Abstract
In anaerobic digestion processes, pH has a vital role due to the direct impacts on the microbial community. An eco-friendly approach has been applied to control pH in anaerobic bioreactors, using waste-containing fly ash geopolymer spheres (GS) instead of powdered chemical compounds, to promote continuous alkalis leaching. The influence of GS porosity and concentration on the behavior of anaerobic sequential batch reactor treating cheese whey was evaluated. Results showed that the use of GS with the highest concentration and porosity promoted an increase in methane yield up to 30%, compared to the assay with powdered chemical compounds addition. In addition, GS boosted butyric acid production to the detriment of propionic acid, which favored methane production by a factor up to 1.2. This innovative approach indicates that GS addition can regulate pH in anaerobic digesters treating challenging wastewaters and, simultaneously, improve not only its efficiency but also the sustainability of the entire process.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
