Effective reduction of enteric bacteria and viruses during the anaerobic digestion of biomass and wastes

Conference · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:7066022

Fannin, K F; Hsu, P H; Mensinger, J; Cahill, C

Natural resource depletion increases the amount of waste requiring efficient and affordable disposal alternatives. Through effective management, many of these so-called wastes can be utilized as important energy and agricultural resources. One such management approach involves the utilization of emergent aquatic plant species, such as water hyacinth, to remove nutrients from the wastewater during growth. This process produces an energy-containing biomass that can then be anaerobically digested either separately or with other waste components to produce energy-containing methane and an effluent residue containing significant quantities of protein and nutrients. This residue can be utilized as an effective fertilizer, soil conditioner, or animal feed supplement provided it is rendered reasonably safe from such contaminants as enteric microorganisms. This study was conducted to identify the digester operating parameters that affect the survival of enteric bacteria and viruses during the anaerobic digestion of blends of water hyacinth and primary sewage sludge. Solids retetion time and temperature were demonstrated to be important parameters affecting the survival of poliovirus, f-2 coliphage, Streptoccus fecalis, and Escherichia coli during anaerobic digestion. The die-off rates of the coliphages were similar to those of the poliovirus at 35/sup 0/C. S. fecalis appeared to be the most stable of any of the bacteria and viruses studied. All organisms were more stable at 25 than at 35/sup 0/C. The data demonstrate that the concentration of enteric bacteria and viruses can be effectively reduced during anaerobic digestion using techniques, such as increased solids retention times and mesophilic temperatures, that are consistent with achieving high methane yields. The survival of enteric viruses during anaerobic digestion may be affected by the characteristics of the feedstock as well as by the process operating conditions.

• Research Organization: Institute of Gas Technology, Chicago, IL (USA); Gas Research Inst., Chicago, IL (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7066022
• Report Number(s): CONF-840111-8; ON: TI84901427
• Resource Relation: Conference: 8. annual symposium on energy from biomass and wastes, Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA, 30 Jan 1984
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
PATHOGENS
REMOVAL
SEWAGE
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
WATER HYACINTHS
WATER TREATMENT
BACTERIA
ESCHERICHIA COLI
METHANE
POLIO VIRUS
PRODUCTION
STREPTOCOCCUS
SURVIVAL TIME
VIRUSES
WASTE WATER
ALKANES
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BIOCONVERSION
DIGESTION
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LIQUID WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MICROORGANISMS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARASITES
PLANTS
PROCESSING
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
WATER
090122* - Hydrocarbon Fuels- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass- (1976-1989)
140504 - Solar Energy Conversion- Biomass Production & Conversion- (-1989)
550700 - Microbiology