Energy and protein production from pulp mill wastes. Final report, 15 Jun 1976-14 Jun 1979

Technical Report · Thu Jun 14 04:00:00 EDT 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5306187· OSTI ID:5306187

Jurgensen, M F; Patton, J T

The goal of this research was to convert the organics and sulfur in sulfite spent liquor (SSL) now classified as pollutants from sulfite pulp mills, into synthetic methane and protein by means of a combination chemical-biological process. Ozonization was used to break the high molecular weight lignosulfonate molecules present in SSL into lower weight fractions which could be metabolized by methane-producing bacteria and protein-producing yeast. Ozonization experiments showed that this treatment is effective in partially oxidizing and fragmenting lignosulfonates into fermentable substrates. This process is initiated at low ozone concentrations and proceeds rapidly until nearly 30% of the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) has been consumed. The conditions under which ozonization is conducted greatly affect the degree of oxidation and the molecular weight of the cleaved fragments. In spite of the appreciable oxidative cleavage of the lignosulfonate molecules, continuous-flow fermentation studies showed rather low yields of methane and yeast from ozonated SSL. Under optimum conditions, methane production averaged only 1.7 1/1 of SSL or approximately 3% of the total organics present. Protein production was somewhat more favorable with 6% of the organics being converted to yeast biomass. (6g/1). Neither fermentation fully used all of the oxygenated fragments produced by ozonization, and thus, a two-stage process might yield better results. Although it appears that ozonization is not a viable treatment of SSL under present economic conditions, with increased demand for energy and protein, it could become more competitive in the future. However, of possibly greater importance is the potential use of partial oxidation treatments to improve the biodegradability of organic wastes.

• Research Organization: Michigan Technological Univ., Houghton (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AS02-76CS40216
• OSTI ID: 5306187
• Report Number(s): COO-2983-12
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
090122* -- Hydrocarbon Fuels-- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass-- (1976-1989)
140504 -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Biomass Production & Conversion-- (-1989)
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320305 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Industrial Waste Management
ALKANES
BACTERIA
BATCH CULTURE
BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND
BIOCONVERSION
BIOSYNTHESIS
CARBOHYDRATES
CHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONTINUOUS CULTURE
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
DATA
DATA FORMS
DISPERSIONS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FERMENTATION
FLUIDS
FUNGI
GRAPHS
HYDROCARBONS
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
INDUSTRY
INFORMATION
LIGNIN
LIQUID WASTES
MANAGEMENT
METHANE
METHANOGENIC BACTERIA
MICROORGANISMS
MIXTURES
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC WASTES
OZONE
OZONIZATION
PAPER INDUSTRY
PLANTS
POLYSACCHARIDES
PROTEINS
SACCHARIDES
SLURRIES
SPENT LIQUORS
SULFONATES
SUSPENSIONS
SYNTHESIS
TABLES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WOOD PRODUCTS INDUSTRY
YEASTS