Environmental and Energy Engineering

Enhanced lipid and biodiesel production from glucose-fed activated sludge: Kinetics and microbial community analysis

  1. Andro H. Mondala1,
  2. Rafael Hernandez1,*,
  3. Todd French1,*,
  4. Linda McFarland1,
  5. Jorge W. Santo Domingo2,
  6. Mark Meckes2,
  7. Hodon Ryu2,
  8. Brandon Iker2

Article first published online: 6 MAY 2011

DOI: 10.1002/aic.12655

Issue

AIChE Journal

AIChE Journal

Volume 58, Issue 4, pages 1279–1290, April 2012

Additional Information

How to Cite

Mondala, A. H., Hernandez, R., French, T., McFarland, L., Santo Domingo, J. W., Meckes, M., Ryu, H. and Iker, B. (2012), Enhanced lipid and biodiesel production from glucose-fed activated sludge: Kinetics and microbial community analysis. AIChE J., 58: 1279–1290. doi: 10.1002/aic.12655

Author Information

  1. 1

    Renewable Fuels and Chemicals Laboratory, Dave C. Swalm School of Chemical Engineering, Mississippi State University, MS 39762

  2. 2

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH 45268

*Renewable Fuels and Chemicals Laboratory, Dave C. Swalm School of Chemical Engineering, Mississippi State University, MS 39762

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 8 MAR 2012
  2. Article first published online: 6 MAY 2011
  3. Accepted manuscript online: 15 APR 2011 01:17PM EST
  4. Manuscript Revised: 18 MAR 2011
  5. Manuscript Received: 10 AUG 2010

Funded by

  • U.S. Department of Energy
  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Applied Research (RARE). Grant Number: CR-83361801

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Keywords:

  • energy;
  • environmental engineering;
  • fermentation;
  • mathematical modeling;
  • green engineering

Abstract

An innovative approach to increase biofuel feedstock lipid yields from municipal sewage sludge via manipulation of carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratio and glucose loading in activated sludge bioreactors was investigated. Sludge lipid and fatty acid methyl ester (biodiesel) yields (% cell dry weight, CDW) were enhanced via cultivation in activated sludge bioreactors operated at high initial C:N ratio (≥40:1) and glucose loading (≥40 g L−1). Under C:N 70, 60 g L−1 glucose loading, a maximum of 17.5 ± 3.9 and 10.2 ± 2.0% CDW lipid and biodiesel yields, respectively, were achieved after 7 d of cultivation. The cultured sludge lipids contained mostly C16[BOND]C18 fatty acids, with oleic acid consistently accounting for 40–50% of the total fatty acids. Microbial composition in activated sludge exposed to C:N 70 shifted toward specific gammaproteobacteria, suggesting their relevance in lipid production in wastewater microbiota and potential value in biofuel synthesis applications. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2012

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