (OMW) with other natural substrates containing high level of nitrogen source such as olive mill solid waste (OMSW) is a new approach for upgrading the anaerobic digestion of OMW. This study is the first investigation that has optimised the amount of OMSW that should be used as a co-substrate to compensate the lack in OMW without the need to add chemical nitrogen substances which are not environmentally and economically desirable. The experiments were carried out on laboratory-scale batch digesters operated at a mesophilic temperature (37°C). Each digester was fed with OMW as a main substrate and OMSW as a co-substrate at different amounts of 28, 56, 112 and 150 g TS/L.OMW respectively. The results indicated that the optimal rate of OMSW used as co-substrate was about 56 g TS/L.OMW. Moreover, it was shown that co-digesting OMSW with OMW in an optimal ratio has increased biogas production and COD removal efficiency from 11.17 ± 2.5 to 30.5 ± 2.5 L/L.digester and from 44.5 ± 3 to 83.4 ± 2%, respectively. Furthermore, it has reduced the start-up time of steady biogas production from 65 ± 25 to 28 ± 15 days.