Simultaneous COD removal and PHA production in an activated sludge system under different temperatures

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate PHA production by activated sludge biomass under different temperatures. The two-step approach, i.e. utilizing a growth phase followed by a nutrient(s) limitation phase, was applied to stimulate PHA accumulation. Each of three intended temperatures, 10°C, 20°C and 30°C, was investigated with combined N&P limitation. Four liter (L) fully aerobic SBRs were used for all experiments, and operated with a 6 h cycle time, a 10 h HRT and a 10 day SRT. The maximum PHA cellular contents and total concentrations achieved during the N&P limitation periods in the 10 and 20°C systems were very similar, i.e. 45 and 43 % of the TSS and 2133 and 2239 mg/l, respectively, whereas the 30°C results were lower at 33 % of TSS and 1476 mg/l. The biomass temperature clearly had a strong inverse effect upon PHA productivity. It decreased from 427 and 204 to 148 mg/l-day as reactor temperature increased from 10 to 20 and 30°C, respectively. As well, the PHA yields decreased from 0.38 to 0.16 and 0.11 mg PHA/mg CODu, respectively. The results strongly indicate that activated sludge PHA accumulation stimulated by combined N and P limitation is inversely correlated with temperature.