Co-digestion potential of different industrial sludge sources and impact on energy recovery

Co-digestion potential of the wastewater treatment sludges produced at two industries with different characteristics was investigated in anaerobic batch reactors operated at mesophilic (35±2 °C) condition. The sludge sources selected were from a food industry producing edible oil and from a textile industry producing woven fabric. Reactor performance was evaluated by the conventional parameters as well as by monitoring the biogas production during co-digestion of both industrial sludges at equal mixing proportions. Results indicated that both of these sludge sources had substantial biogas production potential with a cumulative biogas yield more than 425 mL/g-VSS_fed whereas it was about 5-fold lower only for the food sludge. On the other hand, chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal reached to about 90% during co-digestion with a well recovery of pH value and alkalinity concentration for sufficient buffering at the end of incubation. Therefore, by the combination of different industrial sludges through co-digestion; higher digestion performance and improved methane yield could be achieved due to better balanced substrate and nutrients. Regarding the initial heavy metals in the supernatant phase of the mixed sludge; iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), aluminum (Al), and manganese (Mn) could be removed from 56% to 80% while no apparent removals were observed in cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) at the end of operation. Hence, these potential toxic pollutants in the digestate should be taken into consideration while deciding the most appropriate resource recovery and ultimate disposal methods.