Principal component analysis and characterization of methane community in a full-scale bioenergy producing UASB reactor treating brewery wastewater

This study investigated the efficiency of an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (UASB) reactor in treating brewery wastewater and generation of biogas as one of the sources of renewable energy. Physico-chemical parameters, dynamics and abundance of methane-producing Archaea were studied using standard methods and fluorescent in-situ hybridization respectively. Raw wastewater from brewery plant had high organic matter and solids content that needs pre-treatment before its discharged into the municipal wastewater treatment plants. The average removal efficiency recorded for biological and chemical oxygen demand were 60.21 % and 78.97 % respectively. The removal efficiency shows the performance of the investigated UASB reactor in reducing contaminant load from brewery wastewater during anaerobic digestion. Methane producing Archaea was active during the treatment process with biogas production containing 60–69 % methane. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed the effect of pH and other measured physico-chemical parameters on methane production with high positive correlation coefficient (R> 0.6). The result of fluorescence in-situ hybridization analysis identified the methane-producing Archaea in the investigated UASB reactor treating brewery wastewater as orders Methanobacteriales, Methanococcales and Methanomicrobiales; genera Methanosaeta and Methanosarcina. The results of this study provide valuable reference information in optimizing and improving reactor perf...
Source: Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Parts ABC - Category: Science Source Type: research