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Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology Protocols pp 221–236Cite as

Anaerobic Digestion of Lipid-Rich Waste

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Abstract

Lipids present in waste and wastewater, also referred as fat, oil, and grease (FOG), can be efficiently converted to methane. This fact constitutes an opportunity for conserving the high energy content of waste lipids, thus facilitating its storage and future use as fuel, electricity, and heat. In anaerobic bioreactors, long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) are released during hydrolysis of FOG. LCFAs tend to form stable emulsions, adhere to all available surfaces, and adsorb on the microbial cell walls leading to foam formation, sludge flotation, and washout, as well as temporary inhibition of microbes. These problems can be prevented if a correct balance between LCFA accumulation and biodegradation is assured, by sequential feeding and degradation steps. Appropriate reactor operation is the key strategy to prevent the excessive accumulation of LCFA and to stimulate microbial acclimation, especially during the start-up phase. After successful acclimation, a continuously feeding operation is possible, provided that there is proper process control through an adequate monitoring protocol. In addition to adequate operation, a suitable reactor design is recommended. Among other technologies, the inverted anaerobic sludge blanket (IASB) was recently developed for the direct treatment of FOG-containing wastewater. This chapter reports a protocol with a detailed operation and monitoring strategy for achieving effective methane production from FOG-containing waste and wastewater and presents a brief description of the basic concepts behind the development of the reactor.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. M. A. Picavet

    Present address: COLSEN, Kreekzoom 5, 4561 GX, Hulst, The Netherlands

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CEB – Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal

    A. J. Cavaleiro, D. Z. Sousa, A. J. M. Stams, M. A. Pereira & M. M. Alves

  2. Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Dreijenplein 10, 6703 HB, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    D. Z. Sousa & A. J. M. Stams

Authors
  1. A. J. Cavaleiro
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  2. M. A. Picavet
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  3. D. Z. Sousa
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  4. A. J. M. Stams
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  5. M. A. Pereira
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  6. M. M. Alves
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. M. Alves .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex , Colchester, Essex, United Kingdom

    Terry J. McGenity

  2. Institute of Microbiology, Technical University Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany

    Kenneth N. Timmis

  3. Department of Biology, University of the Balearic Islands and Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA, UIB-CSIC), Palma de Mallorca, Spain

    Balbina Nogales

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© 2015 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Cavaleiro, A.J., Picavet, M.A., Sousa, D.Z., Stams, A.J.M., Pereira, M.A., Alves, M.M. (2015). Anaerobic Digestion of Lipid-Rich Waste. In: McGenity, T., Timmis, K., Nogales, B. (eds) Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology Protocols. Springer Protocols Handbooks. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/8623_2015_136

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/8623_2015_136

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-662-53110-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-53111-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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