Metal Stimulation and Municipal Digester

Thermophilic/Mesophilic Activity
Daniel H. Zitomer1; Carlan C. Johnson2; and Richard E. Speece3

Abstract: Biomass from thermophilic and mesophilic digesters 共four temperature-phased anaerobic digesters and one phased thermo-
philic digester兲 was assayed for potential methane production rate increases resulting from nutrient 共Ni, Co, and Fe兲 addition. Further-
more, digester operations and biomass activities were compared. The majority 共77%兲 of biomass samples benefited from nutrients, with
propionate and acetate utilization rates increasing as much as 50 and 35%, respectively, after nutrient addition. Propionate utilization rates
were more frequently stimulated by nutrient addition, demonstrating increased methane production rates of from 14 to 50% upon nutrient
amendment. Others have observed difficulty achieving low propionate concentrations in municipal thermophilic digesters, especially at
lower retention times. Trace nutrient supplementation is one method to increase propionate and acetate utilization in some municipal
thermophilic as well as mesophilic digesters.
DOI: 10.1061/共ASCE兲0733-9372共2008兲134:1共42兲
CE Database subject headings: Biomass; Digestion; Nutrients; Metals; Municipal wastes.

Introduction 共VFA兲 concentrations are reduced in the subsequent mesophilic

Thermophilic anaerobic digestion 共ca. 55° C兲 is being utilized
more widely for municipal wastewater biosolids stabilization,
and can be operated as a single-stage process. However, several
facilities use staged thermophilic digestion in which multiple di-
gesters in series are employed.
Potential advantages of thermophilic as compared to meso-
philic processes include increased pathogen inactivation as well
as increased volatile solids reduction 共VSR兲 and biogas produc-
tion 共Aitken et al. 2005a,b; Schafer et al. 2003; Song et al. 2004;
Cheunbarn and Pagilla 2000; Krugel et al. 1998; Dague and Han
1998兲. Both thermophilic temperatures and staging can increase
VSR and pathogen destruction, with multiple stages helping to
avoid short circuiting.
Thermophilic digestion can also be operated in temperature-
phased anaerobic digestion 共TPAD兲 systems consisting of a ther-
mophilic digester in series with a mesophilic digester. Usually the
thermophilic digester is maintained near 55° C and the mesophilic
digester is maintained at approximately 35° C. These phased sys-
tems tend to rely on the thermophilic digester because most
pathogen inactivation, solids destruction, and methane production
is performed by this reactor, whereas odor and volatile fatty acid
1
Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Marquette Univ.,
Milwaukee, WI 53201 共corresponding author兲. E-mail: daniel.zitomer@
mu.edu
2
Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Marquette Univ.,
Milwaukee, WI 53201.
3
Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt Univ.,
Nashville, TN 37235.
Note. Discussion open until June 1, 2008. Separate discussions must
be submitted for individual papers. To extend the closing date by one
month, a written request must be filed with the ASCE Managing Editor.
The manuscript for this paper was submitted for review and possible
publication on February 8, 2007; approved on May 25, 2007. This paper
is part of the Journal of Environmental Engineering, Vol. 134, No. 1,
January 1, 2008. ©ASCE, ISSN 0733-9372/2008/1-42–47/$25.00.
phase 共Song et al. 2004兲.
Although thermophilic digestion offers several advantages,
potential disadvantages exist. For example, disadvantages may
include increased odor, less process stability, and difficulty
achieving low VFA concentrations, especially during the first year
of start up or for municipal digester systems with retention times
less than six days 共Aitken et al. 2005b; Zitomer et al. 2004; Azbar
and Speece 2001; Ghosh 1987兲.
It is noteworthy that nutrient addition has lessened the severity
of these disadvantages, as they have been observed in thermo-
philic as well as mesophilic systems. In this regard, laboratory
thermophilic system supplementation with the nutrients calcium,
nickel, iron, and cobalt has resulted in removal of almost all
VFAs, even in reactors exhibiting difficulties with VFA removal
prior to nutrient addition 共Kim and Speece 2002兲. Trace metals
also increased the rate of biogas production in these laboratory
systems.
Micronutrients most often reported as stimulatory include the
trace metals nickel, cobalt, and iron 共Speece 1996兲. It is common
for municipal wastewater sludge to contain adequate nitrogen and
phosphorus. However, the trace metals nickel, cobalt, and iron are
not necessarily present in adequate amounts. Furthermore, these
trace metals are not necessarily bioavailable. Confusion still re-
mains as to the bioavailability of trace metals. Although total
metal concentrations may appear adequate, the metals may not be
present in bioavailable form that can be utilized by the microor-
ganisms. Therefore, nutrient addition may be warranted.
The stimulatory effect of trace metals in conventional meso-
philic digesters was previously studied, and eight of the 30 di-
gester biomass samples assayed exhibited an increase in biogas
production rate when nickel, cobalt, or iron was supplemented
and acetate was unlimiting 共Speece 1988兲. However, only con-
ventional mesophilic digesters were assayed. The nutrient require-
ments of thermophilic systems may be significantly different from
that of mesophilic systems. For example, Takashima and Shimada
共2004兲 reported minimum requirements for iron, nickel, cobalt,
and zinc in thermophilic methane fermentation from glucose of

42 / JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING © ASCE / JANUARY 2008

Table 1. Summary of Wastewater Treatment Plants Providing Biomass
Plant name
Greater Vancouver Regional District—Annacis Island WWTP Four-stage thermophilic
Western Lake Superior Sanitary District 共WLSSD兲 Temp-phased 共thermo-meso兲
Sturgeon Bay Utilities Temp-phased 共thermo-meso兲
Janesville Wastewater Utility—WWTP Temp-phased 共thermo-meso兲
Delafield-Hartland WWTP Temp-phased 共thermo-meso兲
3.5, 0.40, 0.45, and 2.0 mg/ L, respectively. These concentrations
are ten times greater than those determined for mesophilic meth-
ane fermentation from acetate 共Takashima and Speece 1989兲,
indicating a possible decrease in bioavailability or increase in
nutrient requirements at thermophilic temperatures.
In this study, the stimulatory effect of trace metals 共Ni, Co,
and Fe兲 on methanogenesis using biomass from thermophilic, and
TPAD municipal anaerobic digesters was quantified. The purpose
of the study was to determine if trace metal supplementation for
full-scale municipal thermophilic, and TPAD systems would be
advantageous. The increase in propionate and acetate utilization
rates due to trace metal addition was determined. In addition, a
survey of operations for digesters from which biomass was as-
sayed was performed.
Methods
Municipal wastewater treatment plants with thermophilic anaero-
bic digesters were identified in North America through literature
共e.g., Schafer et al. 2003兲, internet research, and discussion with
practicing engineers 共Johnson 2006兲. Five plants were chosen for
study based upon availability of quasi-steady-state biomass and
willingness of plant managers to participate in the study. Some
plants were not included since they were in start up or were not
operating thermophilic digesters at the time of the study. The
participating treatment plants are listed in Table 1. A treatment
plant survey instrument was created and completed by personnel
at all participating plants. The purpose of the survey was to pro-
vide information regarding digester type/configuration, digester
volume, type of material fed 共i.e., primary sludge, secondary
sludge, mixture兲, raw sludge feed rate, solids retention time, vola-
tile solids destruction, biogas production, digester temperature,
digester pH and alkalinity, volatile acids concentration, and am-
monia nitrogen concentration.
Biomass samples were transported to the laboratory from all
participating plants for diagnostic assays. Tests performed in-
cluded: 共1兲 maximum potential acetate utilization rate 共MPAUR兲
and maximum potential propionate utilization rate 共MPPUR兲 as-
says using nickel, cobalt, and iron; 共2兲 5- and 30-day biochemical
methane potential 共BMP兲 tests; and 共3兲 MPAUR and MPPUR
assays without nutrient supplementation. All these assays have
previously been used by Speece 共1988兲 to investigate over 30
conventional mesophilic digesters.
Nutrient Assays
Biomass aliquots 共50 mL兲 were placed in multiple, 160 mL
serum bottles. Two serum bottle groups were prepared for each
biomass sample used in nutrient assays. To one group, 7.5 g / L
calcium acetate was added, whereas 3 g / L calcium propionate
was added to the other group. These substrate concentrations are
typically employed for acetate and propionate utilization testing
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING © ASCE / JANUARY 2008 / 43
Digestion process City State/province Country
Burnaby B.C. Canada
Duluth MN US
Sturgeon Bay WI US
Janesville WI US
Delafield WI US
共Speece 1996兲, are not toxic to anaerobic biomass, and are sig-
nificantly higher than the Monod half-saturation constant values.
Therefore, systems were not substrate limited during the initial
testing period. For each group, five metal-dosed systems were
prepared, with each system receiving either NiCl2, CoCl2, FeCl3,
or all three salts so as to result in added Ni, Co, and Fe concen-
trations of 25 mg/ L each in the systems. A control receiving no
nutrient amendment was also prepared.
Sixteen of the 126 nutrient assay systems were run in triplicate
for statistical analysis. The average coefficient of variation 共CV兲
value for maximum methane production rates of triplicate sys-
tems was 2.5% when one high outlier was disregarded 共i.e.,
24.7% for the Greater Vancouver Regional District-Annacis
Island Wastewater Treatment Plant, 共WWTP兲, thermophilic bio-
mass with calcium propionate control system receiving no nutri-
ent dose兲. This average CV value is comparable to the value of
less than 3% reported by Vogel 共2003兲 for similar mesophilic and
thermophilic anaerobic serum bottle activity testing. An estimated
CV value of 4.6% was used herein to compare mean values of
systems not run in triplicate. This value represents the upper 95%
confidence limit of the CV values measured during this study.
Average results from each of the biomass samples assayed were
compared using student’s t-test to determine whether results were
statistically different.
Biochemical Methane Potential Testing
Biochemical methane potential 共BMP兲 is a measure of the meth-
ane that can be produced biologically from a given waste, sludge,
or substrate, and is often reported in units of methane volume per
mass of chemical oxygen demand 共COD兲 or per volume of ma-
terial. The BMP protocol of Owen et al. 共1979兲 was used to de-
termine the methane generation potential of each biomass. For
BMP testing, a biomass sample 共50 ml兲 was placed in a 160 mL
serum bottle, and biogas production was measured as described
below. The BMP was calculated by dividing the cumulative vol-
ume of methane produced by the volume of biomass added to the
bottle.
MPAUR and MPPUR Testing
MPAUR and MPPUR testing was performed without nutrient
supplementation to determine the thermophilic and mesophilic
maximum biomass utilization rates of acetate and propionate
under nonsubstrate-limited conditions. These tests have been de-
scribed by Speece 共1988兲 as assays to characterize the rate that a
given biomass can utilize the anaerobic digestion intermediates,
acetate, and propionate. Briefly, 50 mL biomass aliquots were
placed in 160 mL serum bottles and either 7.5 g / L calcium ac-
etate or 3 g / L calcium propionate was added for MPAUR and
MPPUR tests, respectively. Bottles were incubated and the
Table 2. Summary of Plant Operating Data
Volume
raw sludge
Volume of Volume of Volume of all fed to
Flow Digester thermodigesters mesodigesters digesters thermodigester
Plant name 共MGD兲 configuration 共MG兲 共MG兲 共MG兲 共1,000 gpd兲 Type feed
Sturgeon Bay 1.3 TPAD NA NA 0.35 15.0 Primary⫹WAS
Utilities
GVRD—Annacis Island 131.3 Staged 16.6 0 16.6 306.4 Primary⫹WAS
WWTP thermophilic
Janesville Wastewater 14.3 TPAD NA NA 3 50.0 Primary⫹WAS
Utility—WWTP
Delafield-Hartland 1.8 TPAD 0.3 0.275 0.575 11.0 Primary⫹WAS
WWTP
WLSSD 39.2 TPAD 1 3 4 147.7 TWAS

Primary WAS Typical Gas product

thickened thickened SRT % TS % VS % solids Gas product 共100,000
Plant name 共method, %兲 共method, %兲 共days兲 共raw兲 共raw兲 destruction 共100,000 CFD兲 CFD/MGD兲
Sturgeon Bay Utilities Gravity, 3.75 Gravity, 17.5 3.25 65 60 — —
3.75
GVRD—Annacis Gravity, 5.5 DAF, 4.4 20 4.3 84.7 61 16.6 0.13
Island WWTP
Janesville Wastewater Not DAF, 4.4 21 8.2 71 46.2 1.08 0.076
Utility—WWTP thickened
Delafield-Hartland Not Gravity, 5.5 25–30 3.5 82 70.5 0.3 0.17
WWTP thickened
WLSSD Not DAF, 6 7.5 6.0 75.2 28.9 3.73 0.095
thickened

Volume solid Mesodigester Thermodigester Alkalinity Thermodigester

共dry tons temperature temperature 共mg/L as volatile acids NH4-N
Plant name % CH4 fed/day兲 共°C兲 共°C兲 pH CaCO3兲 共mg/L as acetic兲 共mg/L兲
Sturgeon Bay Utilities 67.5 NA NA 55 7.6 5,200 130 6,000
GVRD—Annacis 36.2 55 — 56 7.6 5,300 675 1,500
Island WWTP 共centrate兲
Janesville Wastewater NA 8.89 38 55 7.3 4,500 750 5,800
Utility—WWTP
Delafield-Hartland NA 1.4 33 52 7.4 NA NA NA
WWTP
WLSSD 63 30.9 41 55 7.5–7.8 5,820 1,000 1,890
Note: NA⫽not available; TWAS⫽thickened waste activated sludge; WAS⫽waste activated sludge; DAF⫽dissolved air flotation; Primary⫽waste sludge
from primary sedimentation of wastewater; and Gravity⫽gravity thickening.

MPAUR and MPPUR values were determined as the maximum
slope of the plot of cumulative methane produced versus time, as
described below.
Analytical Testing
After adding biomass and any substrate or metal dose, the head-
space of all serum bottles was gassed with 70/ 30 v / v N2 / CO2,
sealed with butyl rubber septa, and placed on an incubator shaker
at 35° C or 55° C 共C25KC, New Brunswick Scientific, Edison,
N.J.兲 for mesophilic and thermophilic samples, respectively. Bio-
gas production was measured over time using a glass syringe with
wetted barrel inserted through the bottle septa. For ease of com-
parison, thermophilic biogas measurements were converted to
equivalent volumes at 35° C assuming an ideal gas. The cumula-
tive methane volume produced versus time was plotted, and the
initial maximum methane production rate was quantified by linear
regression of appropriate initial plot points, giving biomass activ-
ity for MPAUR and MPPUR values.
Total solids, volatile solids and alkalinity concentrations as
well as pH were determined by standard methods 共APHA,
AWWA, and WEF 1998兲. Soluble phosphate concentrations were
determined by centrifuging samples at 5,600 rpm for 1 h, and
then filtering the supernatant through 0.45 ␮m opening cellulose
nitrate membrane filters. The filtrate was then analyzed for ortho-
phosphate via the vanadomolybdophosphoric acid colorimetric
method, as described elsewhere 共APHA, AWWA, and WEF 1998;
Johnson 2006兲. Biogas methane content was determined by gas
chromatography using a flame ionization detector 共APHA,
AWWA, and WEF 1998; Johnson 2006兲.

44 / JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING © ASCE / JANUARY 2008

Table 3. Summary of Parameters Calculated from Plant Operating Data
Digester volume per Raw sludge Digester gas Digester gas flow Digester gas
total plant flow per total plant flow per total plant flow per digester volume per raw sludge volume

Plant name 共 兲
MG
MGD 共1,000 GPD
MGD 兲 共1,000 CFD
MGD 兲 共 兲
CFD
CF 共 兲
CF
CF

Sturgeon Bay Utilities 0.27 11.5 NA NA NA

Western Lake Superior 0.10 3.8 9.5 0.70 18.9
Sanitary District 共WLSSD兲
Greater Vancouver 0.13 2.3 12.6 0.75 40.5
Regional District—
Annacis Island WWTP
Janesville Wastewater Utility 0.21 3.5 7.6 0.27 16.2
—WWTP
Delafield-Hartland WWTP 0.32 6.1 16.7 0.39 20.4
Average 0.21± 0.09 5.4± 3.7 11.6± 4.0 0.53± 0.23 24.0± 11.2
Average in Speece 共1988兲 0.14± 0.09 4.3± 2.8 8.8± 6.1 0.64± 0.5 15.8± 7.5
Statistically different No No No No No
共p = 0.05, v = 35兲
Note: v⫽degrees of freedom; p⫽level of significance, MG⫽million gallons; MGD⫽million gallons per day; GPD⫽gallons per day; CFD⫽cubic feet per
day; and CF⫽cubic feet.

Results and Discussion
Treatment Plant Survey
Four TPAD systems and one, four-stage thermophilic system
were chosen for study. The four-stage system 共Annacis Island
Wastewater Treatment Plant兲 was comprised of four initial ther-
mophilic digesters in parallel with a solids retention time 共SRT兲
of approximately 18 days followed by three smaller thermophilic
digesters in series. The overall SRT of the three smaller digesters
was approximately three days. The operating data provided by
personnel from each are presented in Table 2. Four plants di-
gested a mixture of primary and waste-activated sludge, whereas
one digested waste-activated sludge only. Total average system
SRTs were between seven and 30 days, with an average of ap-
proximately 19 days.
In general, all plants were operating well, with pH values
greater than 7 and VFA concentrations ⬍1,000 mg/ L as acetic
acid 共see Table 2兲. VSR was generally very good, and averaged
53%. However, the relatively low value of VSR for the Western
Lake Superior Sanitary District 共WLSSD兲 was an outlier.
Normalized data are presented in Table 3, along with average
results for mesophilic systems as reported by Speece 共1988兲. For
TPAD systems, digester biogas production values are the sum of
mesophilic and thermophilic digester production. The average
digester volume per unit influent flow of the TPAD and the ther-
mophilic staged system was 50% greater than that previously
reported for conventional mesophilic digesters 共Speece 1988兲;
however, the difference is not statistically significant at 95% con-
fidence. Nevertheless, it is interesting that TPAD and thermo-
philic systems are often cited as requiring less volume to achieve
a given solids destruction, yet the existing TPAD systems studied
are, on average, larger than conventional mesophilic digesters. On
the other hand, the average biogas production per volume of raw
sludge fed and digester biogas produced per unit plant flow were
52 and 32% higher for the TPAD and thermophilic system studied
as compared to conventional systems. Although these differences
are not statistically significant at a 95% confidence level, this is
an indication that TPAD and thermophilic systems accomplish
more complete biosolids stabilization. This more complete stabi-
lization may be a result of both thermophilic temperatures and
larger total digester size.
Nutrient Assays
The majority of biomass samples tested 共77%兲 benefited from
nutrient supplementation, with seven of the nine biomass samples
共four mesophilic and three thermophilic兲 exhibiting statistically
significant increased acetate and/or propionate utilization rates
upon supplementation with either nickel, cobalt, iron, or all three
nutrients. Table 4 summarizes the thermophilic and mesophilic
biomass samples that demonstrated a statistically significant in-
crease in biogas production with acetate and propionate sub-
strates, respectively. In some cases, supplementation of a single
nutrient caused an increase in methane production rate, whereas
supplementation with all three nutrients together did not. The rea-
son for this is unknown.
Propionate utilization rate was more frequently increased by
nutrients than acetate utilization. In this regard, six out of seven
propionate-fed, nutrient-amended biomass samples 共86%兲 demon-
strated increased biogas production rates, whereas only three out
of nine acetate-fed samples 共33%兲 demonstrated an increase.
There were three thermophilic propionate-fed systems stimulated,
with a range of stimulation of from 14% to 51%, but only one
acetate-fed thermophilic system was stimulated, and the stimula-
tion was marginal 共i.e., ⬍5%兲 共see Table 4兲.
MPAUR and MPPUR
Fig. 1 summarizes the MPAUR and MPPUR results for the me-
sophilic and thermophilic sludge samples taken from each of the
participating municipal wastewater treatment plants. All rate data
in Fig. 1 have been normalized as volumes of methane 共at 35° C兲
per g VS in feed sludge 共mL CH4 / g VS day兲.
Acetate and propionate utilization rates are important factors
in the digestion process, with difficulties sometimes reported
when trying to achieve low propionate concentrations in anaero-
bically treated effluents, especially at thermophilic temperatures.

JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING © ASCE / JANUARY 2008 / 45

Table 4. Biomass Source and Percent Increase in Methane Production Rate due to Trace Metalsa
Temperature Substrate Trace metal共s兲 added and increase in methane production 共%兲
Ni Co Fe Fe, Ni, Co
Thermophilic Propionate DH 14 GVRDAI 51 JWWTP 48 —
JWWTP 35
Acetate JWWTP 4 — — —

Mesophilic Propionate — JWWTP 15 DH 9WLSSD 12

JWWTP 7
Acetate JWWTP 36 SBU 8b — SBU 17
a
SBU⫽Sturgeon Bay Utilities; WLSSD⫽Western Lake Superior Sanitary District; GVRDAI⫽Greater Vancouver Regional District-Annacis Island;
JWWTP⫽Janesville Wastewater Utility WWTP; and DH⫽Delafield-Hartland WWTP.
b
Stimulation caused by addition of 75 mg/ L Co. All other biomass samples were tested at 25 mg/ L Co.

All TPAD plants tested with propionate as the substrate showed
increased propionate utilization rates at thermophilic tempera-
tures. The average specific rate for the thermophilic MPPUR was
statistically higher than the average specific rate for the meso-
philic MPAUR 关see Fig. 1共b兲兴, representing an 84% average rate
increase from mesophilic to thermophilic biomass 共p = 0.05,
v = 7兲. The increase in acetate utilization from mesophilic to ther-
mophilic temperatures was even more pronounced and statisti-
cally significant; the average thermophilic MPAUR was 159%
greater than the mesophilic value 共p = 0.05, v = 7兲 关see Fig. 1共a兲兴.
BMP Testing
A low BMP value indicates stable sludge, whereas high BMP
values indicate less stability and an increased potential to produce
additional methane. BMP5 values for exclusively mesophilic bio-
mass samples averaged 0.11 vol CH4 / vol d 共see Fig. 2兲, whereas
treatment plant personnel reported average total digester methane
production rates of 0.29 vol CH4 / vol d 共with an average SRT of
approximately 19 days兲. Comparing these values, the average di-
gested sludge stability increase due to a short additional digestion
phase can be estimated. To illustrate, the BMP serum bottle can
be considered to simulate a final-phase, complete-mix reactor
treating a given mesophilic digester effluent. Daily methane pro-
duction could theoretically increase by 2% with a one-day SRT
final phase. Likewise, the data of Speece 共1988兲 indicate a 3.6%
average methane production increase if a final phase having a
five-day SRT was implemented 共i.e., estimated using the reported
BMP5 values and plant operating data兲 even after an average of
45 days of digestion.
Measured mesophilic BMP5 values ranged from 0.18 to
0.40 vol CH4 / vol 共see Fig. 2兲. Comparing the average mesophilic
BMP5 values reported herein for TPAD systems 共Fig. 2兲 with
those reported for conventional mesophilic systems by Speece
共1988兲, it is apparent that BMP values were statistically lower for
TPAD systems 共p = 0.05, v = 34兲. It should be noted, however, that
the TPAD systems also had longer average SRT values than the

Fig. 1. Digester biomass acetate and propionate assay results.
Summary of maximum potential acetate utilization rate 共MPAUR兲
and maximum potential propionate utilization rate 共MPPUR兲 assays
for biomass from various municipal digesters. SBU⫽Sturgeon Bay
Utilities, WLSSD⫽Western Lake Superior Sanitary District,
GVRDAI⫽Greater Vancouver Regional District-Annacis Island,
JWWTP⫽Janesville Wastewater Utility WWTP, DH⫽Delafield-
Hartland WWTP, and average⫽average rates for all biomass.
Fig. 2. Biochemical methane potential results. Summary of 5-day
共BMP5兲 and 30-day 共BMP30兲 biochemical methane potential testing
for biomass from various municipal digesters. SBU⫽Sturgeon Bay
Utilities, WLSSD⫽Western Lake Superior Sanitary District,
GVRDAI⫽Greater Vancouver Regional District-Annacis Island,
JWWTP⫽Janesville Wastewater Utility WWTP, DH⫽Delafield-
Hartland WWTP, and average⫽average value for all biomass
samples.

46 / JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING © ASCE / JANUARY 2008

conventional mesophilic digesters studied by Speece 共1988兲.
Therefore, the lower BMP values 共i.e., greater stability and degree
of treatment兲 may have accrued from both higher average tem-
perature and increased SRT.
The BMP30 values ranged from 0.52 to 1.06 vol CH4 / vol of
sludge for mesophilic biomass and 0.79 to 3.77 v / v for thermo-
philic biomass 共see Table 2兲. As expected, BMP5 and BMP30 val-
ues were greater for thermophilic as compared to mesophilic
samples since, for TPAD systems, the mesophilic reactor received
thermophilic effluent, which has already been partially stabilized,
and, thus, would be expected to exhibit lower BMP values.
Conclusions
Trace metal 共Ni, Co, Fe兲 supplementation resulted in increased
methane production rate for three of five biomass samples tested
from various municipal thermophilic digesters. In addition, the
majority of both mesophilic and thermophilic biomass samples
共77%兲 benefited from nutrient supplementation, exhibiting in-
creased acetate and/or propionate utilization rates upon supple-
mentation with either nickel, cobalt, iron, or all three nutrients.
The propionate utilization rate more frequently increased upon
nutrient addition, especially in thermophilic systems, whereas the
acetate utilization rate increased less frequently. This is significant
in that thermophilic systems are often described as producing
effluents with elevated propionate concentration as compared to
mesophilic systems. Therefore, nutrient addition to thermophilic
digesters may play a role in reducing chronically elevated propi-
onate.
TPAD and thermophilic systems are often cited as requiring
less volume to achieve a given solids destruction, yet the existing
TPAD systems studied were, on average, larger than conventional
mesophilic digesters. The average biogas production per volume
of raw sludge fed and digester biogas produced per unit plant flow
were higher for the TPAD and thermophilic system studied, as
compared to conventional systems. In addition, the average po-
tential acetate utilization rate 共APAUR兲 and average potential pro-
pionate utilization rate 共APPUR兲 were found to statistically
increase at thermophilic temperatures compared to mesophilic
temperatures.
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