• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.73-82
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• 1996

The removal efficiencies of organic substrates, nitrogen and phosphorus in the anaerobic-aerobic biological phosphorus removal process were investigated by addition of acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid which are normal volatile fatty acids contained in anaerobic digester supernatants. Substrate utilization coefficients for the phosphorus release and uptake were also estimated. The effect of a VFA, which showed higher phosphorus removal efficiency than the other VFAs did, was also studied in an anaerobic-aerobic-anoxic biological nutrient removal process. For the anaerobic-aerobic process added by VFA, the phosphorus removal efficiencies were up to about 68%, 55% and 61% for the reactors of acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid added, respectively, which indicates the efficiencies were increased by about 8-21%, comparing to that of 47% for the reactor with no VFA added. There were no significant difference in removal efficiencies for organic substrate and $NH_3-N$ without regard to addition of VFA. However, the removal efficiency of total nitrogen was increased in the case of VFA added, since $NO_3-N$ was less produced. For the anaerobic-aerobic-anoxic process added VFA, the removal efficiencies for $NH_3-N$ and $PO{_4}^{3-}-P$ were increased by 5% and 13%, respectively, comparing with them in the reactors not added VFA.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 2014

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of thermal pre-treatment on bio-hydrogen from food waste. Two continuous reactors operated and VFAs(volatile fatty acids) production and microbial communities were analyzed. The average hydrogen yield was 0.50 and 0.33mol $H_2/mol$ $hexose_{added}$ in thermally treated food added reactor(R1) and control(R2), respectively. Butyrate concentration was similarly 7,500mg/L in both reactors, but two times higher lactate concentration was observed in R2(3,800mg/L). The results of FISH(fluorescence in situ hybridization) showed that the relative microorganism to hydrogen producing bacteria was 78 and 27% in R1 and R2, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.472-479
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• 2012

The formation of volatile fatty acids(VFAs) and changes in pH, oxidation and reduction potential(Eh) and acid volatile sulfide(AVS) with the addition of yellow clay were investigated using microcosm systems to examine the effects of yellow clay dispersion on the anaerobic decomposition of Cochlodinium polykrikoides in marine sediments. The acetate concentration reached a maximum by day 4 and was 1.2-1.8 fold less in the sample treated with yellow clay compared to the untreated sample (224-270 vs. 333 uM). The formate concentration reached a maximum by day 1 and was 1.3-2.8 fold less in the sample treated with yellow clay compared to the untreated sample (202-439 vs. 563 uM). The propionate concentration reached a maximum by day 2 and was 1.5-1.8 fold less in the sample treated with yellow clay compared to the untreated sample (32.6 vs. 57.2 uM). After the amounts of acetate, formate and propionate peaked the levels dropped dramatically due to the utilization by sulfate reducing bacteria. The Eh of the samples treated with yellow clay was similar to the untreated sample on day 0 but was higher in the sample treated with yellow clay(140-206 mV) from days 4 to 17. AVS started to form on day 3 and this was sustained until day 6, and 1.2-2.2 fold less was produced in the sample treated with yellow clay compared to the untreated sample (40.2-69.3 vs. 83.2-93.8 mg/L). Accordingly, during the anaerobic decomposition of C. polykrikoides in marine sediments, yellow clay dispersal seems to suppress the reduction state of Eh and the formation of volatile fatty acids(acetate, formate and propionate) used as an energy source by sulfate reducing bacteria, indicating that this process controls the production of hydrogen sulfide that negatively affects marine organisms and the marine sediment environment.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.137-147
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• 1998

This study was carried out to find deodorization effect of swine-slurry by addition of phototrophic bacteria(PTB). The pilot-scale reactors operation conditions was designed by the inoculum amounts of PTB and light-conditions. Treatment conditions was divided into 3 types; 106 MPN/ml$.$Dark(T-1), 108 MPN/ml$.$Dark(T-2), 108 MPN/ml$.$Natural light(T-3). The changes of the concentration of volatile fatty acids(VFAs), hydrogen sulfide(H2S), ammonia (NH3) and odor intensity were analyzed during the treatment period(35 days). From results of this study, the maximum intensity of odor in the headspace of the reactor T-1 was 4.82 and T-2, T-3 was 2.63, respectively. In swine-slurry of reactors used, it almost took 10 days until to be stabilized with solid and liquid phase. Intensity of odor in headspace was mainly derived from the liquid phase. The PTB inoculum method to swine-slurry was very effective in reduction of VFAs, H2S and Sulfate-reducing bacteria(SRB) concentration. Expecially, It was interested in reverse growth behaviour of SRB and PTB in these conditions.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.7
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• pp.1011-1016
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• 2005

In this study, 90 crossbred weaned pigs（Duroc${\times}$Landrace${\times}$Large White）weighing - 7.86${\pm}$0.06 kg each were randomly allotted to one of three dietary treatments. Control pigs were a fed corn-soybean meal diet with no additives. The two treatment groups were fed the basal diet supplemented either with 75 mg/kg Aureomycin or 0.4% fructooligosaccharides (FOS) in order to study the effects on performance, serological indices, and enteric morphology in addition to examining the content of volatile fatty acids in intestinal digesta. The results indicate that the diets containing FOS and antibiotics had a significant effect on feed conversion ratios (FCR) and diarrhea incidence, as well as increasing the concentrations of isobutyric and butyric acid and total VFAs in the caecum, and acetic acid, isovaleric acid, and total VFAs in feces. Supplementation with FOS also resulted in significantly longer mucosal villi height and a higher percentage of goblet cells compared with the control. No difference was found in crypt depth among the three treatments. While serum glucose levels were significantly higher following FOS supplement, differences in serum total protein, albumin, globulin, and urea nitrogen levels were not significant.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.108-116
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• 2001

It is difficult to task to achieve high biological nutrient removal from municipal wastewater because of low organic content. Volatile fatty acids(VFAs) produced from acid fermentation of food wastes can be utilized as external carbon sources for the biological nutrient process. Significant reduction and stabilization of the food wastes can also be obtained from the acid fermentation. The objective of this study is to evaluate characteristics of acid fermentation of the food wastes. Results obtained from the batch experiment of various organic wastes showed that the food wastes had high potential to be used as an external carbon source because of the largest production of the VFAs with low nitrogen and phosphorus content. The fish waste was found to be the next possible organic waste, while the others such as radish cabbage and molasses waste showed high VFAs consumption potential as a results of high nitrogen and phosphorus content. alkaline hydrolysis of the food waste was carried out using NaOH prior to the acid fermentation. As the alkali addition increased, solubilization of the organics as well as TSS reduction increased. However, fraction of soluble COD to total COD became stable after a sharp increase. Alkali addition greater than 0.5g NaOH per g TS resulted in significant increase in pH.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.27-39
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• 2019

In this study, thermal-alkali pre-treatment (THAP) optimal condition and co-digestion efficiency with THAP of the mixture food waste and sewage sludge were evaluated for improving the performances of co-digestion for mixed food waste and sewage sludge. The optimal condition of THAP was evaluated for solubilization COD, CST(Capillary Suction Time), TTF(Time to Filter), and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) with THAP temperature and NaOH concentration. In addition, the co-digestion of mixed food waste and sewage sludge were evaluated using biochemical methane potential (BMP) test. The optimal THAP reaction temperature and NaOH concentration of food waste and sewage sludge were $140^{\circ}C$ and 60 meq/L to solubilization COD over 20%, CST and TTF under 60sec and VFAs concentration over 12,000 mg-COD/L, respectively. The optimal condition of co-digestion of mixed food waste and sewage sludge equal to THAP condition. Therefore, it was determined that the optimal condition of THAP reaction temperature and NaOH concentration for co-digestion of mixed food waste and sewage sludge were $140^{\circ}C$ and 60 meq/L, respectively.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.708-714
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• 1999

Fermentation of legume fodder tree leaves by rumen microorganisms was evaluated. The substrates were sun-dried, ground leaves. Gas and volatile fatty acid (VFAs) production were estimated. Using gas production as an index of fermentation at 12 h, the leaves tested ranked as follows; Chamaecytisus palmensis>Gliricidia sepium>Sebania sesban>Tephrosia bracteolate>Leucaena pallida>Vernonia amygdalina>Acacia sieberiana>Sesbania goetzei>Acacia angustissima. Using VFA production, the ranking was a follows; G. sepium>S. sesban>S. goetzei>L. pallida>C. palmensis/V. amygdalina>T. bracteolate> A. sieberiana>A. angustissima. Absolute gas or VFA production rates, were also used to rank the leaves. Extracts (70% acetone) of A. angustissima inhibited the growth of Ruminococcus albus 8, R. flavefaciens FD-1, Prevotella ruminicola D3ID and Streptococcus bovis JBI while the trowth of Selenomonas ruminantium D was depressed when 0.6 ml exracts were added. C. palmensis water extracts enhanced cellulose hydrolysis by R. flavefaciens FD-1. All extracts reduced celluloysis by R. albus 8. R. flavefaciens FD-1 hydrolyzed more (p<0.001) cellulose than R. albus 8.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.248-254
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• 2016

Efficacious wastewater treatment is essential for increasing sewage sludge volume and implementing strict environmental regulations. The operation cost of sludge treatment amounts up to 50% of the total costs for wastewater treatment plants, therefore, an economical sludge destruction method is crucially needed. Amid several destruction methods, wet air oxidation (WAO) can efficiently treat wastewater containing organic pollutants. It can be used not only for sludge destruction but also for useful by-product production. Volatile fatty acids (VFAs), one of many byproducts, is considered to be an important precursor of biofuel and chemical materials. Its high reaction condition has instituted the study of gravity pressure reactor (GPR) for an economical process of WAO to reduce operation cost. Simulation of subcritical condition was conducted using Aspen Plus with predictive Soave-Redlich-Kwong (PSRK) equation of state. Conjointly, simulation analysis for GPR depth, oxidizer type, sludge flow rate and oxidizer injection position was carried out. At GPR depth of 1000m and flow rate of 2 ton/h, the conversion and yield of VFAs were 92.02% and 0.17g/g, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.200-207
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• 2017

A new approach to the solubilization of waste activated sludge (WAS) using alginate-quaternary ammonium complex beads was investigated under controlled mild alkaline conditions. The complex beads were prepared by the reaction of sodium alginate (SA) with 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl-octadecyldimethylammonium chloride (TSA) in acid solution, followed by crosslinking with $CaCl_2$. Treatment of WAS with SA-TSA complex beads was effective for enhancing the efficacy of WAS solubilization. The highest value of soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) concentration (3,900 mg/L) was achieved after 10 days of treatment with 30% (v/v) SA-TSA complex beads. The WAS solubilization efficacy of the complex beads was also evaluated by estimating the concentrations of volatile fatty acids (VFAs). The maximum value of VFAs was 2,961 mg/L, and the overall proportions of VFAs were more than 75% of SCOD. The main components of VFAs were acetic, propionic, iso-butyric, and butyric acids. These results suggest that SA-TSA complex beads might be useful for enhancing the solubilization of WAS. The potential use of VFAs as the external carbon substrate for the production of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) by a mixed microbial culture (MMC) was also examined. The enrichment of PHA-accumulating MMC could be achieved by periodic feeding of VFAs generated from WAS in a sequencing batch reactor. The composition of PHA synthesized from VFAs mainly consisted of 3-hydroxybutyrate. The maximum PHA content accounted for 25.9% of dry cell weight. PHA production by this process is considered to be promising since it has a doubly beneficial effect on the environment by reducing the amount of WAS and concomitantly producing an eco-friendly biopolymer.