Swine waste treatment by self-heating aerobic thermophilic bioreactors

• Published in: Water research (Oxford) Vol. 38; no. 3; pp. 539 - 546
• Main Authors: Juteau, Pierre, Tremblay, Danielle, Ould-Moulaye, Cheikh-Baye, Bisaillon, Jean-Guy, Beaudet, Réjean
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2004; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Aerobic thermophilic treatment; Agriculture; Animals; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of waters; Bioreactors; Biotechnology; Campylobacter; Campylobacter - isolation & purification; Campylobacter - pathogenicity; Centrifugation; Clostridium perfringens; Clostridium perfringens - isolation & purification; Clostridium perfringens - pathogenicity; Colour; Enterobacteriaceae - isolation & purification; Enterobacteriaceae - pathogenicity; Environment and pollution; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Livestock wastewater; Other wastewaters; Pathogen attenuation; Pollution; Swine; Temperature; Venturi aerator; Waste Disposal, Fluid - methods; Wastewaters; Water Purification - methods; Water treatment and pollution; Pathogen attenuation; Livestock wastewater; Aerobic thermophilic treatment; Venturi aerator; Centrifugation; Colour; Campylobacteraceae; Clostridiales; Thermophily; Liquid waste; Clostridium perfringens; Biological purification; Sequencing batch reactor; Swine; Pathogenic; Bacteria; Feces; Ungulata; Campylobacter; Autothermic reactor; Phosphorus; Coliforms; Farmyard manure; Operating conditions; Aerobic digestion; Ammonia; Vertebrata; Bioreactor; Mammalia; Clostridiaceae; Artiodactyla; Waste water purification; Performance; Animal waste
• ISSN: 0043-1354; 1879-2448
• DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2003.11.001

Pig manure represents a very high-strength wastewater that is well suited for a self-heating aerobic thermophilic treatment. Here we report the use of 59-L Aerobic Thermophilic Sequencing Batch Reactors (AT-SBR) to study the treatment of pig manure with a HRT of 6 days. Temperatures up to 75°C were reached without external heating by using Venturi-type aerators but these conditions were detrimental for the respiratory activity of the microflora. For COD removal, better performances were achieved when the temperature was limited to 50°C. However, higher temperatures increased the rate of phosphorus crystallisation and the volatilisation of ammonia. A temperature of 50°C was enough to eliminate faecal coliforms and Campylobacter spp., but 60°C was needed for the efficient destruction of Clostridium perfringens. Consequently, an operating temperature of 60°C appears to be a good compromise. Under these conditions, the BOD 5 decreases from 50.5 to 1.0 g L −1, yielding a 98% removal.