Threshold and recovery of anaerobic digestion under high ammonia stress: influence of COD/NH4+ ratio and CO2 enrichment
This study underscores the importance of maintaining an optimal chemical oxygen demand to ammonia (COD/NH4+) ratio to ensure stable anaerobic digestion (AD) performance. The optimal COD/NH4+ ratio ranges from 24.0 to 33.0, while a critical threshold is identified between 11.0 and 17.0, below which A...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article (Journal) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
October 2025
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| In: |
Bioresource technology
Year: 2025, Volume: 434, Pages: 1-13 |
| ISSN: | 1873-2976 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.biortech.2025.132832 |
| Online Access: | Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2025.132832 Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960852425007989 |
| Author Notes: | Mohammad Javad Bardi, Felix Müller, Daniela Polag, Nigus G. Habtu, Konrad Koch |
| Summary: | This study underscores the importance of maintaining an optimal chemical oxygen demand to ammonia (COD/NH4+) ratio to ensure stable anaerobic digestion (AD) performance. The optimal COD/NH4+ ratio ranges from 24.0 to 33.0, while a critical threshold is identified between 11.0 and 17.0, below which AD performance declines. However, the AD of protein-rich substrates typically operates under an “inhibited steady-state” condition, characterized by a lower COD/NH4+ level. At lower COD/NH4+ ratios, the acetoclastic methanogenesis is inhibited, while hydrogenotrophic methanogens remain active, as evidenced by an increase of over 96 mUr in δ2H-CH4 isotope values. The CO2 enrichment of AD under lower COD/NH4+ ratios demonstrate to be a promising approach for AD recovery and performance stabilization. The CO2 enrichment showed a rapid full recovery in methane production at a COD/NH4+ ratio as low as 7.0 (6.2 gNH4+-N/L) and a slower but still effective recovery up to a COD/NH4+ ratio of 5.0 (10 gNH4+-N/L). The δ2H-CH4 isotope values from CO2-enriched ADs indicated a well-balanced methanogenic community, in contrast to non-enriched ADs, which exhibited clearly lower acetoclastic activity. Therefore, CO2 enrichment is promising for enhancing AD recovery and stability at high ammonia stress, promoting methanogenic balance and boosting methane production. |
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| Item Description: | Im Titel ist bei COD/NH4+ die 4 tiefgestellt und das Pluszeichen hochgestellt, bei CO2 ist die 2 tiefgestellt Online verfügbar: 16. Juni 2025, Artikelversion: 19. Juni 2025 Gesehen am 18.11.2025 |
| Physical Description: | Online Resource |
| ISSN: | 1873-2976 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.biortech.2025.132832 |