Increasing microbial activity in thermophilic anaerobic digestion of physicochemical sludge

Two thermophilic lab-scale reactors of 5 L were operated on a daily fed basis. Digester T1 received raw sludge (control) and digester T2 was fed with raw sludge plus metallic micronutrients and a bacilli additive. Raw sludge was obtained from a municipal chemically enhanced primary treatment plant. The effect of additives was clear on methane production, since on day 50, digester T2 produced 900 ml more methane than T1, an increase of 64%. On day 80, T2 reached twice the production of biogas of T1. Volatile solid removal (% VSR) in T2 increased to 29%; while T1 achieved only 15%. Acetic acid concentration in T2 diminished to 100 mg/L, which related to the higher biogas production. Based on the Mexican biosolids standard, the digested sludge reached Class A biosolids, in both digesters: fecal coliforms were reduced to less than 1000 MPN/gTS; Salmonella spp was totally eliminated and helminth egg counts were lower than one viable egg per gram of total solids.