Distillery Wastewater Research Articles

Enhancing nutrient bioavailability in distillery wastewater through electrochemical oxidation for microalgal growth: Insights on biomass yield, nutrient utilisation, and VFA-assisted carbon capture

Two-stage treatment of distillery wastewater (DWW) via electrochemical oxidation (EO) using Ti-RuO2 anodes (35 cm2 area) followed by mixotrophic microalgal treatment was investigated. In the first-stage, EO of DWW has improved the bioavailability of nitrogen and phosphorus at 3.95–5.14 mg/Ah and 0.43–1.02 mg/Ah, respectively, which had strong correlation with current density. EO also reduced ∼30 % TOC, 53 % COD and ∼44 % TN. In the second-stage, the ability of a novel microalgae, Asterarsys quadricellulare to mitigate the toxicity of electrochemically oxidised DWW (EO-DWW) while utilising the nutrients effectively was investigated. The mixotrophic algal growth effectively utilised 85 % phosphate and 91 % nitrate present in EO-DWW at a corresponding growth rate of 0.73 d−1. The algal biomass was found to have ∼15 % carbohydrates, ∼12 % lipids and ∼33 % proteins. Subsequently, a bench-scale bubble column photobioreactor investigation was carried out to understand the carbon dynamics during the growth of Asterarsys quadricellulare. The metabolic uptake of monocarboxylic volatile fatty acids (VFA) and nitrate were found to release OH− ions, which eventually helped in dissolving CO2 in the reactor through a diffusion-limited process. The total energy spent in bench-scale EO system was 840 kWh (3024 kJ) per L of DWW, and the energy recovery potential of second-stage algal reactor was ∼8.7 %. The microtoxicity experiments with Alivibrio fischeri revealed that two-stage treated DWW was found to be safe for reuse as the microalgal growth has abated the toxicity of EO-DWW.

Effect of different set of electrodes for degradation of distillery spent wash promoted by electrocoagulation

ABSTRACT One of the most polluting industries in the world is the distillery industry, which produces strong distillery wastewater that has an adverse impact on the environment since it contains high organic matter. Using various combinations of electrodes in the electrocoagulation process, to examined the operational variables, viz., total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC) and turbidity from the distillery spent wash. With a constant pH of 7, an agitation speed of 500 RPM, and optimizing the operating parameters, viz., varying the electrode distance (2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 cm), voltage (5–25 volts) current density of 1.5 A/cm2, and electrolysis time (30–150 min). Aluminium (Al) electrodes were observed to perform slightly better than iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) electrodes, with punched Al electrodes outperforming plane Al electrodes. The highest removal efficiencies were achieved with punched Al electrodes in an optimized condition of voltage 25 volts, electrode distance (2 cm), and electrolysis time 150 minutes, with removal efficiencies of 91% for TDS, 92% for EC and 92% for turbidity. This study highlights the potential of electrocoagulation with optimized parameters for improving the purification of distillery spent wash and enhancing the removal of TDS, EC, and turbidity.

Enhancing microbial fuel cell performance for distillery wastewater treatment and bioelectricity generation: harnessing niacin as a redox mediator.

The role of redox mediators in improving electron transport from electrochemically active bacteria to the anode is crucial for enhanced bioelectricity output from microbial fuel cells (MFCs), which makes the selection of an ideal mediator very important. This study aims at exploring a new redox mediator niacin (vit B3) for enhanced bioelectricity generation in MFC while treating distillery wastewater through facile modification of anode electrode by niacin doping (MFC-NME) and simple application of niacin to the anolyte (MFC-NAA). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) of NME confirmed the effective adsorption of niacin onto the carbon felt surface. Notably, MFC-NME exhibited a significantly higher power density (PD) of 6.36 W/m3 compared to MFC-NAA (4.59 W/m3) and control MFC (3.49W/m3). The charge transfer resistance (RCT) in MFC-NME (1.73 Ω) and MFC-NAA (2.06 Ω) were lowered by more than half than that in control MFC (4.33 Ω), which underscores the efficacy of niacin as a redox mediator. SEM analysis revealed improved bacterial attachment over the bioanode in the MFC-NME as compared to that of MFC-NAA and control MFC. Removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) was higher in MFC-NAA (85%) and MFC-NME (80%) than in control MFC (73%) suggesting that niacin in the anolyte supported greater organic matter removal due to enriched microbial activity. Niacin used in anode modification shows great potential for improved electron transfer and enhanced bioelectricity production and supports greater wastewater treatment performance. The modified bioanode NME exhibits excellent stability.

Biohydrogen generation from distillery effluent using baffled up‐flow microbial electrolysis cell

AbstractMicrobial electrolysis cell (MEC) is gaining importance not only for effectively treating wastewater but also for producing hydrogen. The up‐flow microbial electrolysis cell (UPMEC) is an innovative approach to enhance the efficiency, and substrate degradation. In this study, a baffled UPMEC with an anode divided into three regions by inserting the baffle (sieve) plates at varying distances from the cathode was designed. The effect of process parameters, such as flow rate (10, 15, and 20 mL/min), electrode area (50, 100, and 150 cm2), and catholyte buffer concentration (50, 100, and 150 mM) were investigated using distillery wastewater as substrate. The experimental results showed a maximum of 0.6837 ± 0.02 mmol/L biohydrogen at 150 mM buffer, with 49 ± 1.0% COD reduction using an electrode of area 150 cm2. The maximum current density was 1335.94 mA/m2 for the flow rate of 15 mL/min and surface area of 150 cm2. The results showed that at optimized flow rate and buffer concentration, maximum hydrogen production and effective treatment of wastewater were achieved in the baffled UPMEC.Practitioner Points Biohydrogen production from distillery wastewater was investigated in a baffled UPMEC. Flowrate, concentration and electrode areas significantly influenced the hydrogen production. Maximum hydrogen (0.6837±0.02mmol/L.day) production and COD reduction (49±1.0%) was achieved at 15 mL/min. Highest CHR of 95.37±1.9 % and OHR of 4.6±0.09 % was observed at 150 mM buffer concentration.

Performance Evaluation of the Electro-Fenton Process for Distillery Wastewater Treatment

A fair amount of India’s gross domestic product is contributed by distilleries, which are considered the backbone industries of India. Distilleries indeed play key roles in India’s exports. Distillery wastewater is recognized as one of the recalcitrant wastewaters, containing extremely high organic loading and having an adverse impact when released into the environment. The aim of the present study was to optimize the conditions required for attaining improved COD removal efficiency in distillery wastewater through an electro-Fenton (EF) process. The effect of various operating parameters, viz. H2O2 dosage (555–2220 mg L−1), spacing between the iron electrodes (2–6 cm), electrode dipping area (35–65 cm2), initial pH (2–9), and constant voltage supply (5–15 V), were investigated by carrying out the EF process in batch mode. As a result of the EF study, COD removal efficiency of 79.5% for an initial COD of 5500–6000 mg L−1 was achieved for the distillery wastewater under the condition of 1665 mg L−1 H2O2, 2.5 cm of spacing between the electrodes, 55 cm2 of electrode dipping area, pH 3, and constant voltage supply of 5 V. In the same study, the kinetics of the process was also investigated, and it obeyed the pseudo-first-order reaction. The EF process effectively degrades complex organic compounds in distillery wastewater into simpler, potentially less toxic substances, as demonstrated by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis and pathway elucidation. The central composite design (CCD) of the response surface methodology (RSM) model was used to optimize the COD removal in distillery wastewater through the EF process. In line with the batch experimental results, RSM projections also indicated that the optimum conditions required for attaining a maximum of 70.8% COD removal efficiency in distillery wastewater are found to be 1402 mg L−1 H2O2 dosage, 3 cm electrode spacing, 60 cm2 dipping area, 5 V voltage, and pH 2.18. The research data supported the conclusion that the EF process is feasible for distillery wastewater treatment, which preferably can be applied extensively.

Processes Coupled to Electrocoagulation for the Treatment of Distillery Wastewaters

Processes Coupled to Electrocoagulation for the Treatment of Distillery Wastewaters

Effect of distillery wastewater on chemical composition and microbial community of Sorghum propinquum silage during micro-permeation of air

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of distillery wastewater (DWW) on the nutrient composition, fermentation quality and microbial community of Sorghum propinquum silage during the micro-permeation of air. S. propinquum without (CK) or with L. buchneri, (LAB), distillery wastewater yellow serofluid (Y) and distillery spent wash (S) was ensiled for 60 days, and then subjected to a micro-permeation stability of air test for 6 days. After 60 days of storage, treatments with DWW and LAB decreased the loss of DM, inhibited the degradation of protein and reduced the production of ammonia nitrogen in silage relative to the control. In particular, S. propinquum silage treated with yellow serofluid sustained higher levels. Moreover, the addition of DWW resulted in higher levels of acetic and propionic acid than the other treatments. During the micro-permeation of air, the addition of DWW was effective in inhibiting the reduction of lactic acid content, and unique genera Roseburia and Faecalibacterium, which are beneficial for livestock production, discovered in DWW-treated S. propinquum silage. In conclusion, the addition of DWW was efficacious in improving the nutritional composition and microbial community of S. propinquum silage during the micro-permeation of air.

Photo-alternating current-electrocoagulation technique: Studies on operating parameters for treatment of industrial wastewater

In this investigation, several electrochemical and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), including photolysis (UV), direct/alternating current-electrocoagulation (DC/AC/EleC), and photo-direct/alternating current-electrocoagulation (UV/DC/AC/EleC) process were examined regarding their capacity in order to reduce the amount of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and color in distillery industrial wastewater (DIW), as well as the effect these factors have on the amount of electricity required to treat the wastewater. Experimental results showed that compared to single UV, DC/EleC, AC/EleC, and hybrid UV/DC/EleC processes, the hybrid UV/AC/EleC process provided excellent color-100 % and COD-100 % removal efficiencies with a lowered usage of energy of 8.54 kWhr m−3. The influence of critical operational variables such as treatment time (30–240 min), photo (8–40 W), pulse duty cycle (0.14–0.86), current (0.15–0.90 Amp), pH (1.50–11.50), chemical oxygen demand (3000–9000 mgL−1), inter electrode spacing (1–4 cm), electrode combination (Fe/Fe, Fe/Al,Al/Fe, Al/Al), and electrolyte concentration (1–5 g L−1) on the efficiency of% color and COD removal, as well as the energy utilization of DIW were examined applying a hybrid UV/AC/EleC method. The synergistic index between UV and the AC/EleC process was also examined and discussed in this work. The UV/AC/EleC technique is the most advantageous choice in comparison to the other approaches since it can be applied to properly and efficiently remove pollutants from wastewater and industrial effluent.

Biomineralization of phosphorus during anaerobic treatment of distillery wastewaters

This study addresses the pressing environmental concerns associated with the rapidly growing distillery industry, which is a significant contributor to wastewater generation. By focusing on the treatment of distillery wastewater using anaerobic digestion, this research explores the potential to convert organic materials into biofuels (methane). Moreover, the study aims to recover both methane and phosphorus from distillery wastewater in a single anaerobic reactor, which represents a novel and unexplored approach. Laboratory-scale experiments were conducted using mesophilic and thermophilic upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors. A key aspect of the study involved the implementation of a unique strategy: the mixing of centrate and spent caustic wastewater streams. This approach was intended to enhance treatment performance, manipulate the microbial community structure, and thereby optimizing the overall treatment performance. The integration of the centrate and spent caustic streams yielded remarkable co-benefits, resulting in significant biomethane production and efficient phosphorus precipitation. The study demonstrated a phosphorus removal efficiency of ∼60 % throughout the 130–140 days operation period. The recovery of phosphorus via the reactor sludge offers exciting opportunities for its utilization as a fertilizer or as a raw material within the phosphorus refinery industry. The biomethane produced during the treatment exhibits significant energy potential, estimated at 0.5 GJ/(m3 distillery wastewater).

Impact of short-term irrigation of diverse distillery wastewater types on plant attributes and antioxidative enzymes of pea (Pisum sativum L. var. Rachna).

The study was focused on evaluating the short-term irrigation effect of three different types of distillery wastewater, i.e., untreated, primary treated, and secondary treated, on the germination, growth, photosynthetic pigments, and antioxidant enzymes of pea (Pisum sativum L. var. Rachna). The findings indicated that exposure to 50% secondary treated distillery wastewater (ST50) resulted in the maximum values for positive germination parameters of pea, including germination percentage, germination value, germination index, peak value, vigor index, speed of germination, and tolerance index. The minimum values were observed at 100% concentration of untreated wastewater (UT100). In contrast, the maximum values for various negative germination parameters, i.e., percent inhibition, seedling mortality, and germination period, were observed at UT100 and minimum at ST50. All the growth parameters studied, i.e., length of shoot, length of root and length of seedlings, fresh weight of shoot, fresh weight of root, dry weight of shoot, and dry weight of root, showed maximum values at ST50 and minimum at UT100. Photosynthetic pigment analysis also followed a similar trend. The antioxidative enzyme characterization of Pisum sativum L. var. Rachna revealed the minimum values of catalase, ascorbic peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and superoxide dismutase at ST25 (25% concentration of secondary treated distillery wastewater) and maximum values were observed at UT100.

Multi-criteria-based decision-making assessment for anaerobic digestion of ammonia-rich distillery wastewater: Effect of pyrochar and temperature

Energy-efficient wastewater treatment units are imperative to achieve carbon neutrality and a circular economy at the industrial scale. In the present study, pyrochar loading and digestion temperature were tested to assess their impact on the performance of an anaerobic digester running on distillery wastewater. The digestion temperature (37 °C and 55 °C) and pyrochar loading (7.5 – 30 g/L.feed) were selected as two primary design factors. Experiments were designed using Taguchi’s design of experiments and specific methane yield, total ammonia nitrogen, pH and buffering capacity were selected as experimental outputs for multi-criteria assessment. The results from the confirmation test indicated that the addition of pyrochar (7.5 g/Lfeed) improved the methane yield (276 ± 15 L/kg VS) significantly compared to the control (167 ± 15 L/kg VS) at 37 °C. The detailed post-digestion analysis showed that the adsorption of ammonia on pyrochar may be the primary reason for enhanced digester performance.

Biogas Production through Anaerobic Codigestion of Distillery Wastewater Sludge and Disposable Spent Yeast

The ongoing industrial transformation in developing countries, including Ethiopia, has resulted in a significant increase in harmful pollutants in the environment. Various industrial activities release toxic wastewater sludge and spent yeast into the surrounding ecosystem, posing risks to public health and the environment. However, these waste materials have the potential for energy extraction and recycling. This study aimed to investigate and harness the biogas potential through anaerobic codigestion of distillery wastewater sludge and waste yeast. The researchers employed a response surface approach utilizing Box–Behnken experimental designs (BBD) to assess the three key experimental parameters influencing biogas yield: pH levels (6, 7, and 8), volume ratio (85, 92, and 99%), and temperature (33, 36.5, and 40°C). Before and after the digestion process, the researchers measured the total solids (TS), biological oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and pH of all substrates. Additionally, measurements of temperature, total nitrate, and total phosphate were taken before digestion. The methane yield was modeled using a second-order polynomial through the BBD method in Design Expert software, with a p value threshold of ≤5%. The results showed that the maximum methane yield of 61.18% was achieved at a pH of 7, a temperature of 36.5°C, and a volume ratio of 92%. Conversely, the lowest methane yield of 40.13% was obtained at a pH of 6, a temperature of 33°C, and a volume ratio of 92%. The linear and quadratic values of the model (A, B, C, A2, B2, and C2) were determined to be significant terms, with p values ≤5%. Overall, the biogas yields obtained from the anaerobic codigestion of distillery wastewater and waste yeast were promising. This process has the potential to effectively remove BOD5, COD, and TS from distillery spent wash and sludge. The findings suggest that anaerobic codigestion could be a viable approach for both energy production and waste management in the setting of distillery waste.

Optimization of Initial Cell Density and Usage Efficiency of Seed Culture Medium During Lipid Production from Distillery Wastewater by Rhodosporidium toruloides

For the environmentally sustainable development, the recovery of resource or energy from wastes has attracted worldwide attention in recent years. The wastewater produced from distillery is more difficult to treat than the domestic wastewater due to the high organic loads. This study explores the possibility of developing a process, which could produce microbial lipid convertible to biodiesel by recovering nutrients from non-sterile wastewater while simultaneously removing part of organic matters through cultivating oleaginous microorganisms. Especially, it is intended to further optimize the initial cell density and the usage efficiency of seed culture medium. The lipid productivity by oleaginous yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides was studied using wastewater from rice wine distillery, at 30ºC under different initial cell densities (2 x 107, 1 x 107, 0.8 x 107, and 0.5 x 107 cells/mL) and incubation periods (2-5 days). Chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency, cell yield, and lipid yield were analyzed and the potential for bioenergy recovery from wastewater was assessed. The seed culture medium was found reusable for the second time without the addition of extra nutrient and possible for the third time with the addition of glucose.

Enhanced Efficiency for Biogas Production from Distillery Wastewater as Mixed with Molasses and Glycerol Waste in the Anaerobic Co-Digestion

This experiment was conducted to decide the impact of molasses and glycerol waste on upgraded methane production in anaerobicco-digestion with distillery wastewater. Co-substrates used for biogas production in the anaerobic co-fermentation process ofdistillery wastewater (DW) were molasses (ML) and glycerol waste (GW). The co-substrate concentration in all batch experimentsvaried between 1% and 5% (v/v). To study the efficiency of biogas production, the optimal ratio was chosen for operation in thePFR continuous reactor. Optimization results indicated that anaerobic co-digestion of DW with 5% GW and 1% ML could improvebiogas quality and quantity. HRT for 30 days allowed R2 (95% DW: 5% GW) to produce maximum methane production per 11 m3CH4/m3mixed wastewater, followed by R1 (99% DW: 1%). ML) 6 m3CH4/m3mixed wastewater and control (100% DW) could onlyproduce 2.7 m3CH4/m3mixed wastewater methane. As co-substrates, GW and ML can be balanced to coordinate the C/N ratio andpH of DW. In particular, the C/N ratio of the mixed sewage can be balanced, and the concentration of ammonia nitrogen within ananaerobic digestion tank can be diluted. Therefore, GW can be used as an optimal co-substrate as it improves the C/N ratio, dilutestoxic compounds within DW, and provides lower prices, thus increasing the potential for methanogenesis within DW affected toincrease biogas production.

Multidimensional decipherment of interactions in invert sugar–amino acid co-degradation colorants (IACDCs) capture by polyamine co-modified shaddock peel cellulose/graphene oxide aerogel

The development of an environmentally friendly scavenger with an outstanding ability to eliminate IACDCs from molasses-based distillery wastewater is essential for the safety of aquatic ecosystems and organisms. By combining polyamine co-modified shaddock peel cellulose (SPC) and graphene oxide (GO), a multistage porous aerogel (i.e., CP-GO/SPA) was constructed for the highly effective capture of IACDCs. CP-GO/SPA exhibited a surprisingly high IACDC adsorption capacity (1157 mg/g, which was 1.5–100 times that of previously reported ones). It also had an ultrafast adsorption mass transfer (AMT) rate. Advanced AMT-resistance models reveal that the capture on active site is the main AMT resistance, whereas liquid-film and pore diffusion are quite fast. CP-GO/SPA exhibited excellent reusability (>90% IACDC removal efficiency after six cycles) and considerable potential for industrial applications (i.e., treatment of actual wastewater by fixed-bed adsorption). The polyamine co-modified SPC and GO endowed CP-GO/SPA with substantial amine groups and high affinity for water, as validated by advanced molecular dynamics simulations. These features are extremely conducive for capturing electronegative and water-soluble IACDCs. A series of characterizations and multiple quantum chemical theory calculations (including ETP, ALIE, FMOs, IGM, and HIS analyses) further revealed the adsorption mechanisms from a molecular perspective. The IACDC capture by CP-GO/SPA resulted from charge, electron sharing, and van der Waals interactions. However, charge interactions played a dominant role. The optimal capture configurations were visualized at the molecular level, and the H-bond donor–acceptor relationship was determined. The IACDCs act as H-bond acceptors in a diverse range of capture configurations.

Studies on Physico-chemical Characters of Distillery Waste Water and Decolorizing Bacteria

Distillery waste water possess serious environmental hazards causing eutrophication, adversely affecting the human health and the flora and fauna of the waterbodies. The conventional treatment methods applied these days are not satisfactory. So, it is a need of the present day to find alternative methods to achieve this aim. Microbial treatment serves to be the best option for the treatment of waste waters. The present work was carried out to study the physico-chemical characters of distillery waste water and to isolate, screen, characterize and identify the micro-organisms with a potential of decolorizing distillery waste water. Two isolates were obtained during the study. Their decolorizing activity in presence of various supplements for different incubation periods was checked. Both of the isolates were found to be promising for future use.

Removal of organic pollutants from sugarcane stillage using UV-assisted Fenton process

Stillage or distillery wastewater have been reported as industrial effluent that are difficult to be treated as its discharge in the water bodies presents contamination with recalcitrant and non-degradable pollutants. Due to their complicated structure, stillage treatment process using traditional methods such as adsorption, coagulation, and flocculation is challenging. Fenton reaction has been found as an effective method to degrade these contaminants through hydroxyl radicals. In this study, the removal of pollutants in stillage was investigated using UV-assisted Fenton process. Experiments was conducted for 60 minutes in a batch reactor with initial pH of stillage 4.5, UV lamp of 395-400 nm, and constant speed of 250 rpm, while the dosages of H2O2 and Fe (II) were kept constant at 3.3 g/L and 0.6 g Fe/L, respectively. The profile of chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal, pH, temperature, and oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) was evaluated under three dilution factors of raw stillage (1/10; 1/25; and 1/50) during treatment process to investigate the effects of these parameters on treatment efficiency. It has been observed that initial COD of stillage had considerable effect on the performance of UV-photo-Fenton treatment, as higher dilution factor increases the removal efficiency of COD from stillage. The degradation of COD by UV-assisted Fenton was found to be suitably described by the pseudo-first-order kinetics. The results obtained from this work indicated that UV-Fenton can be introduced as a successful advanced treatment process for efficient degradation of stillage.

Anaerobic digestion of distillery wastewater and napier grass: Characterization and process performance parameters

The BOD/COD ratio of napier grass (NG) + distillery wastewater (DWW) was found to be 0.4982, which reflected that the biodegradability of organic material is high and can be degraded and treated efficiently via biological processes. Moreover, further reductions in total solids (TS) and volatile solids (VS) were observed after thermal pretreatment at temperatures of 60°C and 100°C. VS/TS ratio also increased from 0.8767 to 0.9508 indicating a more significant proportion of organic matter are favorable for biogas production. This was evidenced by the resulting removal efficiencies ranging from 15% to 32% and 23% to 42%, for TS and VS, respectively. Overall, the study reported relevant effects of the application of thermochemical pretreatment in the process performance parameters in anaerobic digestion.

Biogas Production from Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum) and Distillery Wastewater: Kinetic Study

Biogas Production from Napier Grass (<i>Pennisetum purpureum</i>) and Distillery Wastewater: Kinetic Study

Sequential Dual Coagulation and Photo-Fenton Oxidation for Real Distillery Wastewater Treatment

Sequential Dual Coagulation and Photo-Fenton Oxidation for Real Distillery Wastewater Treatment