Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Performance of CSTR–EGSB–SBR system for treating sulfate-rich cellulosic ethanol wastewater and microbial community analysis

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Performance and microbial community composition were evaluated in a two-phase anaerobic and aerobic system treating sulfate-rich cellulosic ethanol wastewater (CEW). The system was operated at five different chemical oxygen demand (COD)/SO4 2− ratios (63.8, 26.3, 17.8, 13.7, and 10.7). Stable performance was obtained for total COD removal efficiency (94.5%), sulfate removal (89.3%), and methane production rate (11.5 L/day) at an organic loading rate of 32.4 kg COD/(m3·day). The acidogenic reactor made a positive contribution to net VFAs production (2318.1 mg/L) and sulfate removal (60.9%). Acidogenic bacteria (Megasphaera, Parabacteroides, unclassified Ruminococcaceae spp., and Prevotella) and sulfate-reducing bacteria (Butyrivibrio, Megasphaera) were rich in the acidogenic reactor. In the methanogenic reactor, high diversity of microorganisms corresponded with a COD removal contribution of 83.2%. Moreover, methanogens (Methanosaeta) were predominant, suggesting that these organisms played an important role in the acetotrophic methanogenesis pathway. The dominant aerobic bacteria (Truepera) appeared to have been responsible for the COD removal of the SBR. These results indicate that dividing the sulfate reduction process could effectively minimize sulfide toxicity, which is important for the successful operation of system treating sulfate-rich CEW.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahring BK, Ibrahim AA, Mladenovska Z (2001) Effect of temperature increase from 55 to 65 C on performance and microbial population dynamics of an anaerobic reactor treating cattle manure. Water Res 35:2446–2452

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • APHA, AWWA, WEF (2005) Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. American Public Health Association, Washington

    Google Scholar 

  • Berner RA (1963) Electrode studies of hydrogen sulfide in marine sediments. Geochim Cosmochim A 27:563–575

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Briones AM, Daugherty BJ, Angenent LT, Rausch K, Tumbleson M, Raskin L (2009) Characterization of microbial trophic structures of two anaerobic bioreactors processing sulfate-rich waste streams. Water Res 43:4451–4460

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Choeisai P, Jitkam N, Silapanoraset K, Yubolsai C, Yoochatchaval W, Yamaguchi T, Onodera T, Syutsubo K (2014) Sugarcane molasses-based bio-ethanol wastewater treatment by two-phase multi-staged up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) combination with up-flow UASB and down-flow hanging sponge. Water Sci Technol 69:1174–1180

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Demirel B, Scherer P (2008) The roles of acetotrophic and hydrogenotrophic methanogens during anaerobic conversion of biomass to methane: a review. Rev Environ Sci Bio 7:173–190

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Demirel B, Yenigün O (2002) Two-phase anaerobic digestion processes: a review. J Chem Technol Biot 77:743–755

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eichorst SA, Joshua C, Sathitsuksanoh N, Singh S, Simmons BA, Singer SW (2014) Substrate-specific development of thermophilic bacterial consortia by using chemically pretreated switchgrass. Appl Environ Microbiol 80:7423–7432

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Emery R, Smith C, To LF (1957) Utilization of inorganic sulfate by rumen microorganisms: II. The ability of single strains of rumen bacteria to utilize inorganic sulfate 1, 2. Appl Microbiol 5:363–366

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fox P, Pohland FG (1994) Anaerobic treatment applications and fundamentals—substrate-specificity during phase-separation. Water Environ Res 66:716–724

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Göker M, Saunders E, Lapidus A, Nolan M, Lucas S, Hammon N, Deshpande S, Cheng J-F, Han C, Tapia R (2012) Genome sequence of the moderately thermophilic, amino-acid-degrading and sulfur-reducing bacterium Thermovirga lienii type strain (Cas60314 T). Stand Genomic Sci 6:230

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greene AC, Patel BK, Yacob S (2009) Geoalkalibacter subterraneus sp. nov., an anaerobic Fe(III)- and Mn(IV)-reducing bacterium from a petroleum reservoir, and emended descriptions of the family Desulfuromonadaceae and the genus Geoalkalibacter. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 59:781–785

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Guo Z, Zhou A, Yang C, Liang B, Sangeetha T, He Z, Wang L, Cai W, Wang A, Liu W (2015) Enhanced short chain fatty acids production from waste activated sludge conditioning with typical agricultural residues: carbon source composition regulates community functions. Biotechnol Biofuels 8:1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hino T, Miyazaki K, Kuroda S (1991) Role of extracellular acetate in the fermentation of glucose by a ruminal bacterium, Megasphaera elsdenii. J Gen Appl Microbiol 37:121–129

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huws SA, Kim EJ, Lee MR, Scott MB, Tweed JK, Pinloche E, Wallace RJ, Scollan ND (2011) As yet uncultured bacteria phylogenetically classified as Prevotella, Lachnospiraceae incertae sedis and unclassified Bacteroidales, Clostridiales and Ruminococcaceae may play a predominant role in ruminal biohydrogenation. Environ Microbiol 13:1500–1512

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Isa Z, Grusenmeyer S, Verstraete W (1986) Sulfate reduction relative to methane production in high-rate anaerobic digestion—microbiological aspects. Appl Environ Microbiol 51:580–587

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jimenez J, Gonidec E, Rivero JAC, Latrille E, Vedrenne F, Steyer J-P, Bakhrouf A (2014) Prediction of anaerobic biodegradability and bioaccessibility of municipal sludge by coupling sequential extractions with fluorescence spectroscopy: towards ADM1 variables characterization. Water Res 50:359–372

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kalyuzhnyi S, Fedorovich V, Lens P, Pol LH, Lettinga G (1998) Mathematical modelling as a tool to study population dynamics between sulfate reducing and methanogenic bacteria. Biodegradation 9:187–199

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kim SB, Lee Y (2002) Diffusion of sulfuric acid within lignocellulosic biomass particles and its impact on dilute-acid pretreatment. Bioresour Technol 83:165–171

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kühl M, Jørgensen BB (1992) Microsensor measurements of sulfate reduction and sulfide oxidation in compact microbial communities of aerobic biofilms. Appl Environ Microbiol 58:1164–1174

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee GH, Rhee MS, Chang DH, Lee J, Kim S, Yoon MH, Kim BC (2013) Oscillibacter ruminantium sp. nov., isolated from the rumen of Korean native cattle. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 63:1942–1946

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lens P, Kuenen J (2001) The biological sulfur cycle: novel opportunities for environmental biotechnology. Water Sci Technol 44:57–66

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lens PNL, Visser A, Janssen AJH, Pol LWH, Lettinga G (1998) Biotechnological treatment of sulfate-rich wastewaters. Crit Rev Env Sci Tech 28:41–88

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lykidis A, Chen C-L, Tringe SG, McHardy AC, Copeland A, Kyrpides NC, Hugenholtz P, Macarie H, Olmos A, Monroy O (2011) Multiple syntrophic interactions in a terephthalate-degrading methanogenic consortium. The ISME Journal 5:122–130

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Montpart N, Rago L, Baeza JA, Guisasola A (2015) Hydrogen production in single chamber microbial electrolysis cells with different complex substrates. Water Res 68:601–615

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Percheron G, Bernet N, Moletta R (1997) Start-up of anaerobic digestion of sulfate wastewater. Bioresour Technol 61:21–27

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pholchan MK, Baptista Jde C, Davenport RJ, Curtis TP (2010) Systematic study of the effect of operating variables on reactor performance and microbial diversity in laboratory-scale activated sludge reactors. Water Res 44:1341–1352

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reis M, Goncalves L, Carrondo M (1988) Sulphate removal in acidogenic phase anaerobic digestion. Environ Technol Lett 9:775–784

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sánchez-Andrea I, Stams AJ, Amils R, Sanz JL (2013) Enrichment and isolation of acidophilic sulfate-reducing bacteria from Tinto River sediments. Env Microbiol Rep 5:672–678

    Google Scholar 

  • Shan L, Yu Y, Zhu Z, Zhao W, Wang H, Ambuchi JJ, Feng Y (2015) Microbial community analysis in a combined anaerobic and aerobic digestion system for treatment of cellulosic ethanol production wastewater. Environ Sci Pollut R 22:17789–17798

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shen PH, Zhang JY, Zhang J, Jiang CJ, Tang XL, Li JF, Zhang M, Wu B (2013) Changes in microbial community structure in two anaerobic systems to treat bagasse spraying wastewater with and without addition of molasses alcohol wastewater. Bioresour Technol 131:333–340

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shin H-S, Bae B-U, Lee J-J, Paik B-C (1992) Anaerobic digestion of distillery wastewater in a two-phase UASB system. War Sci Tech 25:361–371

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stams A, Plugge C, De Bok F, Van Houten B, Lens P, Dijkman H, Weijma J (2005) Metabolic interactions in methanogenic and sulfate-reducing bioreactors. Water Sci Technol 52:13–20

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tan H-Q, Li T-T, Zhu C, Zhang X-Q, Wu M, Zhu X-F (2012) Parabacteroides chartae sp. nov., an obligately anaerobic species from wastewater of a paper mill. Int J Syst Evol Microb 62:2613–2617

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vohra M, Manwar J, Manmode R, Padgilwar S, Patil S (2014) Bioethanol production: feedstock and current technologies. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering 2:573–584

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang H, Hu C, Hu X, Yang M, Qu J (2012) Effects of disinfectant and biofilm on the corrosion of cast iron pipes in a reclaimed water distribution system. Water Res 46:1070–1078

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wilkie AC, Riedesel KJ, Owens JM (2000) Stillage characterization and anaerobic treatment of ethanol stillage from conventional and cellulosic feedstocks. Biomass Bioenergy 19:63–102

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng Y, Xiao Y, Yang Z-H, Wu S, Xu H-J, Liang F-Y, Zhao F (2014) The bacterial communities of bioelectrochemical systems associated with the sulfate removal under different pHs. Process Biochem 49:1345–1351

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFC0401101) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51308150, 41405130). The research also got the support from the National Science Technology Pillar Program, China (2015BAD15B0502) and the Heilongjiang Postdoctoral Fund (LBH-Z12132) in China. The authors also acknowledge the support from the State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment (2015DX08), and support from the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (grant no. HIT.MKSTISP.2016 14).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China

    Lili Shan, Zhaohan Zhang, Yanling Yu, John Justo Ambuchi & Yujie Feng

Authors
  1. Lili Shan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zhaohan Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yanling Yu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. John Justo Ambuchi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Yujie Feng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Zhaohan Zhang or Yujie Feng.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Diane Purchase

Electronic supplementary material

ESM 1

(DOCX 315 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Shan, L., Zhang, Z., Yu, Y. et al. Performance of CSTR–EGSB–SBR system for treating sulfate-rich cellulosic ethanol wastewater and microbial community analysis. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 14387–14395 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9022-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9022-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation